“Mamma?”
Olivia smiles, her gaze sweeping over everyone before she approaches me. She wraps her arms around me in a hug I gladly return. My little sunshine. Since birth, she’s had a way of calming people, friend or foe. It’s not something she tries to do––it’s just who she is. That soft aura, the quiet strength… It’s disarming. Don’t get me wrong—Liv may be the gentlest of my children, but she’s no less dangerous. Like Malikai, she’ll always look for a diplomatic way out before bringing down the hammer.
I swear, their birth order cemented their personalities. Seb and Fi? Demon spawn. Kai and Liv? My angels. Deadly angels, but still. The first of each pair came out swinging. The second tried to balance the chaos. My kids are my heart, my soul—and the reason I grind my teeth at night.
“Ciao, mio sole.”Hello, my sun.
“Ciao,Mamma.” Her smile gives me a moment of peace. I exhale for what feels like the first time in hours.
“I assume your siblings told you the essentials. We’re not returning to the compound tonight. We’ll head to the hotel. I need to speak with your father before I make any permanent decisions—or eliminate anyone in his club.” That’s all I have the energy to say right now. My nerves are frayed, and I need a damn drink.
Then I hear it—thunder. Engines. I turn to see a mass of bikers riding in. Instantly, my men close ranks around me, the kids, and Bellamy. She still hasn’t said a word, just watching like a predator sizing up the room. Calm. Collected. Dangerous.
Bellamy and I—we’re the same kind of beast. We know this world. She’s no stranger to MCs, especially notthisone. Her mother’s story mirrors my own so closely, it’s unnerving. Theonly difference is—I walked away. Her mother, Savvy, was sent away brokenhearted.
I release a breath and look around at my team, my family, giving them looks that tell them to stand down. I don’t want my team reacting unless there’s a reason. I raise a hand to wave them off. Outwardly, we’re calm. Inwardly? Everyone’s locked, loaded, and ready.
As the riders roll past, I catch their eyes. A few stare at us like we’re the damn plague. Disgust. Resentment. Suspicion. Someone’s been running their mouth. Probably that viper bitch, Heather. The way they're eyeing me? Yeah, they’ve already chosen a villain. And I’m okay with that. They better not expect me to play nice when the truth comes out.
Once the last bike passes, I slowly turn to my two demon children. They’re already looking like they know what’s coming.
“Shit.”
“Fuck.”
Exactly.
“You act like you weren’t raised with any damn home training, so I’ll treat you like you weren’t raised with any damn home training,” I say flatly.
My father may have been a Black Italian Don, but my mother? A Black woman from the inner city. And when my kids piss me off, they get both sides of me—Barone ruthlessness and Southside fire.
“You’re going to the other hotel with Aunty Bellamy, Dante, and Maxim. And before either of you opens your rabid-ass mouths, know this—your aunt has an assignment for you both.”
“Mamma?”
“Nope. You lost the right to chill when you acted like you ain’t have no fucking sense.” I cut them off before they even try to protest.
I turn to Sarafina. “You. With your dramatic ass, climbing through hospital vents like we ain’t got security clearance. Starting a damn catfight in a hospital.”
Fi rolls her eyes. I fix her with a look that makes her regret that decision instantly. Her eyes widen, then she drops her gaze. Smart girl. I don’t like being hard on them, but they know who I am. They know what I expect. Sure, Fi thought, she was being helpful. But Valentina wasn’t going to hurt me. That woman’s just a mother scared for her son. I get it. But as for that backwoods Barbie and her little daughter? They better hope they never end up in a dark alley with one of mine. That mess tonight? That was just the prelude.
I turn my attention to Seb. His jaw is clenched so tight it looks like it might crack. He’s pissed—and I do not care.
“You know what I’m going to say. So I won’t waste my breath. Rein your shit in. You and I know it wasn’t just what she said that made you pull that trigger.” I pause, watching his expression flicker with unspoken pain. “You hate what your father did. You say you don’t care. But you do. You hate, you care. And you hate thatsheis the reason he wasn’t in your life.”
It guts me. All of it.
“So, both of you—get your heads on straight. Handle your business. Then come back when you’ve got your shit together. We’ve got too many enemies closing in and not enough time.”
I pull Liv into one last hug, then wrap my arms around Seb and Fi.
“Us against the world, my children.”
They hold me tighter and nod. “Us against the world, Mamma.”
Seb nods to the others, heading toward Bellamy’s SUV. Fi lingers a beat, then smiles up at me. I narrow my eyes. That smile means trouble.
“Oh, and Fi?” I called after her. “Do your job.Nothing more.”
