Page 8 of Daring to Love You
“Hey, Mom. You look as amazing as usual.” He wrapped her in a bear hug and soaked up her scent, as well as her gentle spirit. His father might be an asshole, but what his pops lacked in common decency, his mother made up for with her sweet and calming presence.
“Thank you, honey. I’m glad you’re here,” she said, ushering him into the house and closing the door behind him.
Standing in the foyer that had a twenty-foot ceiling, marbled floors, as well as an elegant double staircase, Lynix’s senses were bombarded by several things at once. The smell of curry and ginger, as well as a host of other spices, had his mouth watering. Apparently, his parents’ live-in cook had made the trip. Smooth jazz—John Coltrane’s “A Love Supreme”—played through the home’s sound system, and the other thing that snagged his attention was the strange vibe he was getting from his mother.
Nervousness.
Anyone who knew Bridget Mathews knew she didn’t get nervous. She owned whatever space she was in and wore her confidence, as well as her regalness, like a badge of honor. So the unusual emotion he was picking up from her was different. She had her cell phone in hand and was quickly typing out a message as he studied her.
She was always well put together, and tonight was no different. Her salt and pepper hair was pulled up on top of her head in an intricate twist with long strands framing her face. At seventy-years old, her face was free of wrinkles and that was without any cosmetic surgery. He couldn’t help thinking of her whenever he heard the phrase,black don’t crack.
His mom favored African attire, and she looked regal in the multicolor halter maxi dress. The bold colors accentuated her beautiful sepia skin tone and gave her a youthful appearance.
As if feeling him staring at her, she finally lifted her head, then shoved the cell phone into a hidden pocket in her dress. “Sorry,” she said and patted her hair which looked perfect.
Moving closer, Lynix whispered, “What’s going on? Are you okay?” he asked, his protective instincts going on high alert. He didn’t think she’d just be standing there if she was in danger, but…
That’s when he heard laughter coming from the living room to his right and about twenty-five feet from the entrance. The way the room was positioned, he couldn’t see into it, but he could definitely hear several voices. He had temporarily forgotten about the additional vehicle he’d seen outside.
His mother gently grasped his arm and guided him to the huge dining room that was on the opposite side of the house from the living room and steps away from the kitchen.
“So you don’t feel ambushed when you walk into the living room, I wanted to give you a heads-up,” she said in a low voice, and Lynix went still.
“Who’s here?” He folded his arms across his chest wondering what was going on. Whoever it was must’ve been someone he didn’t like. Otherwise, his mother wouldn’t have pulled him off to the side. This explained why she’d met him at the door.
“Your brothers are in there, but your dad also invited Karsten and Marisela.”
Lynix dropped his arms to his side as anger crawled through him. His first thought was to get the hell out of there. He didn’t need any drama tonight, and he sure as hell didn’t want to see Marisela. Or her father, Karsten Baldwin, for that matter.
Yeah, he needed to leave. However, seeing the pleading look in his mother’s eyes kept him in place. He also didn’t want to make a scene because there was no doubt in his mind the Baldwins knew he’d be there tonight.
“I had no idea your dad invited them until ten minutes before they showed up. I would’ve called you, but I didn’t want you to turn around and go home. I wanted to see my baby,” she said, cupping his cheek, and Lynix leaned into her touch and released a long sigh.
He tried tamping down the fury swirling inside of him. Yeah, had he known who’d be there for dinner, returning home was exactly what he would’ve done.
“I’m sorry, honey. I know how you feel about them, but I’m hoping we can have a lovely dinner. I haven’t seen you boys in months, not since my birthday in March, and I wanted all of us to catch up. I guess I should’ve told your father my intentions. Then maybe he wouldn’t have invited anyone over tonight. With that said, hopefully everyone can leave the past in the past.”
“Seriously?” he ground out. His anger now mixed with frustration. “You honestly think Pops and Mr. Baldwin won’t bring up the past?”
Before she could answer, Lynix heard footsteps heading in their direction, and he braced himself, thinking it was his father. But when he turned, he was glad to see it was his oldest brother Weston IV, who they called Wes.
“What’s up, bro?” his brother said and switched the drink he was holding to his other hand before giving Lynix some dap. Then he pulled him in, and they bumped shoulders in lieu of a man hug.
“Hey, man.” Some of Lynix’s frustration subsided, but he was still tempted to make a break for it. At least a couple of his brothers were there. “Sorry about not calling you back this morning. I had to work, and then I just got busy. You said something about needing to talk about the hotels.”
The family owned numerous hotels around the country and had recently taken over ownership of one near downtown Chicago.
“Okay, I’m going to let you boys talk business but for only ten minutes,” their mother whispered, looking between the two of them before settling her gaze on Lynix. “I’m sorry about tonight, honey, but I expect you to be on your best behavior.”
“Mom…”
She squeezed his hand. “If for nothing else, do it for me. You have every right not to want to spend time with the Baldwin family, but I want you to stay. I promise to keep your father in line,” she said before kissing his cheek and walking away.
His mother was probably the only one who could control Weston Mathews III. She was the one person his father adored, and though his dad was a hard-ass, he always showed his wife the utmost respect. It was everyone else he didn’t give a damn about.
Then again, he’d held his father-in-law, Lynix’s grandfather, in high regard until he passed away almost twenty years ago. Lynix’s mother’s side of the family came from old money, and his dad was always trying to prove himself worthy. As a young man, he had big dreams and barely enough money to pay for rent. Let alone his college education.
After hearing about his plans to take over a manufacturing company, Lynix’s grandfather had invested in his father’s very first business. According to the stories heard throughout Lynix’s childhood, his Pops had worked his ass off to be a success, mainly so he could pay his father-in-law back within a year. He’d done that, and had since become a self-made multimillionaire, but not without a lot of sacrifice. Which was probably why he was such a jerk.
