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With my head tilted. “I mean, I know Marco has the investigation going on in Italy. But even that shouldn’t make them…” I say without finishing.
Sin speaks up, “We were followed from here. I, Pain, and Rocket knew instantly. We let them follow us to the hotel. When Blaze pulled into the back of the building, he was still… processing.” Sin looks at our brother, and I know what she means. It’s rare, but Blaze gets in his head, and nothing registers but what he’s focused on. It rarely lasts long, but it is enough sometimes to be a minor issue. I can’t judge–I’m no better. We’re human, so I don’t hold it against him, and he doesn’t hold it against me. Thank fuck we have Sin, Pain, and Rocket at our backs and vice versa.
“Anyway, long story short, as soon as we parked three vehicles boxed us in. We knew they weren't there for a friendly chat, so we were prepared. Once out of our cars, we were met by Dario, Don Ferraris’ underboss. We were told we had forty-eight hours to get Princess to them, or you and Mom would be taken out.” She rolls her eyes as she air-quotes the last part. “They made threats, they showed photos, bullets flew, asses were beaten,” Sin says, amusement lacing her voice. “That’s the abbreviated version, anyway.” She shrugs, crossing her arms. I stare at my sister and then over to Blaze, Pain, and Rocket.
“Yep, that’s pretty much how it went. I’m pretty pissed I didn’t get to kill anyone,” Rocket says with a maniacal smile on his face. “But we’ll get them next time because there will be a next time.” His tone was menacing but had a hint of excitement.
I shake my head at my bloodthirsty cousin and look at Taz, texting on his phone. He must feel my eyes on him because he looks up. I stare at him, and I raise a brow. He shakes his head at mouths Prez. I nod in understanding and turn back to Blaze. “Did you call Mom and let her know about the pictures?” He looks at me and shakes his head. He’s too pissed at the moment. I understand I would have been the same way. I nod. Pulling my phone out, I dial our mother because I have questions and haven't checked in after shit went down earlier. Damn, this day won't end. The phone only rings once before she answers.
“What's the matter?” she says in her calm, melodic voice.
“Hello to you too, Mother. Nothing is the matter, per se. Well, nothing we can’t handle.” I say, unsure of how to approach the topic. The niggling in my gut says that she had to have known she was being followed.
“What’s up, girlie? Where’s your brother, sister, and cousins?” my mother says. She can tell I’m stalling. She always seems to know shit. And knows when I need a minute.
“Hey, Aunty.”
“Hey, Aun-Tay.”
“Hi, Ma.”
“Hello, Mother.”
“Ma’am.”
My siblings and Taz answer her, and my head shoots at Taz, and he has a massive smile on his face. This fucking guy. Oh shit. This may go one of two ways. My mother will act like she didn’t hear him or…
Damn it…
“Who was that last one? Cause I know, I only have three kids and two nephews.” she asks conspiratorially. I can hear the amusement in her voice. They all laughed, and I chuckled nervously. She hates talking on speakerphone, even though it’s the only way Blaze and I ever speak to her when calling. Hello, we are twins, and it is easier to talk to her together. And two, she doesn’t enjoy being surprised, and a sixth person speaking when I have her on speaker without telling her is a surprise.
“Um…”
Everyone laughs again, and I give every damn last one of them the evil eye.
“Well, Aunty, that would be Taz, the VP of the club, and Bellamy’s new man. Get this, he claimed her in front of the club and Gunner. It was amazing, Aunty. You should have seen her and Gunner's faces. Priceless.” Rocket cackles as I stare at him wide-eyed. Fucking snitch.
What the actual fuck is he telling her all that for? Shit. I stand stunned, not sure what the fuck to say. Mom says nothing. All I hear are cackles and chuckles. Shit, damn fucker, son of a bitch. And then here comes Taz’s ass. He couldn’t have just sat there like the sexy, bold gawd he is. I let out an annoyed sigh when he spoke.
“Hello, ma’am. My name is Xavier Taz Highland.” He smiles at me as I shake my head and mouth, “No,” several times at him. The idiot just keeps talking. “And I’ve claimed your daughter as mine. I want you to know that I see her as nothing less than my everything, and I will treat her with the utmost respect. And I will never let her go,” Taz says smugly as he pushes back in his seat. This motherfucker here. I stare at him. His words are sweet, but my mother is my mother. Shit, fuck damnity, damn it.
My mother sucks her teeth and says, “Boy, do you know who I am?”
Taz’s brows furrow, and he thinks for a moment, looking at me with a question in his eyes before he answers, “Yes, ma’am, I do. You are Svetlana Petrov, an amazing woman who raised three amazing kids,” Taz answers with a smile. Blaze snorts, as do Pain and Rocket. Sin is trying not to laugh at his goofy, clueless ass.
“Um, hmm, you know who I am and what I am capable of, boy?” my mother says, her voice stern. It’s a voice she uses when working, and mothering wants people to heed the unsaid warning. I’m smart enough to know this voice means not to say anything. Taz’s eyes fly between me and the rest of my team. I don’t help him, enjoying how he squirms in his seat. I keep my lips securely sealed. His dumb ass opened the door when he spoke up. Nobody told him to open his mouth.
“So, knowing what you know. And knowing my past with your president. Are you sure you are ready for the consequences if you choose to fuck my daughter over? With Gunner, I understood. With you, I will not. I will kill you, melt your flesh down to nothing, grind your bones to dust, and send your teeth to your mother in remembrance of the son that once was. And depending on the offense, if it is bad enough, I will end your entire bloodline. Do I make myself clear, boy?” Fucking hell, my mother has to go from zero to insane in such a short time. I groan, and my hand goes to my forehead.
People wonder where I get it from. Well, here you have it, folks. I got it from my momma. Taz stares at me, then back at the phone a few times with disbelief. I know he would typically be stoic and a badass MC VP, but what my mother said and how she said it would have anyone looking crazy in the face. He should have just sat there and kept his trap shut.
Clearing his throat and squaring his shoulders, he answers confidently, “Yes, ma'am, you have made yourself very clear.” I try to smile, but it appears as a grimace, and I shake my head at him. Next time, he will keep his damn mouth shut.
“Now, why are y’all calling me so damn late?” Looking at the time on my phone, I realize it’s after midnight. “I was trying to Netflix and chill. What do you want?” she says in a whiny voice as if she didn’t just threaten to kill an entire family.
“We had a question. Do you know you are being followed or have been followed? And if so, how long have you known and not told us?” My tone’s clipped. And I know I fucked up when I see the wide eyes staring at me.
“First, little girl, watch your tone.” I can guarantee my tone has her sitting up and staring daggers at whatever is in front of her. “Yes, I know the slimy bitch has had people following me. She has been since the day I left your father, or rather, he left me. She doesn’t know I know or who I am. I ensured that, but I also made it seem like I was just a normal office-working mom trying to get by. Giving her the illusion that I was on that working nine-to-five shit. The bitch is no threat to me, and if she says she is, that’s a damn lie. I let her take her pictures to make herself feel better. Let her feel like she’s doing something. Let her feel like she is watching me and reminding me of my place. That woman ain't shit to me. What about these pictures? How did you all find out about them?” Throughout her rant, we could all hear the anger in my mother's voice, making it very damn clear there was no love lost between her and Beverly.
