Chapter 344: Mother
*I don’t think that you understand your place within this family. – Elizabeth Giordano*
Pagan and Shiloh spent New Year’s Eve at the Shack while the girls went to a kid’s party over at Chance’s house. He knew that his new wife would not be comfortable with the New Year’s Eve activities and hosted the annual party for the kids. When Pagan had called Chance at ten in the morning, Rye answered the phone whispering.
“Hey, Pagan.”
“Good morning, Rye. How are the girls?”
“Still asleep. Hang on.”
Pagan could hear her moving around in their house and then she took a picture. A moment later, his phone chimed as the picture came through and he clicked the speakerphone button before he moved the phone so that both he and Shiloh could see the screen.
Chance was lying on his back asleep on the living room floor. He had his niece, Morgan, asleep on one shoulder and Alyssa asleep on the other. He looked happy and content asleep surrounded by a dozen or more club kids.
A second picture popped up of Ashlyn being spooned by Gremlin’s son, Quinton. Pagan groaned as Shiloh gave a soft aww.
“I thought she had gotten over her crush on Quinton.” Pagan grumbled.
“I’m going to say, not quite.” Rye quietly laughed. “I’ll let you know when they’re up.”
“Thanks, Rye.” Pagan said and ended the call.
While he was saying goodbye to his friend’s wife, Shiloh answered her phone as she got out of bed and walked towards the bathroom. Pagan enjoyed the view of her naked form. The only thing on her tattooed skin were her bat shaped nipple rings and coordinating belly button ring.
He tried not to listen to her conversation since she obviously moved away for privacy. But the irritation in her voice made it clear that she was about to leave. When she came back to the bed, he knew she was leaving.
“Family?” he asked.
Shiloh nodded sadly and he saw the frustration in her eyes. “I’m sorry.”
He sat up and pulled her to him for a kiss. “It’s okay. You told me that this might happen. You said that you have family obligations. The girls and I will meet you at home.”
“You’re too good for me.” Shiloh smiled back at him.
“That’s because I love you.”
Smiling at him, she told him. “I love you, too.” They exchanged a kiss before she went and took a shower and got dressed. Once she was dressed and had her hair and makeup done, she gave Pagan a light kiss and left.
The drive to her mother’s house was slow. Not just because of the weather, but also because she really did not want to be there. She had been summoned and she had to go. The peace had to be kept in the family until her and Nico’s roles could be confirmed.
The guard at the gate opened it as Shiloh drove through and went to the large mansion. Parking under the side portico, she entered through the kitchen.
“You know your mother doesn’t like you coming in through the servants entrance.” Maggie smiled as she continued to knead bread dough.
Maggie had been the cook when Shiloh had been born. Her father had died, her mother had remarried, multiple times, and the rest of the staff had changed. But Maggie was always there. Nonno insisted.
Shiloh kissed the older woman’s cheek and snagged a small powder sugar covered cookie as she passed. “And that would be the reason why I do it.”
Maggie was still laughing as Shiloh left the kitchen and walked down the hall to the formal sitting room where she heard voices. She found her mother sitting in a wingback chair looking like the lady of the manor. Her black hair had recently been died to cover her gray and was pulled tight into a twist. Her outfit was a high-end sweater dress in deep blue with gold buttons and belt. Her neck was graced with an expensive three chain gold necklace with diamond pendants of increasing size.
Both her current stepfather and his oldest son were also in the room wearing expensive black Armani suits. Her stepfather, whatever his name was, wore a black tie while his son did not wear one. They both wore expensive Italian leather shoes while her mother wore red bottomed shoes.
In contrast, Shiloh wore a retro Jackie O suit with white bat outlines in the black tweed weave. Black bats and crosses hung from her ears and around her neck. The saddles on her platform saddle shoes were shaped like bats. She liked to match, and even more, she liked to irritate her mother with her dark clothes.
“I hope this is not going to take long.” Shiloh said as she entered the room and sat in the unoccupied wingback chair.
The younger man looked at Shiloh with absolute disgust. “Her? No. This is not going to work.”
“This,” Elizabeth said offhandedly, “is a phase. She knows her place.”
“I certainly do.” She winked at the man. “My boyfriend likes me on my knees as he’s feeding his cock down my throat.”
Both men shifted on the couch that they sat on as Elizabeth hissed her daughter’s full birth name.
“Do not use that name, she’s dead.” Shiloh reminded her mother. “You should know this, you helped to kill her.”
“I’m not using that name you gave yourself.”
She grinned at her mother. “Because it was the name of the woman that my father would have rather married than your ass?”
Yeah, Shiloh was petty. And she had no problem with that. The glare that her mother gave her only made her smile more.
“Why did you call me here?” Shiloh asked as if she was bored and ready to leave. She knew better than to show any type of emotion around her mother. The only emotions Elizabeth ever got were bored and indifferent. “And what is not going to work?”
“We’ve decided that you and Paul are going to marry.” Her stepfather informed her.
“Oh?” Shiloh arched an eyebrow. “And who’s Saul?”
“It’s Paul.” The younger man said. “I’m *Paul*.”
“Have we met before?” Shiloh asked as she looked at him. Classic Italian features marred only by a small scar by his left ear.
“You didn’t go to their wedding.” Paul said.
“Sorry, Peter. There’s only so many times you can watch a woman walk down the aisle and promise to be faithful knowing neither party will honor their vows.”
Her mother hissed her name again as her stepfather swore in Italian.
“What? You think I don’t know about what goes on in your lives? Contrary to what my mother claims so fucking often, I *know* my place in the family. I know my duties.”
She stood up and gave the three other people a cold warning glare.
“It is time that you remember your places. Do not continue with this line or you will find out exactly how well I know my place.”
Before she lost control of her cold façade, Shiloh turned and went back down the hall to the kitchen. Maggie handed her a plastic bowl filled with the little lemon cookies that Shiloh liked so much. Once again, she kissed the older woman’s cheek on her way out.
Once in her hearse, she headed to the other mansion just down the road. Once again, she entered through the kitchen. She kissed the woman who was almost a spitting image of Maggie on her cheek.
“Maggie said you were over this morning.” Agnes said.
“Yes, ma’am.” Shiloh agreed. “She gave me cookies.”
“I’ll have to make something better.” The older sister of the two cooks smiled. “You go on up, Nico is in his office.”
“Thanks, Ags.” Shiloh left the kitchen and headed up the stairs and down the hall to the large office. “Nico?”
He looked up from the papers that he was reading and smiled at her.
“This is a surprise.” Nico declared as Shiloh walked into the office.
“Not necessarily a good one. We need to have a board meeting.”
“Why?” he asked, afraid of what she was going to say. His fears were realized when she told him about the conversation at her mother’s house.
“I can’t do anything today. But I’ll start getting it put together tomorrow. Go home to your man and your girls.”
“Thanks, Nico.”
“You’re welcome.” He sighed. “Shiloh, you need to make them official.”
“I need the board together.” She agreed softly.
“You need to put your mother in her place once and for all.” He told her.
“I know.” Shiloh agreed. “She’s going to be the biggest issue we have for you taking my place.”
