“I created this mess?” Shock vibrated through Glimmer’s tone as her voice elevated. “Idid this? Are you fucking insane? Every bad thing to happen in my life, you were somehowinvolved. You have made my life a living hell. If it wasn’t for Daddy, I don’t know where I would be, relying on just you my whole life.
“You’re a sorry ass excuse for a mother. The crazy thing is, all I ever wanted was to be close to you like Kyomi was with her mom. My dumb ass didn’t even stop to think that maybe that never happened because you never actually loved me. I hope from now on, you live the life you fuckin’ deserve.”
“Look, we gotta wrap this shit up. How much to make you disappear? I’m talkin’, don’t ever contact Glimmer again and don’t come around beggin’ for more, disappear.”
“A million.”
She said it so fast, even Gideon had to do a double take. A million dollars was fuckin’ crazy. Gideon had it, but he would never give it to her.
“A hundred thousand.” Before she could even open her mouth to complain about that price, he took a step forward and forced her to look at him. “That’s the most you’ll get up out of me. I suggest you figure out how to live off that shit, because you won’t ever get another dime up out of me. And if I ever see you around, I promise I have a pretty pink leash and collar, just like the one Trick has decorating his body, with yo’ fuckin’ name on it. Do I make myself clear?”
Camille must have seen the devil up in him that he so desperately tried to hide in his day-to-day life, because she gulped and nodded.
“My daughter?—”
“You don’t have a fuckin’ daughter. That woman right there?” Gideon pointed at Glimmer. “She’s all mine. Have a peace of mind that she’ll be living a way better life than you. Anything she will ever want will be hers. If she ever wants me to hunt you down and put a bullet through your head, her wish will be mycommand. Don’t ever think you have to worry about Glimmer Dayne again.”
Gideon shoved her away from him and stood. “Text Glimmer’s phone with only your bank account information. I’ll have the money to you in an hour. Don’t ever text her again. Oh, and you might want to get up out of here. It’s a lot of dead bodies around. Would hate for you to get caught up in murder charges.”
Camille’s eyes grew wide. “Where will I go?”
“To hell for all I care.” It was the last thing Gideon said before he scooped Glimmer up and carried her out of the apartment. He took note of all the bodies outside and breathed a sigh of relief that none were his men.
Once they were secured in the car, the black haze started to lift, and his heart grew heavy. Glimmer sat in the passenger seat and cried with her soul. He knew he would spend the rest of his life trying to fill that gaping void that had just been left wide open within her, but there was only so much he could do. He knew all about what a mother’s touch could do, and he also knew one person who could give his baby what he couldn’t. He pressed his foot to the gas and sped toward the compound, eager to never hear Glimmer cry again unless they were tears of joy.
The daze Glimmerwas in couldn’t be broken by anyone . . . until she heardhervoice. Something in her broke at the motherly tone and fretting.
She registered the people she loved telling Charlene Laurent what happened in hushed voices. Haze was there, Kyomi, Deja . . . Gideon.Gideon. Her heart ached when she heard his deep voice. Her feelings were conflicted when it came to him at the moment. What she saw back at her mother’s apartment . . .
“Glimmer, honey. Look at me.” Charlene’s voice broke through her scattered thoughts. Glimmer focused once again on the large brown eyes of a woman she hadn’t seen in two decades.
Her black hair had a few streaks of silver, and she had a few more pounds around her middle, but other than that, Charlenehadn’t aged much. She was a timeless beauty with her toffee-colored skin and kind smile. Even through her tears, Glimmer admired the older woman.
“She never wanted me.” Glimmer placed her hands over her face and sobbed.
“Oh, baby.” Charlene gathered Glimmer into her arms. “Give us a moment,” she murmured to the room. One by one, Haze, Deja, and Kyomi left Glimmer and Gideon’s room. Gideon stood at the edge of his bed with his arms crossed as he peered at Glimmer. Charlene glanced up at him in warning. “Gideon.”
“With all due respect, Mama Charlene, I’m not leaving her,” Gideon said.
Charlene peered up at him as if she wanted to say more, but a glint of appreciation flashed in her eyes before she looked back at Glimmer.
“You got a guard dog here.” She smiled widely as she peered at Glimmer.
Guard dog.That was the second time she heard that today. She looked up at Gideon through her blurred eyes and wondered if the termguard dogwas a good thing or a bad thing. She shivered. The image of him dragging Trick around by a spiked collar flooded her mind. She’d never seen him that way. Sovicious.
“You okay?” Gideon whispered as she continued to stare at him.
She didn’t respond, but she did continue to cry. She was okay physically. It was her mental that was all fucked up. She wanted to let him know it wasn’t his fault. Not really. Seeing what he did to Trick was something she desperately wished she could unsee, yeah, but it was her mother that caused the emotional damage. Not him.
“Gideon . . .” Charlene sighed and then glanced up at him again.
“I’m not goin’ anywhere, Mama.” Gideon’s words were final.
Charlene sighed and then seemed to decide to just ignore Gideon then. She focused completely on Glimmer and smoothed her silky hair away from her wet face.
“Ya mama was never built to be a good mama, and I’m sorry, baby. I’m sorry she chose money over you. I’m sorry she didn’t care to pay your feelings any mind. But you know what? You have so many people around you now that love you, and I know ya daddy loves the ground you walk on. You gotta focus on those people. Focus on me. You know I always saw you as my own.”
“Her father is the one that told her to talk to her mama.” Gideon’s words challenged Charlene.
