Page 84 of Riding the Edge

“You’ve been crying,” Anthony points out, glaring at me. “I’m going to fucking kill you.”

“Stop it!” Maria yells, placing her hand on my shoulder. “I want him here.”

“Not looking to hurt your mother,” I assure hurricane hitman. He and I are going to have to have a talk. I don’t know how much gangster shit I’m going to tolerate before I show him who the fuck is the real boss here.

“Mom, you’re making me nervous,” Lauren says, looking between us.

“Where are the kids?” Maria asks.

“Riggs’ parents are visiting,” she explains.

“Victoria and Luca are with my mother,” Adrianna adds.

“Come in and sit down in the living room,” Maria orders. Taking my hand, she leads me away from the door and we take a seat next to one another on the couch. Her children crowd around the living room and Anthony’s eyes drill a hole into the hand I have on his mother’s knee.

“It’s your Charger outside, isn’t it?”

“Sure is,” I reply. “If you’re a good boy, I’ll let you take it for a ride. Now, listen to what your mother has to say.”

“Wolf one, Bianci zero,” Riggs cheers.

Ignoring him, I turn to Maria.

“You and me, Lady,” I murmur against her ear, squeezing her knee.

I watch her swallow before straightening shoulders and sweeping her gaze around at the four faces that mean everything to her. With undeniable courage, she reveals to her children that she has breast cancer. I try to keep my focus on her but it’s hard when so many hearts are breaking around me. My eyes move to Lauren and I watch the tears roll down her cheeks as she shakes her head in disbelief.

Next, I turn to her son and as much as I hate to admit it, it’s him that tears at my own heart. Pushing his fingers through his hair, he stares at his mother with tears in his eyes. For so long he’s been the man in her life protecting her and now there is finally something he can’t battle with his fists. He’s just as powerless as the rest of us and it’s killing him.

Even her in-laws look distraught over the news.

As much as I want to take them all into my arms and assure them their mother is going to be fine, I don’t. Instead, I bring Maria closer to me and dry her eyes as I stare across the room at her son.

I’ve got her.

She won’t be alone.

You can trust me.

“The surgery is scheduled four weeks from today,” Maria says, reaching for the box of tissues on the coffee table.

“What happens after that?” Lauren questions through her tears.

“Recovery will last about four weeks, they’ll remove the drains and start the radiation,” I tell them.

“Do you know how long the surgery is?” Adrianna asks.

“The doctor said it’s normally two-three hours, but she’s going to start the reconstruction, so it may be longer,” I say, trying to remember everything.

“What do you mean reconstruction?” Lauren questions.

“They’re going to take a flap of tissue from another part of the body, most likely my stomach and put it in place of my breasts. After the radiation is complete, then I’ll meet with the plastic surgeon in regard to implants.”

“How long is radiation?” Anthony asks.

“Five days a week for six weeks,” I answer.

“Well, we’ll all pitch in and take you,” Riggs says.

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