Page 34 of Mafia Captor

“Are you sure?” Ashley gives me an overly innocent smile. “I’d love to see your mother again! Haven’t seen her since someone so rudely cut my time short at her Gala.”

“Shit.” I put my napkin down, pushing myself up from the table. I look at the siblings. “Don’t show your faces. Promise me.”

“You don’t want me to spend time with your mom? I’m offended,” Ashely teases.

The Beckster flashes a mischievous smile. I have a feeling he knows Ma met Ashely as my brother’s blind date.

“Absolutely not,” I say. “Ma still thinks Ashe ghosted Sailor. I do not feel like getting my ass kicked if she finds out the real reason their date ended short.”

Ashely hides a giggle in her napkin.

Upon threat of death, I leave the siblings to go find Ma. She’s waiting for me in the dining room, her heel tapping the polished wood floor. She greets me with a kiss then dives right into her beef with me.

“Boston, where the heck were you on Valentine’s Day?” she demands. “I had a lovely, lovely girl for you to meet. Sarah Plainer. Remember her? From kindergarten?”

“The one who ate glue and cut her own bangs at the art table?” I ask.

“Boston. You remember the funniest things. Anyway, she’s not eating glue now, though she is one of those vegans.” My mom’s nose wrinkles. “You know I love my filet mignon.”

“That’s great, Ma. But I told you. I’m not interested.”

“I know. You’ve had your heart broken. But that was five years ago. You’ve got to get back out there—”

“Ma.” I cut her off. It’s time to finally come clean. Something about having Ashe around makes me want to put this to bed, to tell her the truth.

For once, I get the chance to tell my mom something she didn’t already know.

“I broke up with her.”

Her eyes go wide as saucers. “You did?”

“Yes.”

“But why?” She studies my face. “I thought the two of you were getting on so well. That girl seemed smitten with you.” She stares hard at me, demanding the rest of the story.

“She was. Too smitten. I didn’t want to be involved with anyone. My work life is too demanding. She was sucking up all of my time.” I shrug, wanting to end there but knowing Ma won’t let it go unless I tell her the rest of the story. “There’s more.”

Ma gives a gasp. “What? What is it? Did she get pregnant?”

“God, no, Ma! I’d never risk that. I’m careful. Jesus.”

“Well then, just spit it out.”

“She didn’t like the brothers hanging around. I tried to appease her. Told Booker he couldn’t come around as much. Stopped going to concerts with John. Quit the pickup basketball team I was on with River. I was miserable. But it wasn’t enough. Finally, she gave me an ultimatum.” I can still picture the pink note she left on my bathroom counter… right next to her toothbrush, the one she moved in after our third date. The note said three words, and now, I finally share them with Ma. “She left me a note that saidthem or me.”

Ma’s face goes from pale to red. “That little she-devil! Why didn’t you tell me this sooner?”

“The bros already hated her enough. I didn’t want to give them more ammo. And I was ashamed that I let it get that far in the first place. I should have told her we were a package deal from day one.”

“God, I’m glad you kicked her to the curb, Boston. Thank you.” She pulls me in for a side squeeze.

I plant a kiss on the top of her head. “An easy choice. An hour later I had all her stuff moved out. That was the last time I saw her.”

“Thank God.”

“It was five years ago. Now that you know the truth, can you let it go?”

Pursing her lips, she takes a minute to think. Finally, her features brighten. A little quicker than I would have thought.

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