“Hey, Ma.” Morgan stood outside my front door, but he hadn’t called before he’d showed up.

“Hey, baby. What’s up?” I asked with the door open only a little bit while Bear gathered up his clothes and ran down the hallway.

His eyebrows were drawn as he tried to peek inside. “You going to bed?”

“No, just relaxing.” I smiled and glanced behind me. “What’s up?”

He placed his hand against the door and gave it a little shove, but I had my foot against the back, stopping it from moving. “Can I come in?”

I looked over my shoulder, seeing Bear’s naked ass as he streaked out of the room. When the bedroom door finally closed, I said, “Sure.”

His eyes roamed around the room as he walked inside, taking in the pillows strewn all over the floor. “Bear here with you?”

“He’s in the bedroom,” I said, clearing my throat. “He wanted to wash up after being on the road.”

“Uh-huh,” he muttered as he kicked off his boots, placing them next to Bear’s boots. “It doesn’t matter.”

“You don’t care that he’s here…naked?” I smiled, waiting to see if he’d flinch, but he didn’t.

“Nah. We already had a talk. I’m cool with whatever makes you happy. When he stops making you happy, then we have a problem.”

“Want something to drink?” I asked as he followed me into the kitchen.

“I’m good, Ma. Come sit with me.” He pulled out the chair next to him and patted the seat. “We gotta talk.”

“Oh,” I said, my voice almost shrill. Pulling my robe tighter, I sat down and braced myself for whatever Morgan was about to tell me.

“We got the money back for the track.”

My hand flew to my mouth, and I gasped. “That’s great.”

His eyes drifted to the window, focusing on a spot in the distance. “We hit a few snags getting it, though. I wanted to tell you before you heard about it from someone else.”

My eyes narrowed. “What type of snags, Morgan?”

His fingers started to tap against the table as he brought his eyes back to mine. “Promise me you won’t freak out.”

“You’re making it worse.” I crossed my arms. We’d played this game a thousand times, and he already knew that I was going to freak, no matter what I promised.

“Well, um…” He stopped tapping and began to rub the palm of his hand against the table, making the most obnoxious noise. “Ray was involved, for sure.”

“Ugh,” I groaned and straightened my back, knowing this wasn’t the part I needed not to freak out about.

“So we found Ray. He’s with the cops now. They’re dealing with him. But…” His voice drifted off.

I tilted my head, thinking I heard him wrong. He didn’t just mutter what I think he did. My son wouldn’t be so stupid to get Tino and Joey Two Fingers involved. “Repeat that again.”

“Uncle Santino helped us get the money back. Ray had given it to Joey to pay back a debt. When Joey heard about the theft and that Ray was with the cops, he wanted no part of the money. I guess even criminals have their limits.” He laughed nervously, thinking I was going to laugh too, but I didn’t.

Grimacing, I dug my fingers into the soft corners of my eyes. “I can’t believe you got Joey involved. What a clusterfuck.”

“It was the only way, Ma. I swear. Everything is fine.”

“Morgan. Baby.” I opened my eyes, letting my hands drop to the table like a ton of bricks. “Nothing is fine when Joey is involved. Not only did both of you lie to me about going to Chicago, you went against my wishes when it comes to your uncle and his kind.”

“Don’t be ridiculous. Ray is one of his kind too. It’s the only way Race would’ve been made whole again. Would you rather the track go broke and Race lose her dream?”

Guilt.

He used my own weapon against me. I’d perfected it over the last thirty years. It’s something that mothers passed on to each other because it fucking worked like a charm. But Morgan became hip to my shit a long time ago and had been known to use the trick on me a time or two.

Pulling it out during our conversation was beautiful—almost poetic. “Naturally, I wouldn’t want that.”

He gave me a tilted smile. “Didn’t think so.”

“So now we owe Joey Two Fingers.”

“We do not,” he corrected me, the one side of his mouth rising farther. “He owed Santino a favor. So now they’re even, and we’re free and clear.”

It was done, and no matter the consequences, I couldn’t change anything. Tino, Bear, and Morgan made the decision without me and against my wishes, but at least everything was settled. “What did Ray say?”

“I let Bear talk with him mostly.”

“What’s mostly?” I raised an eyebrow.

He averted his gaze. “I only spent a few minutes with him and had a little trip down memory lane.”

My nose wrinkled because there wasn’t anything in the past I wanted to relive except for the moments with Morgan. “Remembering all the good times?”

“Just reminded him of a promise I made him a long time ago.”

I crossed my arms, leaning back in my chair. “What promise would that be?”

“It’s not important. He broke the promise, and that’s all the matters.”

“It matters to me. Spill it, Morgan Salvatore, or else.”

He laughed softly and waved his hand at me. “You going to spank me, Ma? I’m a little old.”

“I have all the time in the world to plot my revenge.” I smiled while he continued laughing.

“You’re a cream puff.”

I always liked when someone underestimated me, especially him. You’d think after thirty years, he’d know better. “You know that pretty pink house for sale on your street?”

His smug little face wasn’t laughing anymore. “You mean the one next door?”

“That’s the one.” I laughed. “I think I want to buy it.”

“Ma,” he said in a stern tone. “Don’t kid like that.”

“I’m looking for a change. Why not move right next door to my baby?”

“Fuck,” he muttered and scrubbed his hand down his face. “You wouldn’t do that to me.”

“I would, especially if you’re keeping secrets. I think I need to keep a better eye on you.”

There was no way in hell I’d actually move there. Although I liked being close to Morgan, I didn’t want to be within walking distance. Before Bear, I probably would’ve done it, but now I liked to have my privacy.

“Fine.” He rested both hands on the table and reclined back in the chair. “I promised Dad on graduation day that if he came anywhere near you, or me for that matter, that there’d be hell to pay.”

My head jerked forward, my ear moving closer to him. “Wait, what?”

“I’m the reason he left, Ma.”

“You made him leave?” My mouth hung open, and I blinked repeatedly because I still didn’t understand.

“Yeah. I didn’t want him beating on you when he drank after I left. I figured it would go back to the way it was when I was a kid when I wasn’t there to protect you.”

How did I not know? I couldn’t believe he’d kept the secret for this long. I always assumed Ray left because he wanted to, not because Morgan made him. The revelation that Morgan forced him out rocked me to the core.

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

“I knew you’d be mad and give me the whole song and dance about how you could take care of yourself.”

“Well, I could.” I shrugged.

“Ma, don’t shit yourself. That guy was like a disease. He wouldn’t have left if I didn’t make him.”

“I wish you would’ve told me about this a long time ago, Morgan.”

“I did what I felt was best for both of us. I couldn’t go away knowing he was there alone with you.”

It was really unfair of Morgan to grow up in such a volatile household. No child should have to worry about a parent’s safety or to step in to protect one from the other. Morgan did that, though. He did more than any kid should have had to do. He wasn’t bitter about his past, and neither was I—every second I lived led me to this moment and place.

Without Ray, the alcoholic low-life asshole, in my life, I wouldn’t be with Bear. He was the best thing that’d happened to me since the day Morgan was born. Finally, I felt like I had someone who was my partner.

“Hey,” Bear said as he walked into the kitchen, giving Morgan a casual chin lift.

“Hey,” Morgan replied with the same motion.

I looked at Bear and back to Morgan, my hands following my eyes. “So this is fine?”

“Yep.” Morgan smiled, and Bear nodded.

Coming to stand next to me, Bear put his hands on my shoulders and gave them a light squeeze. “Everything is great,” he said as he leaned down and kissed my hair.

“Huh,” I muttered, nodding my head as I worked through the fact that Morgan and Bear had finally figured their shit out. “I’m glad to hear you two have made peace.”

“I never doubted we would.”

“I just needed a little time with the fact that my friend, someone I trust, was trying to date—” Morgan coughed and shifted his eyes “—my mom.”

Reaching back, I placed my hand over Bear’s. “I’m happier than I’ve ever been.”

“That’s all that matters,” Morgan said and smiled, bringing his eyes back to mine. “I better get back to Race.” He leaned over and kissed my cheek before holding his hand out to Bear. “See you tomorrow, buddy.”

“I’ll be there. “

After Morgan walked out the front door, Bear grabbed me and stalked off toward the bedroom with me in his arms. “It’s time to pay up, sweetheart.”

“Not my ass!” I giggled. “Not my ass.”

He stopped in the hallway just before the door. “Franny, babe. I’m not taking it unless you’re willing to give it. So stop freaking out.”

“Okay.” I blew out a breath and sagged against him.

“But eventually, you’re going to beg me to stick it in your ass.”

“Said no woman ever,” I mumbled softly.

“What?”

“Nothing.” I smiled up at him.

“Liar,” he whispered as he leaned forward and kissed my lips as he carried me inside the bedroom.

Every ounce of stress from the day melted away with his lips pressed against mine. It was only us, a man and a woman, together as one, without anything else interfering. Bear made everything feel…possible.