Page 55 of Protective Phlox

Reaching into my purse, I pulled out a handful of the pamphlets from the rehabilitation center I’d selected for her. Nathan had said that money wasn’t an issue, and even though I wasn’t fond of just using his money like this, I could only fight with one person at a time, and technically, I was now unemployed, so….

“I’m leaving today,” I said, holding them out for her to take.

She put her book down and grabbed the half dozen colorful and shiny pieces of paper. “What is this?”

“That is where you will be going when you’re discharged tomorrow. I’ve already arranged for a car to pick you up, and I packed you two suitcases of clothes and your toiletries from home that will be waiting for you.”

She opened the first pamphlet and stared at the rooms that were much nicer than anything she’d lived in since divorcing my stepfather. She’d drank and spent lavishly through the divorce settlement money within five years. The hazards of being an alcoholic. Even though she didn’t say anything right away, I could tell that she was impressed with the place. They boasted an impressive client list of the area’s rich and famous.

“At least you’re splurging to lock me away,” she said, dropping the leaflet down on her lap. No ‘Thank you’ or ‘How can you afford something so expensive’ was uttered. I wasn’t surprised. She wouldn’t feel bad until she was over a month sober, then she would try to rook me back in, but I couldn’t do it anymore.

I certainly wasn’t going to let her bait me into another argument. After another long session of crying and feeling sorry for myself, which was something only she could get me to do, I’d decided that I was going to cut all ties with her. She could still speak to Cutter as long as she never tried the same shit with him, but aside from that, I was done. Some relationships were just too toxic, and I needed to stop drinking from that poisonous cup.

“Once you’re done with rehabilitation, you will be taken home. It has already been arranged.” I rolled out my shoulders. “I’m leaving today to fly home, and I wanted you to know that I won’t be back. I won’t keep Cutter from speaking with you or visiting once he gets older, but it has become clear that our relationship is unsalvageable. The fighting is not good for either of us. But, before I leave, I want you to know that I’m married.” I held out my hand with the red diamond ring—that I’d somehow gotten used to despite it being a miniature island on my hand. “I’m living in California now, and I’ve put my house on the market.” Pulling out the piece of paper I had written on. I handed it to her. “This is my address, and you have my number if it is an emergency. But I suspect you won’t.”

“You’re married?”

I nodded.

“To who? When? And why is this the first I’m hearing about it?’

“I married Cutter’s father, who is a very successful businessman. We got married in a rush in Italy, no ceremony or anything, and that’s where I’ve been living since we got back.”

“Were you ever going to tell me?”

“Honestly, I don’t know. But I’m choosing to tell you now. Goodbye, Valerie,” I said, using her name for the first time in my life, but it felt more accurate. Mother had been a stretch for a very long time. “I hope rehabilitation goes well.”

Turning, I walked for the door. “Wait, are you seriously cutting me out of your life?”

I looked over my shoulder at her. She was glaring at me, and I knew I had made the right decision for my sanity, even if it was difficult and made me feel like I’d failed. Her failure as a mother wasn’t my failure as her daughter. Trying to separate that thought process had me wading through every traumatic moment of my life and analyzing it as I allowed myself to grieve.

“Yeah, I think it’s best. It’s obvious you’ve only put up with me despite my best efforts to connect with you, and you don’t really want me around. It’s time and should’ve been done long before now. Take care of yourself.”

Without wasting another breath on her, I walked out and didn’t look back. I guess that was my three for this trip. Death of my career, death of a friend and colleague, and now I’d let the last petal fall from the dying flower that had been my relationship with my mother.

Chapter

Twenty-Two

NATHANIEL

“What do you mean a shipment just arrived,” I asked Ivan, who was manning things at Euphoria.

“I’m not sure what to tell ya, Boss. I was doing rounds when the truck showed up with a full delivery, and there was no place to put it. Shameless and Delirium are still under surveillance, and with the busted water pipe at Wanderlust that only leaves here and Ecstasy. Ecstasy is already packed full, waiting for pickups, which makes me edgy, and now we get a whole load of party favors. It doesn’t make sense. Last I heard from Goran, he said this wasn’t supposed to arrive for a month.”

I glanced down at Cutter and tried to keep my voice even. “What is Ronan saying about all of this?”

“I haven’t been able to reach him or Dimitri, and Aaron is gone for the weekend up to Big Bear.”

Of course, Ronan would screw up a buy and then be MIA. “Do we have anywhere we can put it?”

“I can take everything out of the vault and put the skids at the back. I don’t have anything here showing a pickup for tonight. Has that changed?” Walking to my desk, I unlocked the hidden drawer that held the files for my illegal transactions and looked at the list. Most of it had already been divided up among places it wouldn’t usually go with the cop and water issues. This was not my job. I brokered deals, Ronan took care of sales, and Titus made sure shit was in order. But Titus was in Russia visiting with his fiancé’s family.

“Is everything labeled properly?”

“Seems to be. But we have at least three hundred pickups based on the codes without dates. I’m sorry, Boss, but I’m going to need a hand. I don’t want to leave the truck in the docking bay like this. We still have an alcohol and produce delivery expected. Can you send me four guys?”

The problem was that no one other than Goran, me, my father, or Titus knew the pickup and drop-off schedule. Shit, this wasn’t good.