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Now it was my turn to narrow my eyes. “What do you mean, where else would she go? I bought her a house, didn’t I?”
“You mean the house she doesn’t have a key for? The house you haven’t even been inside yet? Is that the house you’re talking about?”
Damn, she had a point. Again.
“You could have called me, and I would have organized someone to get her a key.”
“You mean to tell me that if you’d known we were calling about the key, you’d have actually picked up your phone when I called you instead of ignoring me?”
Mom had been blowing up my phone the whole time I’d been gone, and I’d cowardly ignored it. But I’d needed time to get my head on straight. Not that I managed that impossible feat.
“Well, despite my error of judgment, she was obviously fine staying with you.”
Her nostrils flared. “She’snotfine. She’s scared. She’s confused. And she deserves better. I’m so disappointed in you, Gabriel. This is not the man I raised you to be.”
Not once in my life had my mom ever told me I had disappointed her. My parents had always supported us in whatever we wanted to do. They were generous with their praise and affection.
Her words hit me hard. I’d really screwed up this time.
I grimaced, dropping my head. “I’m sorry. I wasn’t thinking.”
Her shoulders lost some of their rigidity, and her hands dropped to her sides. “She needs you.” Mom wrung her hands. “She’s had a hard life.”
I scoffed. “What, living in a mansion and having an unlimited credit card is now called a hard life?”
“She has bruises on her arms and back. And scars. Old and new.”
I stilled. “What do you mean, she has bruises and scars on her body?”
“Exactly what I said. And we both know who she’s been living with and who would no doubt be capable of hurting her.”
“Don’t ever let anyone else hear you talk about him.” I stepped closer, needing her to pay attention. “Mom, I’m serious. He’s ruthless and doesn’t care about anything but power and money. They found the last person who pissed him off floating facedown in the river the next day.”
Mom blanched, then nodded. “Okay, honey. I won’t mention it again. But you need to see beyond your resentment. She had as much of a choice in marrying you as you did. Don’t blame her for things beyond her control.”
Nodding, I put my arms around her. “I truly am sorry. And I’ll try harder from now on.”
She lifted her arms and hugged me back before clearing her throat and releasing me again. “Give her a chance.” She turned to the living room. “Dinner is in an hour. Don’t be late.”
Jude whistled as soon as she was gone. “You really screwed up this time, brother dearest.”
“Shut up.”
He snorted. “Very mature. Sometimes I wonder if I should have been king instead of you.”
“I’m not a king.”
“Understood. You just like to conquer and kill.”
I huffed in exasperation. “We’re not killing or conquering. We’re not fucking Vikings.” I turned to my idiot brother. “Now, can you go away and leave me in peace, or do you want to go put on your tunic first?”
Jude saluted me. “Just so you know, I would have made a great Viking.” Before disappearing, he turned back, an ever-present mischievous gleam in his eyes. “And don’t worry. I won’t tell anyone where we’ve been the past three days.”
He strolled off, leaving me to mull over Mom’s words. While I may have acted irrationally, I also didn’t think there was anything else I could have done. My marriage would never be more than a contract, and it would prevent any confusion about where we stood to make it clear from the beginning.
* * *
Tinkling laughter sounded from the dining room, and I stopped in the doorway, taking in the scene in front of me. Quinn sat on Liam’s lap, the two having a private conversation amidst the chaos.
