Chapter 44

Eden slid me a look. "You okay?"

"Yeah. Why?"

"You're white-knuckling the steering wheel."

She was right. I relaxed my grip.

We were on our way to my mother's cottage. As soon Eden had Olivia's okay, she'd insisted on meeting my mom. To tell the truth, I was glad to have her. Mom hadn't taken the news of Esposito's passing well, and I was crap at comforting people.

Mom didn't have any close family on the island, either. She'd been an only child and her parents were dead, and most of her friends had dropped her years ago. So I'd thrown money at the problem instead, paying Denise, the lady who came twice a week, to come five days instead. At least I knew my mother was eating and taking showers.

So I'd zipped Eden into the new down coat I'd bought her—because she could restore, rework and reuse previously owned clothes if that was her dream, but I was damned if my pregnant mate was going to run around in a Nova Scotia winter wearing an unzipped coat—and bundled her into the SUV.

I pretended to focus on rounding a small bend in the road. Snowflakes drifted down, sparkling under the SUV's headlights. "There's something I should tell you about my mom."

"Go on," Eden encouraged softly.

I flexed my fingers on the wheel. "She's an addict, okay? A drinker. She may not be sober."

"I know—and it's okay. I still want to meet her."

"You knew?" I shook my head. "I guess it's not a secret."

"No. And it's also not a secret how you take care of her."

"She's my mom."

"I know, and you're doing everything you can. The rest is on her."

I nodded. "I know."

"Do you, Talon? Do you really know that? Or do you think you should be able to fix her?"

I downshifted, taking the turn onto my mom's road.

I should be able to fix her. But I can't. I'm not enough. I was never enough.

"Talon?" Eden asked.

"We're here," I said gruffly.

She settled back, her disappointment filling the small cab. "I'm here," she said. "When you're ready to tell me."

"Wait for me to help you out." I rounded the car and opened the door—and pulled her close. "I love you so fucking much," I said against her striped wool hat.

"I love you, too." She stroked my nape. "Remember that."

Mom stood on the porch, arms hugged around her too-thin waist, her face lined and weary. "Thank you for coming," she told Eden.

My new mate pulled her into a hug. "I would've come sooner, but they wouldn't let me."

My mom stiffened, then clung to Eden for a long moment. When she finally stepped back, her gaze moved over Eden's face, pausing at her bruised cheek. The ugly marks Lemaire had left were still visible, if faded.

Mom gently touched the largest bruise. "They did that to you?"

"Yeah." Eden straightened her shoulders. "But the vampire who did it is in his final grave, so, you know, fuck him." She screwed up her nose. "Sorry for the language, but that's how I feel."

"Don't apologize. The sonuvabitch deserved it."

"He did," Eden agreed.

Mom turned to me. "Thanks for bringing her."

"She insisted." I touched my lips to her cheek. Her scent was free of alcohol.

She must've heard me sniff, because she said, "I'm sober. I wanted to drink, but I haven't—and I won't. I'm going to AA meetings, too. Denise takes me."

Eden eyed us, a tiny frown between her fine dark brows. "It must be so hard," she said to my mom.

"It is." Mom's chest heaved beneath her thick wool sweater. "But come in—it's too cold to stand out here."

Inside, I helped Eden out of her coat, hanging it along with mine in the foyer.

Mom led the way into the kitchen. "Can I get you a cup of tea? Something to eat?"

"Tea, please," said Eden. "If you have decaf."

"Mint tea okay?"

"Perfect, thanks."

"Coming right up." Filling an electric kettle at the sink, Mom plugged it in, then took out two cups and a wood box of teabags in various flavors. "Two more months, right?" she said with a glance at Eden's stomach.

"Yeah." Eden smoothed a hand down her loose black tunic and grinned. "He's up right now, as a matter of fact."

My mom dug her teeth into her lower lip, a look of longing on her face, one I couldn't interpret, but Eden apparently did, because she beckoned to her.

"Would you like to touch—?"

"Oh, yes. I would." Mom hurried forward. "If you don't mind…"

"You're his grandma, aren't you?" Eden said. "There. Do you feel it?" She took my mom's hand, placing it on the upper left side of her abdomen. "That's a foot, I think."

"Yes." Mom's mouth trembled. "Oh, I wish Marco could be here for this."

Putting a hand on my mother's shoulder, Eden touched her forehead to Mom's. Together, they looked down at Eden's pregnant stomach.

"I wish things could've been different," Eden said. "I'm so sorry about what happened. I can't imagine how you feel."

My mom drew a shaky inhale. "It's so hard. He was my best friend."

Eden drew her closer. "I know. I know."

I swallowed over something sharp and rough-edged and glanced around the small kitchen. The killing rage that had consumed me when I'd realized that Esposito had helped kidnap Eden had subsided, but I was still furious with him, and my mom by association.

And yeah, I knew she hadn't had anything to do with Eden's kidnapping. But she'd carried the man emotionally for years, and before I'd started giving him money, she helped him out financially, too, even when she didn't have the money to give. If she'd cut him off years ago like she should've, he might've left the area altogether. I reminded myself he'd tried to do the right thing when he'd got my mom pregnant, but…

The women separated, Mom giving Eden's stomach a soft caress. "You'll let me see him, won't you?" she said with a sidelong glance with me.

"Of course." Eden's brow pinched in confusion. "You're his grandma. I want him to know you."

"As long as you stay sober," I inserted.

Understanding dawned on Eden's face. She opened her mouth, then shut it at the hard stare I gave her.

"I will. I will." My mom swiped at her eyes and lifted her chin in my direction. "I've changed, Talon. You'll see."

Gods, I wanted to believe her. But how many times had she told me that or something like it? "Let's take it a day at a time."

"Fair enough." Mom cleared her throat and turned toward the kettle. "The tea's almost ready. Why don't you two sit down?"

I pulled out a kitchen chair for Eden, then sat next to her. "Thank you," I mouthed, taking her hand and pressing it to my lips.

I meant it. I might be mad at Esposito, but I hated seeing my mother in pain, and Eden's gesture had eased it. She'd known exactly what to say and do.

She was a good person. Warm where it was easy for me to be cold. If Esposito were here right now, I had no doubt she'd have forgiven him, too. It made me want to protect her from herself at the same time I hoped she never changed, because if she did, she wouldn't be Eden. The woman I loved.

Mom put a tea bag in each of the mugs. The kettle beeped and she poured the hot water into the mugs, then carried them to the kitchen table and took the chair across from Eden.

"You sure I can't get you something to eat?" she asked.

Eden shook her head. "I just had supper."

My mom nodded. "Tell me how you're doing," she invited. "You and the baby are okay?"

Eden assured her they were both doing great, and the two of them fell into one of those conversations that women have about babies and pregnancy and the nursery that Eden was putting together with my and Rio's help.

I let their conversation flow over me, content to listen.

Eventually, though, Esposito came up again. "He saved my life," Eden told my mom.

Mom's gaze darted to me for confirmation. My jaw clenched but I nodded in agreement. I'd said something along those lines when I'd first broken the news to her, but I probably hadn't been too convincing.

Mom's chest heaved. "He helped them kidnap you, didn't he?"

My brows climbed. I hadn't thought she'd put it together.

"Well, yeah," said Eden. "But he was sorry. I know he was."

Mom was looking at me. "Why else would he have been there? He got in too deep, didn't he?"

I shrugged a shoulder.

"Gambling." Her face fell. "Let me guess—he owed them money?"

I nodded. "A lot, from what I can tell."

Mom sighed. "That sounds like him. Getting in too deep, then not knowing how to get out. I'm sorry," she told Eden.

"You have nothing to apologize for," said Eden. "He did it, not you."

Mom gripped her mug with both hands. "If only he'd said something to me. Maybe I could've talked him out of it... But he didn't. I'm sorry."

Eden reached across the table to touch her wrist. "He knew you would've gone straight to Talon."

"Yeah. I would've." Mom's mouth twisted. "And Marco knew it. He wasn't a bad man," she told Eden. "Just weak."

My jaw dropped so I probably looked like a goddamned fish. All these years, I'd thought my mom had rose-colored glasses where Esposito was concerned.

Mom slanted me a sad smile. "I knew what he was, but I loved him anyway. That's what you never understood. But maybe now you do?" Her eyes slid in Eden's direction.

I closed my mouth, nodded slowly. Loving Eden as I did—needing her as I did—maybe I'd forgive her over and over, too. I liked to believe I wasn't that weak, but deep down, maybe I wasn't so different from my mom after all.

It would've been fucking scary, actually, if I didn't trust Eden like I did. If I didn't know in my very bones that she was nothing like my father.

"Well," said Eden, "Lucky for me Esposito was there. He brought me food and water, and he died trying to help me escape."

Mom's eyes filled with tears. She took out a tissue and noisily blew her nose. "Thank you for telling me."

"It's the truth." Eden chewed her lower lip, looking like she might start crying herself. "He put himself in between me and the vampire who kidnapped me, trying to buy me some time to run. It almost worked, too, except I had nowhere to run to."

Mom's face went tight with horror. "I'm so sorry, sweetheart. For everything you went through."

Eden managed a smile. "I'm fine now, though. Good thing I'm tough."

Suddenly, I couldn't bear her being even a few inches away from me, so I pulled her onto my lap. "Yeah. She is. Although if I could stake that bastard all over again, I would."

Eden brought her mouth to my ear. "Can we tell her?" she asked in an undertone. "She could use some good news."

I nodded.

Eden turned to my mom. "We're mated. Talon claimed me, and I accepted."

"Oh, honey." Mom's mouth dropped open. Then she was on her feet, teary-eyed but beaming. She rounded the table and enfolded us both in a hug. "I'm so happy. I never thought I'd live to see Talon claim anyone."

"You'll come to our mating ritual?" Eden asked. "It will be in the spring, after our little guy is born."

Mom straightened, her face crinkled with joy. "Oh, baby, I'd be honored to."

"But don't tell anyone, okay? Even my mom and dad don't know. We want to tell them in person."

"I won't," she promised.

We left soon after that. Eden was silent on the drive to the castle, but as I helped her out of the SUV, she rose on her toes, framing my face in her hands.

"Talon? I want you to listen. Are you listening?"

I eyed her, puzzled. "Yeah."

"I am not your mother, and you are not your father. We get to write our own story. We may mess up, but that's on us."

I gripped her wrists, my gaze moving over her earnest face. Gods, I loved this woman. No, I fucking adored her.

Sincerity poured from her. I felt it in my soul, where our bond was anchored. In that moment, I realized I still hadn't let go of that last, small doubt.

I swallowed thickly—and let myself believe. In Eden. In us. In our future.

"I will," I said. "I will."

She gave a satisfied nod and brushed her lips over mine. "Good," she murmured.

I dragged her closer, eating at her mouth, drinking in her sweet Eden taste. When I released her, it was only so I could get her somewhere private and kiss her some more, only this time, we'd both be naked.

"How'd you get so wise?" I asked as we walked up the castle steps, hand in hand.

"Is that wise? Seems like common sense to me."

"Then I wish everyone had your kind of common sense. Because you're absolutely right. This is our story, and you're the only one I want to write it with."

"Oh." She sucked her lower lip in. "You say such nice things."

"It's not nice when you mean every word."

"Then what is it?"

I brought our joined hands to my mouth and kissed her fingers. "The truth."