Page 161 of Savage Reign

“Why wouldn’t you want to marry him? Sebastian is handsome and capable. All the club whores want a piece of him. You should feel lucky that he wants you.”

“If he’s so good, why don’t you marry him?”

I wasn’t sure if the silence on the line was because Mom didn’t want to marry him or, worse, that she did.

“Besides,” I said, changing the subject. “He doesn’t want me. He wants my inheritance.”

Her sharp intake of breath told me she hadn’t expected me to say that.

“How did you know about that?”

“The important thing isn’t how I know. It’s that I know. And I’m not going to marry a man who only wants the inheritance Grandpa left me.”

“And you think Silas Tiernan wants to be with you because he loves you?”

I didn’t think, I knew, but I wasn’t going to tell Mom that. She wouldn’t understand.

“He’s using you. At least with the MC, you’ll be with people you know.”

“I don’t want to be with those people,” I said, trying to keep the frustration out of my voice.

“Mila.” I heard her take a deep breath before saying, “Okay. Let’s not talk about that. Let’s talk about us.”

“What about us?” I asked warily. Was it sad that I didn’t trust her? Perhaps so, but I still didn’t trust her.

“I miss my daughter. I want to see you.”

“You do?”

“Yes,” she said with a sort of hardness in her voice. As if she was offended that I might even question her. Could she blame me? “When can I see you?”

I didn't answer her right away. Alarm bells started to go off in my head, and there was a heavy feeling in my gut that told me something was wrong.

There was no reason for me not to trust her, except that in all the years since she’d abandoned me, never once had she initiated coming to see me or told me she missed me.

So why now?

“I don’t know…”

“Mila, please. I just want to see my daughter.”

“Okay,” I said softly. “I’ll set something up.”

“And make sure you don’t bring thatmanwith you. I don’t want to see the man who destroyed your dad’s club, sweetheart. You understand, don’t you?”

“Yes,” I replied. “I understand.”

I setup the meeting at a park nearby.

Pulling the car to a stop in the parking lot, I looked around the deserted place, feeling my heart pound in tandem with every harsh breath I took.

I exited the car and looked around, feeling a prickling sensation all over my skin. I paused and took a deep breath before continuing over to a park bench that looked out to the Chicago River.

I closed my eyes as a slight breeze picked up and blew on my face. I didn’t react when I felt her sitting down next to me.

“You’re here,” she said quietly.

“Why do you sound so surprised? Did you expect me not to show up?”

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