When Brax stares up at me, I give him a quick chin lift before he strolls away.
My mother crosses her arms over her chest and narrows her eyes. “What were you boys talking about before?”
“Boys?” I laugh. “Ma, we’re grown.”
“You’ll always be my child, Angelo. Don’t test my patience. I know when a scheme is being cooked up. I may be old, son, but I’m neither stupid nor blind.”
Running my fingers through my hair, I glance at the ground, unable to meet her eyes. “Nothing is being cooked up, Ma.”
“Lies,” she mutters and shakes her head. “Look me in the eye and tell me that.”
I lift my head, doing my best not to look like I’m lying, even though the woman knows me better than anyone. “Ma, come on. It’s nothing. Honestly.”
She takes a step closer and lifts her chin. “I know when shit’s going down. So, you better spill the beans before I find out from someone else.”
I groan.
Betty’s a digger. The woman will stop at nothing until she gets to the truth. She’s relentless, especially when it comes to her children.
“It’s really no big deal. Morgan needs our help for something.”
“Something?” She cocks her head. “Explain.”
“It’s an assignment he’s working on.”
“What happened to this being a family week?”
I sigh. “This is a family outing. Instead of going to a bar or playing golf, we’re going to do a little side work.”
I almost believe the lie myself. I find it completely convincing, but based on the steely gaze and pursed lips on my mother’s face, she isn’t convinced.
“I forbid it,” she says like I’m a little boy asking to go on some wild and dangerous adventure.
“Seriously, Ma? I’m grown with two kids.”
“Exactly.” She pokes me in the chest. “You need to be there for those babies and your new bride. The time for dangerous antics was in your past, and they’re not part of your future.”
I throw up my hands. “Fine, Ma. Whatever you say,” I lie.
There’s no way I’m letting my brothers and cousins go into this alone. My ma has no say in what I do anymore, even if she thinks she does.
“Your brothers too.”
“I’ll talk with them.” I smile and place my hand on her shoulder. “I promise.”
God, I hate lying to my mother, but sometimes, it’s necessary. It won’t be the first time we’ve gone against her wishes, and I am pretty sure it won’t be the last either.
“Betty, get your ass over here, girl!” Aunt Mar yells from the table, beckoning my mother with her hand.
“You better go,” I tell her, thankful to my aunt for saving my ass from having to tell more lies to my mother.
Ma eyes me cautiously. “Don’t forget, Angelo. I expect you to lead by example. Your father pulled enough shit in his life, and I don’t need my babies in danger now, too.”
She threw that guilt right out there. She’s good, but even so, I wouldn’t abandon my cousins for anything in the world. Morgan’s assured us there’s no danger. It was pretty cut-and-dried, especially with us all together against a single man.
I stand there, watching her walk away before finally taking a deep breath followed by a long, slow exhale. One bullet dodged. But I’m sure the women are already whispering, and Tilly’s going to be chewing my ear off later about it too.
“She giving you shit?” Joe says at my side, almost scaring the living shit out of me.
