Chapter 0321

She beams at me, genuinely pleased. "We always sit ringside for Luca's fights," she says, giving me a little squeeze. "But thank you. That's very kind."

"Offer stands," Rafe says, coming over with Jesse, Gran between them with one arm around each of their waists. "Any concert or sporting game - if you want to use the box just let us know."

She blushes and laughs like we can't be serious, but Jesse assures her that we are. Then we all say our goodbyes and head out the door, dashing as fast as we can for our black car so that the paparazzi can't get a good picture.

But as we run, I wonder if it even matters -

Because I'm going to be at Luca's fight tonight, front and center. And isn't that all the confirmation they're going to need?

I'm still wondering about it, a little worried, when I wander into my bedroom about half an hour later, barely concentrating on my surroundings because I'm so lost in my thoughts.

So, it's no surprise that I don't notice the tiny Queen sitting on my bed.

"Heyyy babyyy," she croons, and I shriek and basically jump out of my skin, making her laugh and fall back against my pillows. "Mom!" I growl, dashing forward to smack at her, even though she dodges my half-hearted blow. "Don't scare me like that!" "It's not my fault you were lost in Lala-Land," she says, grabbing me and hauling me over to her when I slump down onto the bed. "What would you have done if I was some kind of agent from another country sent to kidnap you? Aren't they training you for precisely this sort of thing in that school of yours?"

"I would poison you," I mutter, laughing a little, "because my education hasn't gotten me any further than that yet."

"Oh yes, very powerful," mom murmurs, stroking my hair and grinning at me. She pulls me back against her, my back to her chest, and starts to pet my hair. In the mirror across the room, I watch as her face falls into more serious lines. "How did it go with Luca?"

I sigh, nestling more comfortably against her as mom leans over and produces, of all things, a cup of hot coffee, pressing it into my hands. I grin and take a sip, pleased both to have it and because she knew I'd want it - she saw I didn't have any caffeine this morning at breakfast.

"It went okay," I say, nodding and relishing the taste of the coffee. "Luca and I are fine. He wasn't the one who told the press." Mom exhales a deep breath and nods to me with relief.

"But," I continue with a grimace, "his uncle did." She gasps satisfyingly mom is a great listener of gossip and then sits quietly while I tell the whole story. By the end she's shaking her head in a bit of awe.

"It's such a shame it had to go like that," she says quietly, staring into space a bit and idly playing with my hair, curling a strand of it around her finger. "If Luca needed funds - especially for his family, or for such a good cause - then they could have come to us instead of gambling your secret away. We'd have been happy to help."

"That's what I said!"

She nods to me. "But I agree with you - his uncle is underestimating Luca's abilities to support himself for the rest of his life. Luca - he's more than just a talented boxer. I just hope his uncle didn't get so far into his head that Luca can't see that himself."

"Well, we'll help him." I say, curling up closer to her and resting my head back against her shoulder, pleased to have my mom's support.

"Of course we will," she murmurs, slipping her arm around my shoulders. "Now, let's talk about your mate."

I blink for a second, and then turn my head to frown up at her. "Didn't we just do that?"

"No baby," she says, grinning at me. "Your other mate."

And I sit up straighter because....Jackson?noveldrama

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