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“Mother,” I grit out.
“What? She is, isn’t she? I don’t know much about the Italian mafia but they’re horrible people. The worst of the worst.”
I don’t say what I really want to. Which is that they’re probably better people than her. Hell, if there’s one thing Katerina’s thought me about the outfit, it’s that they value family more than anything else. Maybe not always in the healthiest of ways, but regardless. I’m sure mothers don’t call their sons for the first time in over a year just to berate them and be judgmental.
“Is there a point to this phone call?” I ask boredly.
“Yes. What did your father say?”
“He kicked me out of the company,” I tell her. Technically, I left on my own but I know my words will evoke some fear in her heart.
“What?!” my mother screams in my ear. “He can’t do that! You’re his first born son, Alexander. You’re supposed to inherit everything. It’s all yours and I’m not going to stand by and watch as that dick gives everything to that woman and her bastard son.”
My jaw tightens. “Don’t talk about them that way.”
I might want to pummel Graham’s face currently but one thing I’ve realized as I grew older was that my mother’s treatment of him and Isabella was completely unwarranted. Dad was the problem. The onus of it all.
“You know it’s true. And I can’t believe you could have been so stupid. I said it. When I found out about that son of yours I knew he would come to pose problems for you in the future. Why you decided to raise him, I’ll never understand. You should have found that woman and given him back!”
And there goes my last fucking nerve.
“I’m hanging up now. Don’t contact me in the nearest foreseeable. Maybe if I’m lucky, next time it’ll be on your death bed.”
The words are cold and callous but if there’s someone that brings out the worst in me, it’s her. And she fucking deserves it.
“Wait,” she says quickly. “Unfortunately you’ll be seeing me much sooner than you’ll be hearing that I’m on my death bed.”
My eyebrows climb. “What are you talking about?”
“I’m coming back, Alexander. It’s clear I need to fix this mess on my own and I know just the thing. It’s time you got married to a wonderful, respectable woman that your father will approve of. Maybe then we can appease his anger and everything will go back to normal.”
Anger pulses in my gut. But I manage to keep my cool. Nate’s awake and playing in the game room. I’d rather he didn’t hear any of this.
“You want to appease the man you solely refer to as a dick?” I say dryly.
“Yes and like I said I know just what to do. When I return, I’ll find you an acceptable wife.”
“I don’t give a fuck what you do, mother. But leave me the hell out of it. And I’ll die before I find anything you do acceptable.”
Before she can say anything else, I’m hanging up. I run an agitated hand through my hair. I know without a doubt she’s being serious and that she’ll be returning. The problem is, while a part of me loathes her for staying away, the other part would very much like it if she never returned.
Because if there’s one thing Jessica Steele brings along with her everywhere she goes, its pain and suffering for everyone else around her.
Nate comes into the living room a few minutes later and I have to school my features into a feigned calm. When he smiles at me, I feel something loosen in my chest, glad that despite everything else he’s the one good thing I’ve got.
“Hey, buddy,” I say. “What’s up?”
He looks a little nervous. “Dad, I wanted to ask...”
“Go on,” I prompt encouragingly.
“Can you ask Katerina when she’ll be coming? She said she would return in two days.”
I smile warmly, reaching up to ruffle his head.
“Of course. So you like her, huh?”
He shrugs, “She’s my mom.”
