His fingers massage my head as he lathers shampoo into my hair. “What happened?” I ask softly, loud enough to be heard over the water.
“I’m frustrated, Mia, I’ve not been able to track him. I’ve lost him and that’s on me. I should have sent more men to take him that night that Aaron was burned.” He confesses to me. “I’m pissed that because of this fucking feud he’s made, that a lot of people have died. People you love have died. You are innocent in all this and yet, you’re the one that has been affected by this the most.”
“That’s not on you, Hudson. None of this is your fault. You didn’t have a choice that Martin was bought into your life. You made him feel welcome, you made him a part of your family, your inner circle. You are a good man, Hudson.”
He laughs. “Princess, you have a funny mind-set if you believe that I’m a good man.”
I shake my head. “You’re not the definition of what most people would call good. But in your world, you treat your men with the utmost respect, you treat them like family. You would do anything for them just as they would for you. You are gentle and loving with me but with your enemies, you’re vicious and unforgiving. I don’t see what’s wrong with that.”
“You’re an enigma,” he tells me as he washes my body with my loofah.
“I’m curious about something.”
His hands stop on my back. “What’s that?”
“You’re a drug kingpin, and I’ve not heard one mention of drugs, why is that?” It’s something that’s been playing on my mind, does he not tell me about it? Or does he not do it anymore.
His hands continue to rub the loofah over my body. “Princess, I told you there would be stuff about my work that we won’t talk about and that’s the product side of things. At the moment, it’s on the back foot while I find Martin.”
That makes sense. “So you’re still selling them?” There’s no judgement at all, I’m merely curious.
“Yes Mia, I’m still selling them. It’s something that I’m good at, it’s something that is extremely profitable.” There’s an edge to his tone.
“I was curious, Hudson that’s all. Can Martin get to the product?” He already set Synergy alight. Thankfully, the firefighters were on scene early and managed to contain it. It’ll take a couple of weeks at least to get it fixed and opened again.
“No, he can’t. When I began to distrust everyone, I had everything moved. Since then I have only told four people where the product is and those are David, dad, Jagger, and Aaron. I trust those four implicitly as you know, they wouldn’t be guarding you if I didn’t.” I love that he’s so open and honest with me, it may have taken a while but it’s good that he’s letting me in.
“I overheard you and Harrison talking last night,” I say sheepishly, I turn around and face him, he doesn’t falter, he continues to wash my body. “Do you honestly believe that there’s someone else helping Martin?”
“Yeah, I do believe there is. I’m unsure of who it is, if it’s one of my men, there will be hell to pay.” His hands stop, and he smiles. “There you are, you’re all clean.”
“Thank you,” I whisper as I look down at his cock, it’s thick and long, nudging my thighs, almost as if it’s begging to be let in.
His fingers caress my skin as he moves even closer to me, his breath ragged hot against my body. “Mia?” He questions and I know he’s asking me if it’s okay.
“Take me.” I whisper, my lips touching his. He doesn’t need to be told twice, he lifts me, my legs circling his waist as my arms wrap around his neck. His cock slowly slides into my pussy, filling me inch by inch.
“Thank you for a wonderful dinner, Mia,” Harrison says, getting to his feet. “I’ve not had a proper cooked meal in a long time.”
I laugh. “Mom never really liked cooking.”
He smiles and for the first time since Mom died, it reaches his eyes. “No she didn’t. Hence why I’ve not had one in a while.” He’s reminiscing about her, it’s something I love, we have a bond, she’s alive in the both of us and I have someone to talk to about her.
Marline scoffs. “If you’d kept your dick in your pants, you’d have had one every night.”
I shake my head as I watch the happiness Harrison had vanish before my eyes. Anything that Harrison says she always says something to belittle him or to start an argument so far Harrison has bitten his tongue and let all the remarks and comments slide. This time she’s gone too far, I thought she was moving on from what happened but every time they’re in the same room she brings it up. I understand that she’s hurt and betrayed but it has to stop.
“Marline,” Harrison says with a bite to his tone, he’s pissed and I completely understand.
She huffs, crossing her arms over her chest. “If that woman hadn’t have gotten her clutches into you, we’d still be together. No one liked that damn woman, not even your son,” she spits out in anger.
I push away from the table, my chair scraping against the floor. I reach for Harrison’s empty plate.
“Mia,” he says softly, I see the worry in his eyes.
I shake my head, I don’t want to talk about it, hell I don’t want to hear it. She may not have liked my mom, but I loved her and so did Harrison. “She’s dead,” I say past the lump in my throat, “she’s gone and she’s never coming back,” I tell him and he rises to his feet, just as Hudson pulls me into his arms. I look at Marline, she doesn’t look the least bit sorry. “You may not have liked her, Hudson may not have liked her, but Harrison loved her, I’m sorry that hurts you but he did and she loved him. I loved her, she was my mom.” I pull away from Hudson and walk into the kitchen, needing to get the hell away from everyone.
“Mia, I’m sorry that I upset you,” Marline says and I sigh, so much for getting away from it, she’s followed me into the kitchen.
I turn to face her, not an ounce of sincerity on her face. “It’s fine.” I lie, not wanting to argue, I have to live with her and it’s not worth the hassle.
“I understand that she was your mom, but Mia, she hurt a lot of people.”
I sigh. “A lot of people? No, she hurt you.” Her eyebrows raise in surprise. “You’re entitled to be hurt and angry, but there has to be a time when you come to terms with what has happened and move on. Harrison betrayed you, your marriage, he found someone else and moved on. I can’t imagine how that felt, but he’s apologized, he’s sorry for hurting you, you can’t punish him for the rest of your life, it’s not fair to him or you, and it’s not fair on Hudson. You are both his parents, he loves you both. But right now, he’s having to choose between you.”
She gasps in outrage. “No he isn't. I have never made him choose.”
I shake my head. “The constant sniping, the remarks, the comments. He hears them all, you can’t be around Harrison so obviously Hudson will choose which one of you he’ll be around at certain times of the day. You’re staying here, so that means when Hudson wants to talk to Harrison, he’ll leave so it doesn’t cause you any hurt.”