Arielle
Could this be it?
Could this be the only way to beat Darius?
Through his mother.
The last time at the office, he had tried to avoid her. I thought it meant fear. Weakness. Something I could use.
Now…I wasn’t so sure.
“There’s my son,” her voice rang through the house as she walked in like she owned every inch of it.
Darius’s hand slipped away from mine instantly as if I’d burned him.
I froze.
She rushed forward and pulled him into a hug.
I waited for tension or resistance. I waited for something. Turns out he was a mama’s boy.
“Hey, mother,” he said calmly.
Calmly.
I stood by the stairs, watching. The staff had gone still again, like statues trained not to react.
“Joel stopped me at the door,” she said, laughing lightly. “Imagine that. He wouldn’t let m
