Irrational (Underneath it All Series: Book Two) (An Alpha Billionaire Romance) Read Online Free

growled. Not a growl-like tone, she literally growled .
    “You have no idea how hard it is to live with, Mom,” she’d said accusatorially. “To take care of her, to try and keep her together because the alternative is there’s no groceries in the fridge and the bills don’t get paid.” Eyes that looked like mine, felt the same hurt I’d endured, cut right through me. “Then I have to turn to you. Bother you. You washed your hands of her and you don’t even get what that did to me. You left me all alone.”
    How could I blame her for being angry?
    I’d been angry. I was still angry.
    The helplessness that I felt knowing that no matter how badly I wished things were different ultimately, it was my mother's choice, came back with a vengeance. She had to decide that she cared about someone other than herself. She had to be a mother. Every chance she got, she chose herself.
    My detachment had nothing to do with Rose, but at the end of the day, Rose was the one that paid for the war that I'd waged on my mother—and there were no victors.
    After we sat in even more uncomfortable silence, I painfully listened to Rose bargain. Watching her pick at her nails, trying to take it all on herself, tore my heart in half. I'd done the same thing, telling myself that if I stayed out of her way, that would make my mother happier. If I wasn't so demanding of her love, maybe she'd give it freely. If I made all A's and was the best at everything, she wouldn't have a choice but to be proud. To care.
    When I tried to explain that I got it, that I'd been where Rose was, so frustrated and angry, Rose shut up altogether and just cried. When we were kids, she let me hold her when she was sad, but in the precious hours we got together now, she’d locked herself in the bathroom and ignored my attempts to comfort her.
    It was hard to not take it personally, but I understood her anger. Her grief. And when she’d finally emerged, I’d received stone cold acceptance.
    I couldn't force Rose to let me in. Hell, I had no right to even ask it of her when I kept my own shit to myself. Still, her complete change from ‘go away' to eager to help me with dinner after her virtual hunger strike the day before...It made me worry even more. My head spun and my ‘big sis’ sense tingled. The tingle was upgraded to a full-on vibration the minute Rose said she wanted to cook dinner.
    I peered over at her from the worn couch in my living room. If disaster struck, which was not out of the question since Rose was infamous for burning pots of water, I wouldn't have to book it to her rescue at least.
    According to the gum popping rental agent who'd rolled her eyes every time I asked a question when I first toured the apartment, the square footage was 'cozy'. Cozy was being generous. Cramped was being honest.
    "Everything okay over there?" I knew that boiling water generated a fair amount of steam and unless I heard sirens in the distance I didn't need to be alarmed, but I couldn't help myself.
    "Hey!" Rose wielded the wooden spoon like a weapon. "I can cook spaghetti noodles just fine."
    "The last time you made spaghetti noodles for me, you forgot to actually boil them," I reminded her with a smirk. To be fair, she was ten years old at the time and it was pretty clear that somewhere along the way, she discovered that no one likes their spaghetti crunchy.
    "Your kitchen is too sm- cozy ," she corrected, making air quotes as she regurgitated the story I told her in an effort to connect. "If you hover, I’m just going to make a mess and ruin everything."
    We'd been sparring back and forth since I agreed to let her make dinner, but her voice changed with her last sentence. I scooted to the edge of the couch, picking at the frayed chenille fabric. Did our mother give her a hard time when she offered to help in the kitchen? Even if I did it all in good fun, I didn't want to trigger her or seem ungrateful. 
    "Rose, I just-"
    "I mean, who do you think cooks at home?