Zophisa P.O.V

"I just don't understand why you bought more designer bags when you already came here with so many," Luka stressed as we sat on the closet floor and packed my stuff. We decided that I would leave tomorrow afternoon.

"Do you know how satisfying it is to shop for designer in Venice?" I asked. He was about to respond but was cut off by my phone ringing.

"Damn I can't get a moment's peace," I mumbled before answering, "Hello?"

"Hey baby," my mom said through the phone.

"What's up mom?" I asked.

"I'm at your gate," she said.

"The gate?" I asked "What you doing here?" I walked out of the closet and to the intercom to buzz her in. I quickly walked down the steps in my usual nighttime attire, one of Luka's shirts.

I hung up the phone as I opened the door, the cold wind of the night smacking my legs. I watched as she parked the car she was driving in the driveway in front of the house.

I watched her get out of the car and walk over to be before I embraced her into a tight hug.

"Come in," I said, guiding her in. When we walked in the house Luka was standing at the bottom of the stairs.

"You remember my mom," I said to him, motioning to her. He reached out and shook her hand.

"What's going on?" He asked me.

"I don't know," I stressed, running my hand through my braids.

"I'm going to let you two talk. I'll be right upstairs okay?" He assured, looking me in my eyes. I just nodded before he walked upstairs.

"What's wrong? Why you here? Where your bags?" I questioned as I led her to the kitchen.

"I'm not staying long. I just needed to talk to you," she said, sitting down.

"You couldn't have called me? Or waited for me to get to New York?" I asked as I started to make her a sandwich.

"You would've hung up," She answered with a shrug, "This conversation needed to happen before you came home." She put a soft emphasis on the word home.

"You starting to scare me. Talk to me," I said to her.

"I want you to stay here," she said softly.

"Why?" I asked, not taking my attention off the sandwich.

"You happy."

"I'm lonely."

"You lying."

"How you gonna tell me?" I asked, smushing the sandwich together and cutting it in half. I grabbed a bottle of water out of the refrigerator and sat the plate down in front of her.

"You are my child. I know you better than you know yourself," she said, biting the sandwich. I just scoffed.

"I'm gonna miss your sandwiches," she said after a long pause of silence.

"Why do you want me to stay?" I asked, squinting my eyes out of suspicion. She sighed and sat her sandwich down on the plate.

"I failed you as a mother," She said.

"No you didn't-," I started.

"Yes I did," she cut me off, "The moment I realized I couldn't get you and your brother off the streets I started to exploit your power. More so you than him but still. I should've tried harder to save you."

"There was nothing you could've done or said that would've convinced me to leave the streets and you know that," I told her.

"You might be right. But I still fucked up when I sent my sixteen year old daughter to kill my husband," she said.

"He deserved it," I mumbled.

"He did and he still does but-," she started.

"But nothing," I cut her off, "If I would've handled it back then we wouldn't be in this shit."

"You better watch it. I'm not him I'll whoop your ass in here you understand?" She said, pointing her finger at me.

"Yes ma'am," I mumbled.

"Like I was saying," she continued, "I shouldn't have left it up to you. It was never your fight and I'm sorry because I know all of this is making you feel like you lost, but you didn't. This war has always been between me and your father and I'm sorry for making you fight my battles. I'm sorry you had to see what you saw. And it's okay to be sad about his death because regardless of anything he's your father."

I sat back in my chair and folded my arms as a stray tear rolled down my cheek.

"Now I'm gonna go back home and you're going to stay here with Luka because Luka makes you happy. Being a queenpin wasn't making you happy anymore. When you answered the door, that was the first time I seen any kind of emotion on your face since you were fifteen years old. I saw the way he looked at you, he's in love with you," she spoke softly.

"I'm still gonna be a queenpin," I said with a sniffle. She just chuckled.

"What about my boys?" I asked softly.

"Those two are going to be just fine. Believe it or not those two combined equals you. Adrian's brain and manipulation plus Sincere's recklessness and concerning obsession with torture equals one amazing Zoey," she said, making me smile.

"I'm not surprised I did reach them everything they know," I bragged, popping my imaginary collar.

"And I'm going to personally handle your father myself tomorrow night when I get back home," she assured.

"What are you going to do?" I asked, leaning forward in interest.

"He's still responsive. Barely but still. He has a little internal bleeding that's why they gave him so long," she explained, "So I'm going to get him out of there and put him in a tiny enclosed room and set the room on fire."

"If the bleeding isn't bad why didn't they give him surgery?" I asked.

"Oh that's the best part," she said with a snicker, "I told them he don't believe in modern medicine. So he's not even on pain meds. Adrian comes in every few hours and feeds him hot Lipton tea from a wooden bowl."

We both let out identical cackles and threw our heads back.

"I'm surprised they didn't send him home. How you getting back?" I asked.

"First class. Obviously," she answered in a duh tone.

"You can take the jet. I'm not going anywhere," I said with a small smile.

"My baby," she said, standing up and walking over to me. I stood up and gave her a tight hug.

"Adrian gonna kill me," I said as another year fell down my cheek.

"He gonna kill me twice for convincing you to stay," she chuckled as we pulled apart. She grabbed my shoulders and held me away from her. She smiled sadly and wiped the tears from my face.

"We'll pick you up and take you to the airport tomorrow," I told her.

"Okay," she said softly. She picked up her keys and sandwich before we started walking to the door.

"Y'all can come back for Thanksgiving," I offered.

"Then we'll see you in a couple months," she said before kissing me on the cheek. I watched her get into the car and pull off. I took a deep breath before shutting the door and setting the alarm. I walked up the stairs and into our room to see Luka on the bed watching TV.

"Everything okay?" He asked as I climbed into bed.

"Yup," I answered, "I want to wear red."

"What?" He asked, raising his eyebrow.

"At our real wedding. I want to wear red," I said with a smirk. A grin made it's way onto his face.

"So you want to wear the color of seduction?" He asked with a smirk.

"No. The color of danger," I corrected.

"You are dangerous," he said, "And seductive."

"I also want a honeymoon in Cancun," I said.

"Nine days of you in a bikini? Absolutely," he said his smirk reappearing.

"Don't try to be all nice to me either because I might possibly like you back," I joked.

"Who told you I liked you?" He asked, scrunching his face up in disgust. I just let out a laugh and pushed him.

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THE END!!! Epilogue and bonus chapters coming soon!!

Xox