Page 57 of Impending Consent

"A drunken, ridiculous choice that I manipulated you into."

"And I'm choosing to honor it. We're in this together. Whatever happens tonight, know I got you. Fuck your father and I don’t say that respectfully because if he can’t deal with your grown ass making grown decisions then, again, fuck him."

She smiled big as hell. My phone rang and when I glanced at the screen, I groaned.

"It's my mom. I need to take this."

"Go ahead. I need to finish my makeup anyway."

I left the bathroom, answering the call. "Hey, Ma."

"Hey, baby. I was calling to see how things are going with your newsituation."

"You mean my marriage?"

"That's what I said."

That’s not what she fucking said.

I chuckled, sitting on the edge of the bed. "Things are good. We're actually heading to dinner with her family tonight."

"So they know?"

"Yeah they know. Her father called yesterday and it all came out."

"And how did that go?"

"About as well as our conversation." I lowered my voice, glancing toward the bathroom. "He basically demanded we come to dinner tonight."

"I see." Another pause. "And your wife, is she treating you well?"

I smiled at the protectiveness in my mother's voice. "She is. It's an adjustment, but we're figuring it out."

"Figuring what out? How to survive a marriage that shouldn't exist in the first place? Baby, I've been patient and trusting likeyou asked, but you still haven't explained to me why you married a woman you barely know."

"Ma—"

"Don't 'Ma' me. I want to know what you were thinking. Are you sure she’s pregnant? Are you in some kind of trouble?"

I smirked, shaking my head. “Nah, nothing like that. It's complicated."

"For all of us. I need some clarity, Rival. I'm your mother. I deserve to know why my only son got married without so much as a damn phone call."

I stood and moved closer to the window to make sure Sailor couldn't hear me. "I care about Sailor. I have since I first met her. The marriage happened fast, but it was intentional for both of us."

“Intentional?"

How could I explain that I saw something in Sailor from the day I met her? She was a woman hiding behind walls I wanted to break down. Someone I was drawn to in a way I couldn't make sense of no matter how hard I fucking tried.

"I saw an opportunity and I took it. I know it sounds crazy, but I believe this can work. I want us to work."

My mother was quiet for so long I thought the call had dropped. "You really care about this woman."

"I do."

"I want to meet my daughter-in-law."

"You sure about that?"

---