Once I have the dinner dished out, I bring it into the dining room. Everyone is sitting around the table waiting, the mood is tense and no one is talking. Placing the plates down in front of Hudson and Harrison, I don’t say a word, I hate how awkward it is right now. I turn around and walk back into the kitchen, Sarah hot on my heels.
“They’re all brooding assholes today. None of them have uttered a single word. They’re so tense. I hate it,” she tells me, her eyes so full of sadness. “I’m scared,” she confesses.
“We’re going to find out what the hell is going on.” I’m not sitting in the dark, it’s obvious that something has happened and I want to get to the bottom of it.
“Do you think they’re going to say anything?” she asks as I hand her a plate.
I pick up the two remaining plates. “Hudson promised he wouldn’t lie to me.” I shrug, it’s as simple as that.
Walking back into the dining room, the men are still wound up tight. I place a plate down in front of Jagger and walk to my seat.
“Thank you, Mia.” Harrison says, Hudson and Jagger follow suit.
“You made Lacey’s meal,” Sarah whispers, her eyes glassy with unshed tears.
I smile at her, “Let’s hope I do it justice.” The men stare at us with confusion. “Dig in,” I tell them, and they instantly start to eat.
“This is so good,” Sarah says as she eats. “Lacey would be so proud.”
Tears well in my eyes, I really do hope that she would be. I miss her so much, she’s always in my heart. She was like a sister to me, it’s like there’s a piece of my heart missing and I know that I’ll never get it back.
“She’s right, this is amazing. I didn’t think you could cook,” Hudson says with a smile.
“I can’t really. I know how to cook some things. So, what happened today?” He glances at Jagger and it pisses me off, why can’t he just say whatever the hell it is? “Hudson?”
“We finally figured out who Martin was getting his information from.” His voice is cold and I’m actually beginning to worry.
“Who?” Sarah asks her gaze darting around the table.
“We’re not sure if it was done deliberately or not,” Jagger says but Harrison has a deep frown between his eyes, Hudson’s focus is on his dinner.
“What the hell does that mean?”
“Remember when I said that mom must have been dating a new guy, because she came out of the funk she was in after dad did the shit he did?” Hudson asks and I nod, wondering where the hell he’s going with this. “Well she and Martin had a thing.”
My nose turns up in disgust, that’s just nasty. “She told him everything?” I ask in disbelief.
Harrison lifts his beer to his lips, his eyes narrowing on Hudson.
“We’re not sure what’s happened, but it is possible that she told him stuff while they were together. The only way we’re going to know for sure is to ask her.” Hudson says and goes back to eating his dinner, that’s his way of saying that the conversation is over.
“Wait, what?” Sarah asks, her eyes wide as she looks at Hudson. “You haven’t asked her yet?”
“Sarah…” Jagger warns her.
“No, don’t Sarah me anything. The man raped my best friend, he killed our friend, he killed her mom. He’s killed your men. He has hurt Mia in ways no one is ever going to know and for what? Because he’s under some delusion that he should be where Hudson is? He knew things about Mia, about our lives that he shouldn’t have and you’re telling me you found a connection but you’re not doing anything about it.”
“Sarah, this is his mom,” Jagger tells her but I can see that he agrees with her.
“Fuck that, Mia is his wife, she is the mother of his unborn child. He should be finding out everything he can to ensure he finds that asshole. Not stepping on eggshells because it’s his mom.” She cries, tears running down her face. “By him not finding out just shows how little he cares about her.”
Hudson doesn’t respond, he keeps his head down and keeps eating.
I sigh, pushing my food around on my plate. So much for having a nice dinner. Sarah’s right, he should be talking to his mom. He should be finding out what she told Martin and when. She could be the way to finding him. I don’t understand why he wouldn’t want to be questioning her. Something about this entire situation doesn’t sit right with me.
Silence descends on the room, everyone is focused on eating, not one of us making eye contact with anyone. Hudson’s head is practically buried in his plate, Harrison’s eyes are narrowed as he glares at him. He’s making it known that he doesn’t agree with what Hudson’s doing, I don’t think anyone in this room is.
Once everyone is finished, I stand, I want some space to breathe. Right now, Hudson’s being an asshole and everyone else is waiting for me to explode or something. I pick up everyone’s plates and bring them to the kitchen. I’m currently in disbelief, I’m not sure if I can wrap my head around why he’s not talking to Marline. One phone call is all that it’ll take to clear this all up. I put the plates onto the counter, I’ll rinse them and put them into the dishwasher.
“Mia?” Sarah’s voice calls out and I turn to see both her and Jagger standing in the doorway to the kitchen. “We’re going to leave now.”
Jagger’s arm goes around her shoulder and he pulls her into his body, he gives me a small smile, “Sorry to leave you in the middle of this shit storm.”
I walk over to them and wrap my arms around Sarah, Jagger doesn’t release her so the hug is awkward. “It’s okay, I know how much Sarah’s been missing Allie.”
He laughs. “You have no idea, she has my mom harassed with all the messages.”
Heat rises in Sarah’s cheeks as she blushes. “I just worry, that’s all.”
I smile. “There’s nothing wrong with that. Can you imagine what Hudson’s going to be like once this baby is born?”
Sarah laughs, her eyes lighting up. “Oh he’s going to make me look sane.”
Jagger smirks. “I don’t think that’s possible,” he mutters, quickly dodging Sarah’s arm as it swings out to hit him.
“We’re going before I kill him.” She glares at Jagger. “I need snuggles with Allie.”
I shoo them away. “Go, give Allie a kiss from me.”
“Love you Mia, call me if you need me.” She tells me planting a kiss on my cheek. I know what she means, if Hudson continues to be an asshole to call her she’ll help calm me down.
“Love you too.”
Jagger also kisses me on my cheek. “Thanks for dinner Mia, I really need to come here more often.”
I shake my head as I roll my eyes. “Jagger, you’re here more than anyone.”
He glares at me. “And?”
Sarah drags him away. “Let’s go before you annoy her. Talk to you later, Mia.”
Once they walk away I turn back to do the dishes. My confusion of Hudson’s decision is changing to anger. It seems as though he doesn’t give a shit about me or our child.
“You okay, Mia?”
I jump at the voice, my heart pounds. God, he scared the crap out of me.
“Sorry, didn’t mean to scare you,” Harrison says as he reaches into the cupboard and takes down the bottle of Jack and a glass.
“It’s okay, I was in a world of my own. I didn’t hear you come in.” I rinse off the plates and put them into the dishwasher.
“You doing okay?”
I shrug. “I guess.”
“If anyone can get him to see sense it’s you. Although Sarah sure gave him a lot to think about. Damn, that woman will give Jagger hell if he fucks up.”
I smile. “Yes, there’s no doubt about it.”
“Just as you will. You two ladies are ferocious.”
I turn to look at him. “We fight for what we want and we protect those that we love. I also know the battles I need to fight and when to back off.”
“And is this a battle you need to fight or back off from?” he asks with a raised br
ow.
“That, I’m not sure. I guess I’ll find out once I talk to him.”
He smiles at me. “Give him hell.” He leaves the kitchen, and within moments I hear the front door close.
I finish the dishes, trying to tamper down my anger. I want to talk to him with a clear mind. God knows how that’s going to work. My anger just seems to rise the longer we’re apart. I’m pissed that he’s putting our child’s life in danger by not finding out all that he can.
Fourteen
Hudson
Downing the glass of Jack, I wait for the burn to come but it doesn’t. Fucking useless. I’m angry, and this is doing nothing to help. I’ve spent the last hour getting my security updated and my protocols changed. While I was on the phone, I had more cameras added. The more eyes the better. The door to my office opens and I lift my head to see Mia walking into my office. She’s not happy and I know why, hell I’m not fucking happy. This is a clusterfuck and I’m wondering just how I’m supposed to weave through the mess. She hesitates, then crosses her arms over her chest as she leans against the door.
“Are you ready to talk yet?” she asks me, her tone one of disappointment and I think I hear a hint of anger in there.
I sigh. “What do you want to talk about?” I ask deadpan and her eyes narrow at me. “Mia?” I question, I’m being an ass.
She raises her brow at me. “Hudson, I’m hormonal enough without having to deal with your stupidity. You know what I want to talk about. The fact that your mom could be the reason why Martin knows stuff he shouldn’t.”
I pour myself another drink, I knew that me trying to put her off wouldn’t work. “Sit down, Princess.” I tell her softly and immediately her stance changes, gone is the protective stance. She walks over to my desk, sitting down in front of me. “Thank you for dinner.”
She glares at me, that’s not what she was hoping to hear but it needed to be said. She spent a long time working on it and it went to fucking shit due to the bombshell that was dropped. “Hudson, why haven’t you spoken to your mom?”
“I’ve tried. As soon as I found out, I texted her asking her to meet me here and she never responded. I’ve called her and I’ve had Aaron go to her place. She’s not there.”
Her eyes widen, her lips part in shock. “Where is she?”
“I have no idea, I have my men looking for her.”
Her mouth opens and quickly closes again. “Do you think she’s with Martin?” Her body shakes as she says his name.
My hand grasps my glass and I bring it to my lips, I empty the contents with one swallow. “No. Mia, there’s no way that my mom has done this.”
She glances away from me. “How certain are you?”
I narrow my eyes. “Mia, this is my mom.”
She looks at me as if she’s never seen me before. “Look, I’m not saying she’s done anything wrong. But Hudson, if she’s been seeing him in a romantic way, she could have accidentally let things slip, she could be with him now.”
“For fuck sake, Mia, there’s no way.”
She shakes her head and gets to her feet. “I’m glad you’re certain. But I’m not. Everything that has happened, screams that someone has been helping him. I’m disappointed that you’d put our child at risk by not asking her a simple question.”
I slam my hands down on my desk and get to my feet. Mia jumps, fear creeping into her eyes. “How can you say that?” I bite out. “That is my child Mia, mine. I’ll do everything in my power to protect it.”
“Then fucking ask her the damn question Hudson,” she screams at me, her hands waving in the air. Tears begin to trickle down her face. “How hard is it? Hmm? To ask a question?”
“My mom wouldn’t do this.”
She takes a step backward, her head shaking in disgust. “I’m done,” she tells me and walks out of my office.
A red haze forms and I go blank. Done? What the hell does she mean by done? “Done?” I roar stalking after her. My hand grips her arm and I pull her to a stop, her body slamming against mine. “Done?” I ask her once again, my face mere inches from hers.
“Done, Hudson. I’m done with this conversation. What’s the point in talking when you obviously don’t give a crap about me or my feelings.” Her tears are falling thick and fast and I fucking hate that I’m making her cry. “You’re so certain and yet you didn’t think Martin would have betrayed you either. You need to open your eyes Hudson, how many times are people I love going to get hurt? How many more people am I going to lose because you’re a stubborn asshole?” She’s lashing out now, I’m taking those blows, I deserve to take them. Everything she’s saying is right, because of me she’s been hurting.
I lift my hands and frame her face. “Mia, you’re fucking all I think about. You matter.”
She blinks, not believing what I’m saying.
I wipe away her tears with my thumb. “You’re everything, Mia, you and our child come first. Always.”
“Okay,” she whispers but she doesn’t sound convinced. She’s pissed and I understand why. “What now?”
I caress her face. “Now I talk to my mom, find out if she’s behind this.”
Her eyes widen. “Really?”
Fuck, does she think I’m that much of an asshole? Not to her, she’s the only one that doesn’t see that side of me, or so I thought.
“Yes, Princess, really. The stress is something you don’t need.”
She shakes her head. “When you didn’t talk to me that stressed me out.”
I pull her closer to me. “Sorry, baby.” I’m a fucking asshole.
“It’s okay, how are you feeling?” she asks me, her hands running up and down my back.
“My head’s fucking spinning. If what we found out is true then I’m going to fucking go crazy.”
“If she has told him stuff, I don’t think she did it on purpose.”
I roll my eyes. “Mia, she would have still told him.”
Pulling away from me she sighs. “Think about it, when you’re in love with someone you talk about everything. Your mom could have told him in confidence. Depending when things were said obviously, but don’t go too hard on her.”
“We’ll see, now we just have to wait until my men find her.”
She tilts her head and stares at me. “What if he has her?”
“We’re going to find her, don’t worry.” I reassure her but I’m not so fucking sure, the shit that Martin has done in the past has me on edge.
“I know you will.” She yawns, and I realize just how tired she is, her eyelids heavy, I’m taking most of her weight. “Sorry,” she says sheepishly.
I lift her into my arms. “Don’t apologize, my boy’s taking it out of you. You overdid it today.” She rests her head on my shoulder. “Want to have a bath or go straight to bed?”
“Bed,” she whispers, her lips grazing my skin at my neck.
I walk to the bedroom with her in my arms, she’s fast asleep before I even place her on the bed. I take her clothes off so that she’ll be comfortable while she’s sleeping. Once I have her all stripped down, I pull the covers over her. She immediately curls up into them, her hair spread over the pillow. She looks at peace, something that I know she hasn’t felt in a long time. I stand here and stare at her, God, she’s gorgeous, I’m one lucky sonofabitch. I don’t know what I’ve done to deserve her, but I’m holding on with both hands.
Now this shit with my mom, I still can’t fucking comprehend how the hell this happened? Dad’s fucking pissed, his ex-wife sleeping with his son. It’s a messed up situation and he’s wondering just how long it had been going on for. I want to know if it’s still going on. The sooner my men find her the better, I’m an impatient man and I hate waiting. The front door opens and I know that it’s Dad, he left to give Mia and I space, he told me I’d fucked up and needed to fix it. He has a soft spot for Mia, it’s why I leave him with her if I need to go out. He’ll protect her with his life.
I walk out of the bedroom and meet dad in the
sitting room, his jaw’s clenched and I brace myself to see what’s to come. “The boys have your mom.”
I tilt my head to the side as I study him, his lips thinned, his arms hanging down by his sides and his fists are clenched. “And?”
He shakes his head. “Prepare yourself son, that bitch has taken everyone for a fucking fool.”
Red hot anger hits me. “Dad!”
He waves me off. “Son, she was with him.” Anger pouring off every inch of him. “She has no injuries, she was pissed when we arrived.”
I swallow harshly. “She was with him willingly?” I don’t even recognize my own voice right now. For the first time in my life, I’m fucking shocked.
He nods, his eyes narrowing. “She didn’t want to leave him.”
“They have him?”
Dad laughs. “No, that weasel ran as soon as the men rolled up.”
I look to the floor, I’m mad as hell, Dad was right, she has been helping him. I’m angry that she’s the reason my wife has been in so much fucking pain. She’s the reason why my dad lost the love of his life.
“Son,” Dad chokes and I glance at him, his eyes glassy. “There’s something that doesn’t make sense. When Tina was shot, so was your mom, why would she go back to him when he shot her?”
I have no fucking idea. “I’m going to find out. Who’s watching her?”
He takes a seat. “Aaron, David, and Rory. I’ve got Mia, go find out what the fuck is going on.”
I should grab my keys and go, but I hesitate, there’s something in my gut that’s telling me not to leave.
Dad must sense my hesitance. “Son, I’ve got her, there’s no way I’d let anything happen to her. She’s safe with me.”
“I know that. You’re one of the very few that I trust to keep her safe. My gut’s screaming.” I admit feeling like an asshole leaving her but right now, I have to find out this shit.
“Your gut is never wrong.” He tells me as he takes out his cell. “Get three of your men here.” His cell buzzes. “Coby’s still in town, he’ll be here in ten.”
Relief washes through me, at least she’ll be protected if anything does happen. “Thanks. Call Jagger, get his ass here too.” I pull out my cell and text Dylan, Roland, and Cormac. Those men have shown their loyalty and I somewhat trust them. I tell them they have fifteen minutes to get here. I don’t give a fuck what they’re doing, they’ll drop everything or I’ll drop them.
Forever Love (Kingpin Book 3) Page 12
