Page 100 of Wicked Tricks

“So what now? Where are you going?”

She shrugged again, “maybe to the U.S,” she raised her eyebrows.

“The States? Really?” I chuckled.

“Yeah, why not?” she laughed as well, “Antoni’s father and I always talked about going to Las Vegas. I figured it was time to do some of the things I always spoke about.”

“So it’s true then? You and him?”

She sighed, “him and a lot of women, Rome. I was not that naive to think I was the only one. But… we enjoyed each other’s company.”

She stared off into the distance, a lifetime of memories flooding plainly on her face, accompanied by a small, sad, smile.

I looked to the floor, the amusement draining from my body.

“Antoni is not like his father, even I can see that,” she reassured me, reading the thoughts that were flooding into my mind, “he would not do that to you. I’ve seen how he looks at you. We all have. Why do you think we’re all still alive? Why Lilith’s is still standing?”

I shrugged.

“Because of you. Not because of the game, the tricks, the scheming - just you.”

I nodded, holding back the tears that I could feel welling up in my chest.

“Which is why I’m leaving Lilith’s to you,” she said simply.

“What?” I chuckled.

“You can take care of this club and these girls better than I could Rome, and with him by your side,” she gestured to the door where I was sure Antoni would be still waiting by, “you will be unstoppable.”

“I-” I mumbled, “but what if it doesn’t work out? You know, with us.”

She smirked, raising an eyebrow, “then you still know your way around a gun.”

I smiled, looking down.

Obviously I knew that one day I would be the one to take over Lilith’s, and Diana had been preparing me for a long time. I just didn’t think that the time would come so quickly. I wasn’t sure if I was ready to do it all alone, without her. I was so unsure about so many things, and over the course of just a short time, I felt like everything I had known or thought had been challenged and turned upside down.

Diana sighed, and pulled me in for a tight hug. My body stiffened at the touch at first. But then I relaxed into it, and leaned against her as she held me.

“Thanks, mum,” I said against her shoulder.

I felt her shudder at the word.

We stood like that for a long while, before she pulled away. Looking away from me she sniffled, and wiped a tear from her cheek when she thought I couldn’t see. She shook off the emotions and straightened, picking up two of the bags from the floor.

“I’ll see you again,Remy.” Diana said, cupping my cheek briefly and placing her large ring of keys in my hand. I choked at the sound of my real name, a name I hadn’t heard out loud in years.

A name that only a handful of people in my life knew.

A name that felt so distant, one that I had forced myself to forget.

I thought about her often, but no longer felt connected to it.

And like that, Diana was gone.

I was alone in the office for a few seconds before Antoni reentered. My mother was gone, the third one in a lifetime to lose. I felt like I should have been more upset, but Antoni’s warm presence behind me overwhelmed the sensation of pain I felt. I believed her when Diana said she would see me again. This time, I didn’t have to wonder if I had been abandoned. Because I knew she would always be, in some way, with me.

Antoni wrapped his arms around my waist from behind.

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