“Hi, Mom.”

She was in her library, curled up in a chair with her feet tucked under her, a book in her lap.

But she wasn’t reading it.

She was staring off into the distance, her eyes unfocused.

At the sound of my voice, she stirred and glanced at me. “Hey, baby.” She slid her glasses off and straightened up in the chair, gesturing to the other one opposite hers. “You all are having quite the discussion in there.”

She hadn’t come in, not once.

I’d wondered why.

There was no love lost between my father and her, and I’d often suspected there were times when she wished she could have done more than just get me away from him.

But she’d been a kid when he married her, not much more when she ran away with me – a scared, determined kid who was doing her best to avoid letting me grow up in that same life.

I lowered myself into the seat she’d indicated and folded my hands in front of me.

Words burned up my throat, but I didn’t even know where to begin.

When I finally did speak, what came out wasn’t at all what I’d envisioned myself saying – not at first, at least.

“He scared you, didn’t he?”

She blinked.

A light flush settled over her cheeks, and she looked away, tension settling in her shoulders.

“I was a child when they told me I’d marry him,” she said, her voice whisper-soft. “It wasn’t what I wanted, but we didn’t argue with what we were told. Especially back then. It was…expected. Gabriel was smart and determined. My parents thought he’d be a good match.” She laughed, the sound sharp and bitter. “Were they ever wrong. One thing I’m grateful for is the fact that they didn’t live long enough to see how wrong they were.”

“Why?” I demanded. She rarely talked about her parents. I knew the marriage had been arranged, and I’d often assumed she didn’t mention them because she was angry at what they’d forced on her.

But the tone in her voice implied otherwise.

“Because they loved me,” she said simply. “The Marks weren’t the most well-off family, but mine…” She rolled her eyes. “My father was…simple. He could barely sign his name, and he was a terrible liar. Running cons was something he just couldn’t do. My mother tried to make up for it, but we spent most of our lives with barely enough food. She got sick the winter after I got married. It was the flu. And you know enough about the Romany. They don’t like doctors. She was malnourished, I think. That’s why it took her so easily. Dad died a few months later. I’ve always believed it was a broken heart. They did love me. And when Gabriel asked for me…well, he could be charming when he wanted. Convincing. They believed the lies he told them and died before the lie fell apart.”

“How bad was it?”

She stared at me for a long time. “I don’t want to tell you anything that will make you go after him, Nicco. He isn’t worth it.”

“If he hurt my mother–”

“I left him,” she said, her voice passionate. “In the eyes of the Romany, that would have humiliated him. He, who always wanted power and respect, had his wife run off with his son. How much respect do you think that gained him?”

“Is that why you did it?” I asked. “To embarrass him?”

“I did it for you.” She tossed down the book and flicked a hand in my direction, her eyes snapping. “I wanted you to choose the life you’d have. And I wanted a chance to choose my life. And that’s what we did.”

Now she was smiling, looking around the pretty little condo. “I worked so hard for this. For you. I got my revenge on Gabriel Marks. I don’t need you to do anything on my behalf.”

“He’s going to pay,” I said gently.

“And he should. For what he wanted to do to that poor girl – for the life he forced Suria into. She’s going to spend a long time trying to figure out just how to live a normal life,” Mom said. A sardonic edge entered her voice, and she added, “Believe me. I know. And whatever he did to your cop…”

Her words trailed off.

“What makes you think he did anything to her?” I hadn’t told her.

“I saw the look in her eyes when she came in the house, Nicco. That kind of determination only comes from a personal sort of loss.”

Looking away, I stared at the rows of books lining the walls. It was Ravenna’s story to share, not mine. But she wasn’t wrong.

Sometimes, I forgot how insightful my mother was.

“You got to know him.” I looked back at her. “You know him far better than I ever will, better than I ever want to. Is he as arrogant as I think he is?”

A smile bowed her lips. “He’s more arrogant than you think. You can’t possibly imagine how arrogant he is.”

“Excellent.”