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Mother gestures for us to enter. She pours wine, something my father would never do, and sits down at an antique round table she imported from London. “I spoke with Chief Cross earlier today. He’s very unhappy.”
“Cross is always pissed,” I say, taking Dara’s hand in mine protectively. “More importantly, he always obeys.”
Mom’s lips purse. “Yes, well, in this case you’re lucky, but we both know his good will only goes so far. You used a lot.”
“Necessarily so.”
“McLaren didn’t need to die. There were other ways.”
I lean forward. “Mother, this town needed to remember why we rule them. McLaren embarrassed me. He embarrassed you and father and everyone in the Crowley organization. That could not stand.”
Mother looks unhappy. “There were still other ways.”
“No,” I say firmly. “There were not.”
We stare each other down. My mother is not the type of woman to blink first, and I’m a stubborn primate. Fortunately, Dara breaks the tension.
“Mrs. Crowley? I just wanted to say that I’m happy to be back in Boston, and I hope we can have a good relationship moving forward.”
Mother glances at Dara. “Molly, dear. Call me Molly. And I suppose we could have a good relationship, assuming my son doesn’t do anything else to jeopardize the family.”
“I solved our problems,” I snarl at her but force myself to take a breath. I close my eyes, do a breathing exercise, and open them again. “But I understand your position and will hold back the next time I decide to murder a rival.”
Mother sips her wine. “Then we’re all in agreement.”
“There’s still the problem of Dad,” I say pointedly.
“Let me handle your father.”
“Probation is over, and I will not divorce Dara.” I hold my mother’s stare. “She’d the mother of my child. I’m not going to turn my back on her.”
Mother lets out a breath. “Fine, but only because I know you’ll keep fighting this until your dying day.”
“We have your blessing then?” Nervous energy pours through me. I expected this, but even still, getting my mother on board will be huge.
She leans back and turns her gaze on Dara. “You, dear. Why did you marry my son?”
Dara doesn’t miss a beat. “Money,” she says.
Mother’s eyes widen. I groan, putting my face in my hands. Why the fuck did she just say that?
But she continues. “At least, that’s how it started.” She puts her hand on mine. “I was at rock bottom. I found out that I’m pregnant with your son’s child. And when he made his offer, I just… I said yes, because I felt like I had no other choice. But now I can see there are always choices, and I choose to stay with him. Iwantto be with him. I just needed time to figure it out.”
Mom’s face softens. “You turned that answer around.”
“I want to be honest with you, Molly. I really mean it when I say that I want a good relationship with you.”
“I’d like that too.” Mom looks at me. “I bless your union. Though again, you’d do it anyway, wouldn’t you?”
“Yes, but your support makes it easier.” I stand, move around the table, and kiss her cheek. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.” She waves her hands at us. “Now go, I have calls to make, and I need to go speak with your father before he gets so angry his heart explodes.”
I take Dara’s hand and lead her away from mother’s lounge as quickly as I can. Once we’re safely in the hall, I push her up against the wall and kiss her, unable to wait.
She kisses me back, grinning like she’s sparkling. “Did that go well?”
“Better than it should have.”
