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“No, but I need to know.”
She was quiet for a moment before finally nodding. “Yes. Your parents went to Jesse and Layla’s house the night you got married. Jess called me as soon as Shane started yelling, and I showed up just as Harper and Layla started tossing insults at each other.” She rubbed a hand over her forehead. “It wasn’t pretty, the things they said to one another. There were words said in the heat of the moment, but not necessarily untrue.”
“You think I’m not forgiving enough?” I asked since that was what I was told Aunt Layla had said.
“No, no.” She stood and walked around the desk to crouch in front of me. “That’s not what I meant. You have such a kind and forgiving heart, Violet. What Luca did was unforgivable. We all know that, including Layla.”
“Then why would she say it?” I whispered.
“Because she’s a mother who was facing a son’s heartbreak.” She sighed heavily. “When Luca found out about the engagement, it hit him hard. But when he found out you got married…”
I closed my eyes. “Is that why he was playing like total shit last night?”
“You saw that, huh?” I lifted my lashes and shrugged, remembering how I’d cursed at the television until I’d woken Remington. “That was just Luca throwing a tantrum,” she said with a twist of her lips. “He still hasn’t grown up, it seems. He’s lucky he still has a job today. His agent called me this morning, saying the team’s owner was talking about suspending him. I told her to let them if that was what they thought was the best course of action. Make him learn he can’t pull his little-boy stunts in the real world.”
She straightened and leaned back against her desk. “That’s what I meant when I said some things weren’t necessarily untrue. Jesse and Layla are great parents, I will admit that. But while Jesse was always trying to be the authority figure, Layla sometimes let the twins get away with a lot. It kind of shows where Luca is concerned, is all I’m saying.”
“I feel kind of responsible for that too, Aunt Emmie.” I pushed my hair back from my face, knowing I wasn’t guiltless. “You know how Luca is. How, with just a look, I would give in to him. Aunt Layla couldn’t say no to him, and neither could I.”
“I get it, sweetheart. And I can’t say I’m not guilty of doing the same with Jagger. Luca is a grown man now. Everything that happens to him is on him. Not his mom, not you, or anyone else.” She reached out her hand, and I gave her mine without hesitation. “I’m going to try to help you get this sorted out. But if it doesn’t work, I don’t want you to blame yourself. Understand?”
“I’ll try not to. But I’m really hoping we can at least get them to agree to be in the same room together.”
She nodded. “I’ll try to work some magic. But it may mean doing something you’re not going to like.”
That made me frown. “Such as?”
A tap on the door had us turning just as the door opened, and Aunt Emmie’s assistant walked in with a tray loaded with takeout boxes. Rachel smiled in greeting and set the tray on the desk. “Hope you two are hungry because this food smells so yummy.” She glanced at the door where Jenner was standing at attention, as if he expected someone to come out of a dark corner and attack me at any moment. “That guy is kind of intense.”
I snorted. “Jenner is a pussycat,” I said just loud enough for him to hear and watched as he slowly turned his head. His eyes never changed, but I thought I saw a hint of a smile tilting at his lips.
“He’s one of Barrick’s,” Aunt Emmie mentioned as she picked up one of the boxes and opened it.
“I figured,” I said as I took the food she offered. It was an Italian-style wrap with pasta salad on the side. Standing, I carried it to the door. “Hungry?”
His mouth pressed into a hard line. “I’m good.”
“I didn’t poison it,” I teased. “And I promise neither did Rachel or Aunt Emmie. If you work for Barrick, then that means you work for her son-in-law. He wouldn’t be happy if she killed one of his men, even if he would hide a body for Mia.”
The smile grew bigger, and I nudged his hand with the box of food. “I’m pregnant, so you have to do as I ask or I’ll cry. Do you want me to cry, Jenner?” I pouted up at him, and he blew out a harsh sigh before taking the box from me. Grinning, I stepped back.
“I’ll remember this,” he grumbled.
My brows lifted in innocent surprise. “That I fed you?”
“That you’re devious and kind of adorable.” He lifted the sandwich and took a bite. “Don’t tell Sawyer I said that about his wife, though.”
I winked and stepped back with a laugh. “Wouldn’t dream of it.”
Chapter 42
Violet
Aunt Emmie was right. I wasn’t going to like what I had to do, but if it meant healing the rift between my parents and Luca’s, then I’d do what needed to be done.
Christmas Eve, Jenner pulled up in front of Aunt Emmie’s house. I sat in the back with Remington beside me and just stared at all the cars already parked in the driveway and along the street. I hadn’t been to one of my aunt’s huge Christmas Eve parties in years, and while I wasn’t exactly thrilled to be there now, I had missed seeing all my family together.
Remington caught my hand and brought it to his lips. “You don’t have to do this if you’ve changed your mind.”
