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Chapter Forty-Four

Hallie

T his week has been crazy. Rocco gave up school, and I miss him and his cocky smile, not to mention the additional attention I received from him.

Matt has been quiet and detached, and he’s avoided me like the plague. Yet I feel him watching me despite his refusal to speak to me.

I’ve sent him multiple messages, and each goes unanswered. Rocco says I need to give him time, but he’s my son and I’m missing out on what little time I had with him anyway.

Rocco has now moved in with me, and I can’t say I’m mad about his insistence on being close to me whenever possible. The man is obsessed with my body, every inch of it, and I give it to him willingly multiple times a day. He doesn’t let me lift a finger, insisting on covering my body with lotion after every shower, and when I asked him if it had the extra ingredient, he smirked, making my pussy clench with anticipation.

There’s something gratifying about knowing I’ve been marked by my husband with his cum and his knife. His possession of me is intoxicating, and I never want it to end.

When he arrives home late at night and climbs into bed beside me, I long for his touch, ignoring what he will have been doing in order to receive the marks on his body or the blood beneath his fingernails.

I’m not na?ve. I know his life is full of criminal activities that Gerrard has spent years fighting against, and while that eats away at me, I believe Rocco when he reassures me that the circles he runs in aren’t of the same business as them.

They don’t hurt innocent people.

And that’s something that can’t be said for Gerrard and his family.

The man has learned his behavior from somewhere, and something tells me the way his father has spent years looking me up and down like nothing more than dirt on his shoe proves where those behaviors have come from.

I stir the sauce on the stove, lost in my own world, and my phone vibrates. Matty’s name flashes on the screen, and I answer it immediately, my heart racing with exhilaration to finally hear from him.

“Matt?” I blow out a deep sigh of relief.

“Mom?” The panic in his voice has my spine snapping straight. “Can you pick me up?” he rushes out while out of breath, and my heart skips a beat. “Dad took my car keys, and I want to leave.”

“What?” I press my fingers to my forehead as I try to figure out what the hell is happening. All I know is my son needs me. “Of course.” I know how volatile Gerrard can be, but he’s never had an argument with Matty, not to my knowledge anyway. My pulse races with trepidation. “Are you okay?”

“Me and Dad fell out. He knows, Mom. He knows about you and Rocco.” Anxiety clutches at my chest, and I suck in a sharp breath. “He hit me.”

Disbelief laced in disappointment slips from him, and my heart seizes for my son while my body coils tight.

The bastard hit him.

Because of me.

“Are you okay?” Tears spring to my eyes as I switch off the stove.

“I’m okay. C-c-can you pick me up?”

I grab my car keys, not needing to be asked again, then stumble as I rush to slip my feet into my sneakers.

“He stormed out of the house. I don’t know when he’ll be back.”

“Okay.” I blow out as I try to gain control of my racing emotions. I head toward the door. “Call me if he gets home before I get there, Matty. I don’t want a showdown with him.” Sickness wells in my stomach at the thought.

“I will.” I nod as I head out the door. “I’m sorry for what I said, Mom.” My heart skips a beat at him feeling like he needs to apologize again. “I’m really sorry.” He sniffles, and I want nothing more than to pull him into my arms and tell him everything will be okay.

I open the car door and slide inside. “It’s okay, I know you were mad. You don’t need to apologize again, Matty.”

“I do. Besides, being mad doesn’t make it okay to speak to you like I did. I was being a dick. I’m nothing like him, Mom,” he says with conviction, and my chest swells with pride.

“I know that.” I smile and swipe away the tears. “I’ll be as quick as I can.”

“Be careful. I’m just packing my bag.”

“See you soon. Love you.”

“Love you too, Mom.”

Then I start the engine and call Rocco. I know this is going to go to shit, but Matty is my son, and he will always come first.