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Isabella is silent at my side, waiting for me to continue.
“Considering all this happened before I was born, the details are murky. Neither of my parents have ever bothered to explain why they did it. I mean, I understand my father can be an awful person, but sometimes it’s hard to reconcile the idea of my mother with that of a woman who willingly had an affair with a married man. It just doesn’t align with everything I know her to be.”
“She made a mistake, Gray,” Isabella says softly. “People are allowed to make mistakes.”
“Yeah, and that mistake led to me. When she told my father, his big decision was to tell her to hide the pregnancy. He shipped her off to God knows where for a few years, kept her from the public eye because he was embarrassed. We were only allowed to return when his marriage to his first wife was on the precipice of divorce. And then my mother married him, which I don’t know what that was about but like I said, he’s terrible so-”
Isabella lets out a soft breath. “Do you know why?”
“I’m not sure. I don’t even have all the facts because we’ve never spoken about it. The knowledge I possess came from an article written by this reporter back when it was all going on. ‘Tech Billionaire Richard Steele and his messy family affairs,’” I say dully. “Of course, in the article, my mom is completely eviscerated for being the other woman, the home-wrecker.”
“You still haven’t told me why you’re upset with her, Gray,” Isabella prompts.
“Because,” I state, getting to my feet. I clench my jaw before running a hand through my hair. “You know, I wish my mother was the gold digger people actually think she is. I wish she had married my father for his money, but deep down, I know that’s not true. She did it for me, to legitimize my existence, to make me something other than a bastard. And that’s what kills me. If it had been out of self-interest, I wouldn’t care as much. But she’s in this position because of me. She’s married to that monster because of me. You have no idea how he treats her, Isa. Like she’s his property, she completely belongs to him. My mother’s been relegated to a trophy wife that’s at his beck and call. And it’s all because of me. And she lied to me about all of it. We told each other everything. She said I was her best friend and I believed her. I always had issues with my family but my mother was my rock. So when I got older and all of this stuff came out, I felt betrayed and I don’t know, I guess I’ve just had a hard time with it all.”
Isabella stands as well. Her hand rests against her chest, her expression soft and soothing.
“You’re not really angry with her. You’re angry at yourself,” she guesses astutely.
“No, I’m fucking angry at her. She never should have gotten herself in this situation in the first place,” I correct.
Isabella gives me a look that says she doesn’t believe me and I sigh.
“Fine. You’re right. I’m fucking angry that I can’t do anything to help her. My father will always have that control over her.”
“Have you ever tried to talk to her about any of this? Instead of icing her out, why not just lay out all your issues?” she asks.
“And what’s that going to achieve?”
“I don’t know, healing? A way forward? You can’t continue like this. And she seems like a good woman. I don’t think she deserves her son being so angry with her.”
“She is a great woman,” I mutter.
“And you love her. And loving someone means accepting them despite their flaws. I know you want to help her, but have you ever considered that she might not need help? She’s not a child, Gray. She made her choices.”
I groan softly. Isabella’s not saying anything I didn’t know. But hearing the words from her is pretty damn convincing.
“You know you have a tendency to convince me to do things I would never do?” I ask her.
She laughs. “Right back at you, Gray. Just promise me you’ll talk to her.”
My lips thin. “I’ll try.”
“Okay. Now that I’ve spoken my wise words of wisdom, how do you feel about picking up where we left off this morning?” she asks, eyes bright.
Almost immediately, all the negative emotions churning in my gut fall away.
“That sounds perfect, baby.”
I grin as I take her hand in mine, leading us up to my bedroom. I would fuck her right there in the living room, but my mom could return anytime and I don’t think that’s something she would ever want to walk into. Not to mention if she did, I’m pretty sure I would never get Isabella back into this house again.
I start to kiss her as soon as we’re in my bedroom, with a rising degree of urgency and need. I’ve never felt the things Isabella makes me feel. It’s like she has this control over me and my emotions, a control I can’t explain.
I stroke my tongue against the seam of her lips, tasting her, demanding entry. They part, and the intoxicating taste of her coats my tongue. I cup the back of her head, angling her head so I can deepen the kiss. Her hands sink into my hair when my palm sweeps beneath the top she’s wearing and over her stomach.
A shiver rolls through her and me by extension. We kiss like we’re both seeking the oxygen necessary for us to breathe. It’s frantic, desperate, filled with so much passion. I need more. I kiss my way down her neck and chest, eager to map every inch of her body with my mouth.
She gasps softly when my mouth closes over one of her nipples through the material of her shirt. I pinch the second one between my thumb, rolling it between my fingers.
