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“Call her.”
“Call her?” My father stares at my mother with confusion.
“Yes,” my mother deadpans.
The two continue to stare intently at one another for a long moment. So much is being said between them. All I know is that I do not want to be in either of their heads. This shit stresses me the fuck out.
Taz, who always seems to know what to do, where to be, and what to say, squeezes my shoulder. Not painful, but in support. Is it weird that this man I have spent less than forty-eight hours with knows me?! He understands my needs and wants better than anyone else ever has. My family knows me, but Taz knows me in a way that is just different. I take a breath at the realization that is what I want to be for him. I want to be someone who knows, understands, and is there for him. My mother wasn’t wrong; I am a girl in love. Well, shit, I didn’t see that shit coming. I’m snapped out of my thoughts when my father's deep, raspy voice pipes up.
“Well, all right,” he smacks a hand down on the table and nods.
My father takes out his phone and places it on the table. He stares at me for a minute, then back up to my mother, who nods. Pulling up Beverly’s number, he puts the call through on speaker. The phone rings once and then goes to voicemail. My mother chuckles, and my father looks furious. Before my father can try again, my mother speaks up.
“Blaze, honey, can you do that thing… where you call her on your computer but make it look like it is from a different number?” my mother says with a smirk on her face. And everyone stares at her in confusion. Everyone but the club’s tech guy, Spider. He chuckles and lets out a guffaw, and my mother looks at him in amusement. “That old tired bitch is playing games. She has to know you know more now. After her husband's henchmen came after my children and lost. She wants to pretend like she has the power, sending you to voicemail like she is too important and so busy running an empire, bitch please.” My mother cuts off her rambling when she sees the humor in my father’s eyes as he watches her. With a shake of her head, she takes a breath. “She may not know what you know, but she wants control. She is too stupid to know she entered the lion's den and is dealing with a lioness now, but she will,” my mother smirks, and it turns into a blinding smile. “She is banking on you being frantic and clueless. Hoping that you’ll do what you MC men love to do and play the club above all cards. Keeping everything from your daughter, ultimately handing her over to keep the piece. She will ignore you and manipulate her. Trust me on that.” Without a word, my brother opens his laptop and looks up at my mother, waiting for directions. Staring at my father, my mother says.
“Call her from Princess’ phone.”
My brother snorts. Shaking his head, he types, doing what she asks. Everyone watches and listens intently, wondering what her game is. Blaze pushes the computer toward our mother once the phone rings, and Beverly answers, as predicted. My mother looks at my father with a raised brow and a triumphant smile.
Beverly’s voice comes from the computer speakers, “Hello, my dear. I’ve been calling you and texting you for days. I don’t understand what your father is thinking, trying to keep me away from my children and trying to turn you against me. Your brothers barely speak to me. You know I love you, don’t you, darling? I know you won’t come to me like I asked because of him. He is a bitter and jealous son of a bitch. He’s so upset that I’m happily married and moved on from him and that wretched town and his low-rent club,” the venom in her voice and her rambling give more away than she may think. Beverly is laying it on thick because she’s desperate.
Prez holds his hands up because he can see the angry faces surrounding us and the air change in the room. The brothers are seconds from losing their shit. They aren’t alone in that. But it’s my mother’s face that I latch onto. The smile on her face is mischievous, and her eyes glitter. And she genuinely looks excited.
“…When can I see you, darling? I miss you terribly. I want to introduce you to some friends. There is a young man… his name is Marco, and I think you would adore him. He and his father are wealthy and powerful men and have stayed with us while they visit from Italy. Isn’t that lovely, dear? That Marco is so handsome and is such a fine young man. His father Dominique and your stepfather Alessandro are good friends and business partners.”
Has the bitch even taken a breath? Damn, she is giving us everything. I hold in my snort that so badly wants to come out. Looking around, I see I’m not alone when I see angry and disgusted faces staring at the computer in disbelief. Yeah, business partners, like her kids don’t know he’s mafia. Does she think her kids are five and clueless? This woman is laying it on fucking thick. Tuning back into her bullshit.
“…They and I think the two of you, you and Marco, would hit it off, maybe even date. I’ve heard that… some not-so-good things are going on there, and I want to get you away from those people and their dangerous lives.” She sounds oh so concerned now. And I have to bite the inside of my cheek to not call her out on her bullshit.
Fuck, this bitch is manipulative as fuck. I want to scream. You are the reason. You crazy, delusional psychopathic bitch are the reason for the not-so-good things going on around here. I catch Blaze's eyes as he stares at me with utter disbelief.
Oh, but the bitch isn’t done. She has yet to take a breath. “You, my darling, are above them. I said things I shouldn’t have the other day out of frustration and anger. But it was because I worried about you and what that club and that lifestyle would do to you. It nearly destroyed me, he nearly destroyed me, and I don’t want that for you. I would never hurt your father. I may not like the man, but he is still your father, and I respect your relationship.” she says.
She doesn’t even sound remotely convincing. She cuts herself off because we all heard the lies she’s telling. I’m sure Princess would also have if she were on the phone. Beverly sighs and still keeps fucking going. When the fuck will this woman shut the fuck up? My eyes widen because, damn.
“I want what is best for you, my darling daughter, and getting away from those people is best. Your brothers cannot be saved. That much has been made clear by how awful they’ve been treating me, but you can. Tell me you will come to me. Tell me you will listen to what your mother thinks is best for you?” The bitch is almost good, almost.
My eyes shift and focus on my brothers. Chase’s and Preston’s eyes are swimming with anger. Beneath the anger, there is betrayal. They feel betrayed by the woman who gave them life, a woman willing to give up on them because they weren’t willing to toe the line of deceit for her. Their words about taking her outcome back to me, and I know now that it is warranted to feel like they do.
My focus returns to the call when I hear Beverly giggle, digging her grave with every word she speaks and manipulation she concocts. She has been slowly but surely digging her grave for twenty-plus years. When Beverly finally takes a breath, giving who she assumes her daughter time to respond, my mother sits up in her seat and speaks.
“Hello, Beverly, it’s been a long time.” My mother doesn’t wait for a response or reaction. “And well, darling. You and I must discuss personal responsibility and what happens when you meddle in other people's lives.” My mother deadpans, which results in complete silence on the other end of the phone.
“Who… who is this?” Beverly stutters over her words, causing my mother to smile wider.
“That’s right, we haven’t been formally introduced, but you are familiar with me. You and your family have been having me…” My mother chuckles dryly. “Well… you have had a version of me followed for over twenty years. Surely you know who I am.” My mother sits and waits. And we all hear the quick intake of breath.
Sucking her teeth. “Before you decide to do something silly like hang up, I want to introduce myself to you formally. My name is Svetlana Petrov. I’m sure you have heard of me because you and your husband are a part of my world, and he…” My mother cuts herself off, which is intentional. She looks at me and winks because she catches the sly smile on my face and recognizes that I know what she is doing.
“Sorry, I’ve gotten a little ahead of myself. Let me first give you my thanks before I finish this brief introduction. It was your interference in my life that has made me into who I am now, which is a very wealthy and well-connected woman. So thank you for that, Beverly Ferrari. Oh darling, I know your mind is probably reeling, so I will spell it out for you. I’m also called something else. Many in our world call me…” She pauses, because why not be dramatic? “The Widow Maker. And if you ask your husband about me, I’m sure he’ll curse my name because I’ve caused considerable losses and connections in his legitimate and not-so-legitimate businesses.” My mother snickers. She is enjoying this way too much. “Which is all because of… you.” She sings songs. My mother pauses, listening to Beverly sputter and stutter, unable to get a coherent word out. When we hear shuffling, a male voice comes over the line.
My mother’s voice becomes smug, “Hello, Alessandro, my dear. You were told not to back that horse, but you did it anyway, and now you and your family must deal with the consequences.” my mother says as she reaches for the computer and then.
Click.
Everyone looks between my mother and father, shock evident on their faces. My mother sits back in her chair with a satisfied smile. I’m so proud and in awe of her, which is not a rarity. It’s just a beautiful thing to watch my mother work. She is always several steps ahead of her target. My brother and I may have just recently been brought into this situation. But my mother has always been playing the long game.
“Savvy?” My father looks at my mother in question.
