Total pages in book: 73
Estimated words: 71832 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 359(@200wpm)___ 287(@250wpm)___ 239(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 71832 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 359(@200wpm)___ 287(@250wpm)___ 239(@300wpm)
“I can hear you breathing, dear,” she says loudly. “There’s a box on your left. Hit the green button, please.”
I blink, sweat beading my underarms. “Uh, sorry, who are you?”
“Buzz me in, dear. I’m Carson’s mother.”
I step back like someone just shot me in the chest.
Carson’s mother?
For some reason, I always figured Carson came out of some egg fully formed. The idea that he has parents feels—strange. More than strange. Impossible.
But of course he has parents. His father runs the Crowley organization, which means he has a mother.
And if she’s here, that means she knows about me, and now it’s time to meet my mother-in-law.
“Shit,” I whisper to myself. “Shit, shit, shit.” I hit the green button and the door unlocks with a loud bang.
Carson’s mother sweeps inside. She moves with a surprising grace and confidence, and I’m dragged along in her wake, feeling totally out of my depth. This is technically my house now, but I’m still a stranger to it, while this woman is clearly much more comfortable.
She dumps her bag on the kitchen island then faces me, hands on her hips, eyes narrowed. I can see where Carson got that piercing, intensely scrutinizing glare.
“You’re the girl,” she murmurs, head tilted. “You’re pretty enough.”
“Thanks?” She’s staring at me like she wants to inspect my teeth. It’s more than a little weird. “Sorry, uh, I’m Ashlyn. It’s nice to meet you.”
“I know who you are.” Her frown deepens. “I suppose you don’t know yet.”
“Know… what?” My eyebrows knit down. It always feels like everyone around me knows more about this thing with Carson than I do.
But she doesn’t bother answering. Instead, she perks up, giving me a nearly blinding smile.
“My name is Molly. Please, just call me Molly.” Her expression softens. “When did he marry you?”
“Yesterday. I’m sorry, this is very strange. I would’ve insisted that he tell you, but it all happened so fast, and I’ve been very worried about myself and my friends, and—”
She holds up a hand. Her smile is gentle now. “I completely understand. Carson has a way of making things bend to his will that’s frankly unsettling. Would you like a glass of wine?”
“Yes, please. Although I should probably be the one serving it, right?”
“Nonsense.” Molly gets out glasses and a bottle without having to look for them, clearly at ease in this kitchen. She pours, pushes mine over, and raises hers for a toast. “To the newlywed.”
“Thanks,” I say, sheepish.
She guides me to the couch then presses a few buttons on a control panel built into the wall. The overhead fan turns on, music starts playing, and a fire pops to life. I stare, startled. I had no clue that could happen.
“Now, I have one question, and I need you to be honest with me.” She sits on the edge of the couch, staring intently. “Did he force you into this?”
I lean back, not sure what to think. That is not what I expected. I figured she’d be angry, maybe even a little hurt—but asking whether he forced me to marry him? That doesn’t seem like a question a normal mother would ask.
But Molly isn’t a normal mother. She’s the wife of their boss, which means she’s a part of the inner circle, and must be used to men like her son by now.
“No, he didn’t. I mean… he gave me options, and he was clearly my only real choice, but it wasn’t like he hogtied me and made me say the vows with a gun to my head.”
“I wouldn’t put that past him,” she says, mostly to herself. “But that’s good, dear, that’s good. Are you sure there wasn’t any overt coercion? Perhaps only some pressure you now regret?”
“Like you said, he’s good at bending things to his will. Including me, it seems.”
“You’d be surprised, actually. It took him a long time, but—” She stops herself. “How much has Carson told you about himself?”
Another question I didn’t expect. “Not a lot. I mean, I know most of it already. I know all about your, uh—”
“Our organized crime family?” she asks. “Yes, you should, considering your father and your brother are both members.”
“Exactly.” I shift, uncomfortable. “Otherwise, Carson hasn’t said a whole lot about the last ten years.”
“I guess he wouldn’t.” She purses her lips. “Are you sure you’re not here against your will? I’ll only ask you one more time. If you say yes, I swear, I’ll help you. I love my son, but I won’t let his inclinations hurt anyone.”
Inclinations? That’s a weird way to say insanity.
“It’s extremely unnerving that you keep asking, but no, I’m not here against my will.” I take a big sip of wine. “He wouldn’t actually do that, right? Kidnap me and force me to marry him?”
“Apparently not.” She sounds surprised as her expression softens again. She reaches out to take my hand. “I’ll admit, I didn’t expect to hear that Carson went and married you without at least speaking to me first, but I’m very happy you’re now a part of our family. Let me be the first, and I suspect only, Crowley to welcome you.”