Perfect Together by Kristen Ashley

So what Colette said was true.

He couldn’t possibly understand.

But they both knew that was a weak excuse.

Or did they?

“Mom,” he said carefully, “I don’t condone Dad’s cheating, but it isn’t okay what you do to him, and it really was not okay what you did to me.”

She grew silent.

Remy didn’t let it go. “I’m out here because I’d like to understand.”

“I’m dying, Remy. This may be the last time you see me breathing, and this is what you want to discuss?” Her head whipped in his direction. “Really? This is the only private moment I’ve had with my only child during your visit, perhaps your final visit, and this is what you bring up?”

“This may be the last time you see me too,” he returned.

“Yes, exactly,” she spat, leaning slightly his way, a look on her face that made his insides twist, he was so familiar with it and that long-remembered terror of what it might bring. “And I’d much prefer to discuss something else.”

He kept a lock on the fact he was getting pissed, but he didn’t give in to her demands.

“Right, then let me share that for the last three years, Dad has been kicking his own ass because he thought he was the reason I tanked my marriage, when in fact that reason was you.”

She gasped, her eyes getting huge.

“Would you rather discuss that?” he pushed. “Because, like I needed to be perfect for you… No, that isn’t right. Like you needed me to be perfect for you, you needed me to be everything for you, and I lived with that so long, I absorbed it. Which meant I also needed to be perfect for Wyn. To be everything for her. And when it came clear she didn’t need me for everything, she could make her own money, she could contribute to our family, our lives, she was a success on my level, I couldn’t deal with it. I didn’t know who to be if I wasn’t taking care of her. I didn’t know how to be.”

“I will never understand why she went back to work when she didn’t have to,” Colette muttered.

Christ, she never changed.

“Damn it, Mom. Are you serious?” he bit out.

She tilted her gaze to the sky. “I cannot believe you’re being this cruel to me in my final days.”

For fuck’s sake.

Remy took a calming breath and slowly released it, before he urged, “Please, Mom, for the love of me, of Dad, of your grandchildren, your family, the legacy you’re leaving, stop the fucking drama and talk to me. I’m sitting here because I want to understand.”

Her eyes sliced to him, and she snapped, “Watch your mouth around your mother.”

Remy stared at her.

Then he sighed, sat back and gazed at an urn overflowing with some dense foliage that was green as well as purple. He had no idea what it was, but he was proud as hell that Sah could walk out and tell him.

“After your performance yesterday morning, I’ve decided I’m changing my will. I’m leaving everything to Yves,” she announced.

“Fine,” Remy replied.

“I know you think it isn’t much, but no matter how dire our straits became, Mother closely guarded the Cormier jewels. They’re worth hundreds of thousands of dollars. And there are other heirlooms that do not belong to your father. Sculpture. Paintings.”

“Mom, I make a shit ton of money. I have a waiting list that’s two years long for clients to get the opportunity to access my personal designs. I employ thirty people. I have a wife who loves me enough to forgive me for doing something unforgiveable, and three smart, healthy, funny, kind, beautiful children. I’m rich. I couldn’t care less about jewels and paintings.”

“You’re an artist, and you don’t care about art?”

Remy dropped his head.

There it was.

She never changed.

This was going to be it.

This was going to be his last real conversation with his mom.

Fuck, he never should have walked out into that garden.

Then again, if he hadn’t, he would have had yesterday’s events as his final moments with his mother. This hadn’t gone well, but at least it wasn’t as bad as that.

The story of his relationship with his mom.

Since there was nothing for it, he lifted his head.

And to the urn, he used a tactic that had worked before. It hadn’t worked perfectly, but it had worked.

“I’ve spoken with Melly. I’ll be arranging to pay her an additional salary. I’ve asked her to keep a close eye and report to me not only if you ever harm Dad physically again, but if it verbally turns ugly as well. She’s agreed to do this for us. She knows I’m informing you of this, and she’s agreed to that as well. I’ll also be asking Beau and Jason to drop in and make sure Dad is safe. You had all the chances you’re going to get. The minute I hear you’ve harmed him, as I said yesterday, I’m flying out, collecting you, and you’ll spend your final days in the desert with me and Wyn. This is not negotiable.”

“You can’t kidnap me, Remy.”

No, he couldn’t.

“If you refuse to come, I’ll talk Dad into coming, and you’ll die alone.”

Silence followed that remark, so complete, he sensed she knew how serious he was about what he’d just said.

Good.