Page 90 of Mia

“Right, Mama. You’re a total baddie still.”

She smirked. “I’m not disputing that. I’ve known these boys since they were kids. What the hell would I look like entertaining their advances? They better find them somebody closer to their age and stay the hell out of my face.”

We shared a laugh as a dark figure towered over me. I looked back to see my grandfather. I hadn’t sent him since Eden’s funeral. He’d called to check in, but the conversations were always brief and very dry. To say he was upset about everything, he hadn’t made much effort to be at my side, But that was Thaddeus James for you. He smiled down at me, but I didn’t return the gesture.

“Baby girl,” he said, leaning in to kiss my cheek.

“Grandpa.”

His gaze shifted to my mother. “Maddie.”

“Hey, Daddy.”

He looked at Bronx, then down at their linked fingers. “Who is this?”

“My boyfriend. Bronx Patton.”

“Mmm. Excuse us, Bronx.”

Mr. Bronx raised his hands in mock surrender. “I’m gonna grab us some drink, love,” he said to my mother.

“Okay, baby.”

He kissed her cheek and walked away.

“Mia, can I speak with you for a moment?” my grandfather asked.

“That depends,” I said, crossing my arms. “Are you gonna apologize for having my husband jumped?”

“I’d hardly call it him getting jumped. He took on eight of my men and killed one.”

“Grandpa, that’s not the point.”

“I won’t apologize for treating him like everybody else.”

“You didn’t treat him like everybody else. If I wasn’t hurt, would you have done that to me?”

He didn’t answer, but he didn’t have to. I knew he would never sic the women under his thumb on me or my mama. There was a lot this man would do, but he’d never let anybody intentionally beat on us. Not that they would have had a fair fight.

“You tried to get his crew to fight him. What kind of respect would they have for each other if you put them against him? Those are the people who make sure he comes home safe, and you were wrong for that.”

“Excuse me?”

“You heard me. You intentionally put my husband in harm's way, and I don’t like that. I love you, Grandpa, but I’m not playing with anybody about my man. You owe him an apology. Your beef was with me. I was the one who went against right and went over there. Titan told me not to, and I hid my pregnancy to go anyway. The only thing he did wrong was try to handle me on his own.”

He stared at me, then looked to my mother like she was supposed to say something.

“I’m not in this,” she said. “She’s coming at you in defense of her husband, as she should. Take it up with her.”

She kissed my cheek and walked away. I stared at one of the few men I respected as much as my father. He slipped his hands into his pockets and took a step back.

“We can agree to disagree. You’re my granddaughter. My blood. About you, it’s personal.”

“He’s my husband and now your grandson. It’s personal with me too.”

I didn’t back down. One thing about Papa James, he was stubborn as an old mule and stuck in his ways. So much of me was him. I had to learn, and he would too.

“Fine. I’ll apologize this time. Next time, and there better not be a next time, I’m handling it as I see fit.”