Page 33 of Boy Toy Not Included

“Open the card.” Diesel found a place for the gift while Nova opened the card. It wasn’t one of the tiny ones they stuck in arrangements. She held a full-size, thick envelope.

Nova pulled out the contents. Her eyes moved from side to side as she read the card before moving to the contents. Her bright smile warmed Diesel’s heart. Tory obviously treated her amazing, and it showed. That was the only person he could think would have done this.

“Awwww. You and Kuba shouldn’t have done so much.”

Everything inside Diesel froze. He couldn’t even function enough to find out what he had supposedly done.

She held the card against her chest. “Tory will fucking die when I tell her we’re going on a cruise. It was so sweet of you to include her like that. I’ve always wanted to go on one, but a fourteen-day cruise to Greece and Spain? Oh my god. That’s too amazing.”

Diesel prayed his smile didn’t look as brittle as it felt. “You’re a great mom. You deserve it.” Holy fucking shit. Why had Kuba done such a thing? He couldn’t bitch because the gift was amazing, but why? They were over. The minute Nova learned what happened, she would refuse the trip. It was in her hands now. The trip was paid for and made her ecstatic. What kind of bastard son would immediately ruin that for her?

Nova hugged him. “Seriously, you shouldn’t have spent so much money, but I absolutely love it. If you’re cool with it, I think I’ll call Tory and tell her to pack her bags. We’re going on the ultimate girls’ trip.”

Of all the horrible timing, something broke inside Diesel. He couldn’t do this anymore. “It hurts to be kept a secret.”

Nova focused on him. She was completely unreadable, but the smile was gone.

He wished like hell he could have the words back, but it was too late. Diesel doubled down. “It hurts, Mom. Tory deserves better from you.”

Nova moved back to her chair and sat. She looked more defeated than nervous.

Diesel went back to the couch. He gave her his full attention and waited her out.

She took a deep breath and met his stare. “Tory isn’t a secret. Not really.”

“Then why do you pretend like she’s only a friend?”

“Because I’m scared.” The words poured from Nova, sounding pained and desperate. “I did all of this alone.” She motioned around the room, including him in the sweep of her arm. “There was no backup plan. It was me and sheer determination to do the best I could by you. That’s all that stood between us and homelessness your entire life. Everything here I built. Maybe I just need therapy, but I can’t give anyone the same power over me that I gave your dad.”

“Sperm donor.”

Nova cringed at the correction. “I really hate that term.”

“It fits.”

She huffed and immediately deflated. “You’re not wrong. I don’t know. Every time I think about introducing her to you, I panic. Not once have I brought anyone into your life. I know you’re grown, but I—” Nova took a shaky-sounding breath and tried again. “But I hate the idea of you meeting her only for her to ditch me down the road. You’d see me fail again, and my pride just can’t take it. I know it’s dumb. You should never let pride stop you from grabbing life by both hands. I’m just scared.”

“I could never see you as a failure.” Even Diesel heard the love and pride in his voice. “You’re the best mom on the planet, and nothing that happens with anyone else can take that from you. It’s completely valid to worry about things going south and it compromising the things you’ve worked so hard to get. But thereare ways around that, and if Tory loves you and knows you at all, she won’t care that you feel the need to protect yourself.”

A weak smile passed over her lips. “It’s terrifying to look at the life I built and purposely turn it on its head. You’ve always been brave enough to let the world see you for who you are. Not everyone has that. Look at Kuba and the way the media is eating him alive. They got one tiny tidbit that didn’t fit their image of a champion, so they went straight to picking apart his life. All his hard work doesn’t matter to them anymore. How is he handling all that, by the way? I’m scared and I’m no one. He literally has the eyes of the entire world on him.” She shook her head. “That’s a lot for a twenty-one-year-old to handle alone. I’m glad he has you. I’m sure that makes all the difference.”

His throat hurt from swallowing all the words and pain. “He has his dad.”

Nova snorted. “The one who’s never around? I don’t know. If it were me, I know I’d want Tory right there, holding my hand and making it all worthwhile.”

“It sounds like Tory loves you.” Kuba didn’t love him. That was the difference he needed to remember. His mom’s experience wasn’t his, and Kuba had made it abundantly clear he didn’t need Diesel. Diesel wouldn’t try to change his mind. He had been humiliated enough. Kuba would be fine. His phone buzzed.

Timber:Well, I fucked the cop.

At the sudden confession, Diesel roared with laughter after reading the text. He swore he could hear Timber’s defeated tone. Diesel swiped his eyes as tears of laughter filled them. Kuba hadn’t stolen his life. Diesel would make sure he never did.

Everything sounded too loud. Kuba couldn’t stop swiping his hands down his thighs, trying to wipe away the sweat. He wasn’t one to get nervous, but everything about this situation felt weird as fuck. The coffeehouse was small and nearly dead. He had specifically chosen this spot because he had been there more times than he could count and no one ever recognized him.

Dread came through the door and looked around until he spotted Kuba. He looked like shit after their fight. The bruises were way worse today. He dipped his chin when he spotted Kubaand then headed his way. Dread took the seat across from him. They stared at each other. Neither of them spoke. This was the man his mom had mourned herself to death over, and Kuba still didn’t know how he felt.

“Krystof is still my dad. He’s the one who showed up for me every day.”

“I hear you. You look just like her. Thank God,” Dread added with a laugh.