Page 72 of Queen of Misfortune (Shadows of Redemption)
I let out a small laugh. “No, Princess, you’re not. But if you don’t want to be a part of this, you don’t have to.”
She looks at me then, and I see certainty in her eyes. “I want to ruin my mother.”
I nod. “Okay.” I watch her for a moment, needing to see the woman who’d been with me in bed. I press my palm to her cheek. “I’m on your side, Lucy. It’s my goal in life to hand your mother over to you.”
She lets out a sigh and rests her forehead against mine. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.” I want to pick her up and carry her back to bed and fuck away all the bad feelings she’s experiencing, but my phone rings.
I pick it up. “Pronto.”
“It’s Igor.” He gives his message, rattling off an address.
“Got it.” I hang up and turn to Lucy. “How do you feel about having lunch with your mother today?”
Before my eyes, Lucy morphs from a bitter woman feeling no control, to a fierce warrior, to a woman who could lead her ownFamily if she so wanted. I’m in awe of her. Too fucking bad I can’t keep her.
24
LUCY
My breakfast so far has been a rollercoaster ride of emotions. I’ve gone from riding a high from sexual haze to being pissed off that Donovan would be running my father’s business, including trafficking, except no. He said Liam would be dealing with that. And now, he’s just asked if I want lunch with my mother. Not as a daughter who wants to see her mother after five years, but as an associate with plans to ruin her. My pulse quickens at the thought. My mother — the woman who should have protected me but instead tried to orchestrate my sale as part of a trafficking business.
"There's a chance to confront your mother. She might know where Giovanni is hiding,” Donovan says.
I nod, understanding the situation.
Donovan watches me as he waits for my answer. “You don’t have to?—”
“I want to,” I blurt out.
He sits down at the table, his dark eyes looking into mine. “She’ll agree to this thinking it's her chance to hand you back to your father.”
“I know.” A cold knot forms in my stomach. I imagine sitting across from the woman who gave birth to me but never saw me as more than a commodity.
“It’ll be dangerous, Lucy.” He takes my hand.
“I know. But you won’t let her win.”
His smile is sweet. Like I’ve given him a gift. “I’ll protect you with my life. But?—”
“You said it yourself, she might know where my father is. We can end his terror once and for all.” A wave of sadness flows through me. Once my father is gone, there will be no need for this marriage.
Donovan studies me for a long moment, likely weighing the risks. But I see the decision in his eyes before he nods. “All right, then.”
We spend the rest of the morning planning and then putting that plan into motion. At just after noon, I walk into the restaurant where my mother agreed to meet me. To be honest, I was surprised she did. Or maybe I was surprised that after I heard her voice and had flashbacks of all the terror she caused me, I still wanted to follow through.
I’m alone except for all of Donovan’s men posted at various tables in the restaurant. I’ve been in this world long enough to recognize my father’s men who are protecting my mother. I’m walking into the lion’s den, and if this doesn’t go right, I’ll be back in my parents’ clutches, sold to the next high bidder.
She sees me, her lips pursing as she scans her gaze over me. She looks disapproving, but I know it’s jealousy. I was always prettier than her. She used to threaten to scar me, and in those cases, my father threatened her if she did anything to decrease my value.
I sit in the chair across from her.
“Lucia. You look… well.” She’s terrible at acting friendly.
"Mother," I reply, my lips pressing into a smile that probably looks more like a grimace.
“I understand congratulations are in order. You’ve married again.”