Page 10 of Devil's Queen

“How was he today?” My worry for Beaux slips through before I can stop it.

“What’s wrong?” She peers up at me. Her dark eyes lock onto my face, studying it like the worn leather bible she keeps on her bedside table.

“Nothing, Mama.” I sigh.

“Remington Laveau, don’t start lying to your mama now. You don’t think I don’t know what that look on your face means. Something has happened.”

I let out a deep sigh, bracing myself for the conversation to come.

“It’s Rex,” I say finally.

“That’s not a name I’ve heard in a while.” Her gaze shifts to the noise above us as a thud comes from Beaux’s room before she settles back on me. “Don’t tell me after all these years he’s come back to grovel for the way he treated you after your father passed.”

“He’s taken Dad’s spot with the Kings.”

Mama freezes, her eyes widening in shock. “What? How is that even possible?”

“I don’t know,” I admit, feeling helpless. “But it’s true. Maya told us this morning. We’re waiting for verification, but after he called me yesterday out of the blue, I’d say it’s true.”

“He called you?” Mama hisses. “Eight years, and now that he’s the president of that godforsaken club, he calls you. What did he want?”

I let out a deep sigh and pull out a chair to sit across from her. “I didn’t give him a chance to get that far,” I admit. “I was so shocked to hear his voice, I just reacted.”

“How?” she questions me.

“I told him to fuck off and hung up.” I cringe, waiting for her to correct me about swearing. You’d think my mama was a pastor’s wife with the way she hates swearing. How she ended up with my dad, I’ll never know, and trust me, I’ve asked.

“Good. That no-good piece of shit deserved it,” she mutters. “I always knew he was trouble.” She returns to peeling the potato in her hand like she hadn’t just sworn for the first time in years.

“Did you just say shit?”

“I did. Let’s not make it some capital case. I’m an adult, and I can say what I want.” She nods. “So, what does this news mean for us?”

“We’re going to circle back to that whole adults-can-say-what-they-want thing later.” After all these years of her correcting and chastising me over my language, I sure as hell am not going to ignore it. But we have more pressing matters to get to first. “As to what does this mean for us, I don’t know. I’m still trying to work that part out.”

“Do you think he’ll try to come after the shop?”

“I wish I knew, Mama.”

“Well, we need to figure out a plan just in case,” Mama declares, setting down her knife and potato. “You can’t lose this shop. Your dad would be turning over in his grave if he knew we let it go.”

“We won’t lose it. We haven’t fought this hard to keep it just to let it go with Rex in charge.” I nod, feeling grateful for her strength. She’d supported me through my entire pregnancy and helped raise Beaux. Without her, I’d be lost.

“You go get cleaned up and check in on Beaux. Dinner will be ready by the time you’re both back downstairs.”

I hug her tightly, feeling thankful for her support. One of these days, I hope I can find someone even half as strong as my mama to stand beside me. Until then, I’m grateful to have her in my corner.

“Make sure Beaux washes his hands before he comes down.”

“Yes, Mama,” I say, kissing her forehead before heading upstairs.

Beaux’s room is at the top of the stairs. Peering inside, I find him huddled over the top of his desk. His hands dig into his dark hair as he stares down at the paper in front of him.

“Hey, buddy. Mimi said to make sure you washed up for dinner.”

“I know, Mom,” he says, not looking up from his task.

“So, what are you working on?” I peer over his shoulder to get a better look at the paper.

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