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Sebastian leans forward. “No problem, Gran, we know you ain’t talking shit,” he says. His voice is controlled, but there is a hint of mischief in his eyes.
Savvy is a beautiful woman. The resemblance between her and my woman is uncanny. I thank the man upstairs that my woman will age gracefully. I can honestly say that Savvy is a beauty. I can appreciate that shit. As I watch her, I recognize Bellamy is her mother's daughter in not just looks but how she is; her demeanor and watchful, assessing eyes make it clear she is a woman about her business. Savvy carries herself with an air of authority, having everyone in the room sitting up and paying attention.
With her sitting next to me, I have to turn in my seat to look at her. She shifts, looks me in my eyes, and speaks, “Xavier Taz Highland, you remember my promise, boy?” A brow lifts, and she gives me a menacing smirk that sends a shiver down my spine. And I know better than to keep this woman waiting. I immediately fucking answer, “Yes, ma’am, and my answer is still the same. I would rather die than hurt her.” Our eyes stay connected as she searches and watches me, looking for a sign that my words are untrue. She won’t find shit because I mean every word.
“Well, excellent. As long as my beautiful daughter is happy, you may live.” she says as she sniffs the air and turns away from me.
I hear a few snorts in the room, but don’t acknowledge them. She claps her hands together. “Okay now…” She looks at me expectantly, and I stare at her, then at Bellamy, watching us with wide eyes. Bellamy inclines her head, which clarifies what her mother expects. Because even if the woman is scary, I take a few seconds longer than necessary to get up from my seat, but I do. Listen, she may be a world-renowned assassin and my soon-to-be mother-in-law, but she does not run this shit. I will give her the respect she deserves, but only out of respect for my woman and my Prez. Standing, I step away, and my woman takes my seat. She is stiff, but I refuse to let her stay that way. I also don’t know why she is reacting like this. I know she isn’t afraid of her mother or her pops. I think having them in the same room for the first time in her life. She isn’t sure how to react. I lean down and kiss the side of her forehead. And whisper for her to take a few breaths. She does, and I feel her body relax. Savvy watches the interaction and smiles, patting her daughter’s hand before turning to Prez.
“Now, where were we? I believe you were at the part where I’m a cold, badass bitch, and Beverly is a cold, conniving bitch. Prez’s other daughter is a silly, self-righteous, yet spoiled bitch, and my daughter is a bitch in love. Did I miss anything?” Savvy deadpans. She leans forward, resting her elbows on the table, linking her hands together, resting her chin on her knuckles. Looking at a still silent Prez and then around the room. I hear a few coughs of the brothers trying to hold in laughter, and of course, it is the girl that breaks first, and then the room, including the Prez, who has been sitting stoically to this point, bursts into laughter.
That is one hell of a way to make an entrance.
Thirty-Nine
GUNNER
?
The night before.
Savvy was coming back. She was coming here. I was going to face the mother of my children, the woman I love with everything in me. I know I’ll have a fight on my hands–of that, I have no doubt. I also know that I will have to face the consequences of my actions. My apology to her is long overdue. My gut churns thinking back to when my life changed because of my decisions. I thought I was doing the right thing, saying and doing what I did. I loved Savvy so fucking much that I was willing to break her to save her. Ultimately, the disrespect and disregard changed her; my children told me as much.
Turning over on my back, I stare up at my ceiling. From what I know of her, Savvy is someone else, not the sweet, kindhearted woman I fell in love with. Living our life, there isn’t much room for sweet and kindheartedness; being a part of the underworld can change you if you let it. Seeing my children's love for their mother, I have to believe she isn’t as tainted and hard as she wants the outside world to believe she is. I find it impossible to think she’s changed so much that she would be unrecognizable. No matter how much she has changed, she will always be my Savvy. I believe that down to my bones.
My woman may be a killer, but she is still mine, the love of my life, and I will do everything in my power to remind her of that. I hope like hell she’ll let me in.
Church
Watching Savvy walk through the doors had all the air leaving my lungs, my heart rate skyrocketed, and my mind was going a thousand miles a minute. She’s fucking here, in my club, within reach, and fuck if she isn’t a goddamned sight to see. The woman was gorgeous when she and I were together, but she was a young beauty. That kind of beauty she was still learning about. It was an innocent beauty. Now, my Savvy is a sexy as fuck siren. And my dick immediately takes notice.
I sit watching her. A fear like nothing I have ever felt consumes me, and the thought that the woman I love will never forgive me for what I put her through. Bellamy said she understood and had forgiven me. I don’t know how she could because I haven’t forgiven myself.
I can’t forgive myself. I should have fought harder for her. I honestly thought that I was making the right choice. Fuck, no matter how you looked at it, someone was going to lose, and no matter how you looked at it, one of my kids would be affected.
Savvy greets all the children and has a few words for my VP. What I want to know is when the fuck did they speak because he said fuck all to me last night when he informed me she was coming? When my brain registers that she speaks in her cool but melodic voice, I key into what she is saying.
“… I’m a cold, badass bitch, and Beverly is a cold, conniving bitch. Prez’s other daughter is a silly, self-righteous, yet spoiled bitch, and my daughter is a bitch in love. Did I miss anything?” I try to hold in my snort because this Savvy is new, but the twinkle in her eyes is still familiar. I can't say I don’t like it, but it gives me hope.
For a few moments, no one says a word. Everyone stares between Savvy and me, and then either Sin or Sarafina bursts into laughter, with the rest of the room following suit.
Forty
BELLAMY
?
Watching my mother when she entered, she didn’t look at my father until the last possible second and not for long. My father’s eyes have yet to leave her. All anyone can do is watch and wonder how this will play out. Wonder if this is the calm before the storm.
I clear my throat, not waiting to get everyone’s attention before I speak again. “As I said before, my mother made her grand entrance.” I give her a wink, and she gives me the stink eye. “I’m sure you are wondering why my mother didn’t know or notify you that the second contract would be in play sooner than she did. Relax, she was not being a cold vindictive bitch, that I can promise you.” My eyes connect with my father’s and Taz’s, and then I sweep the room to ensure everyone understands my words.
“Simply put, they hid the information well, even from our person inside. My mother only discovered this information after my grandfather found it. As you may or may not know, Mafia families are incredibly secretive in their dealings. They’re not always up with the times or make moves and communicate in ways that can be easily traced.” I say deadpan.
“Beverly, her father, and Rossi's deal are as underhanded as they come. As I have said before, transferring a marriage contract is not unheard of, and they are hard to get out of, but to go to this extreme, there has to be more to it than we currently know. Trading and selling their daughters to further alliances and gain power is nothing new. What is new and unheard of is to bring in an outsider. To bring in a daughter unfamiliar with the family and their ways. A daughter connected to one of the country's largest and most feared MCs. That is what I think they are after. I believe this alliance is about the club and always has been.” My eyes connect with my father’s, hoping he understands my meaning.
My father sits in his chair, leaning forward, eyes still on my mother’s even though hers are not on his. Watching and waiting for her to look at him, but she doesn’t. And when he realizes this, he speaks up, forcing her eyes back on him, “So, what is the plan, Savvy?”
The room remains silent as everyone waits for my mother to speak up. She slowly takes a breath, eyes shifting to look at my father intently. She may fool him with the blank, unaffected look, but she isn’t fooling me. I see the sadness in her eyes that has me looking away from her. Turning back after the intense silence. A flash of something I can’t understand is in my mother’s eyes before she speaks.
