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Alberto’s fury is palpable. I can feel his rage in the way the gun against the back of my head seems to tremble as he seethes. He might just kill me anyway. He might not listen to orders for once, and blow my brains out.
“Stand down, Alberto.” Cristiano says after a long tense moment.
Alberto hesitates, and then lowers his arm.
“You don’t know him… you can’t judge him by his father’s actions. Let this be the end of it. Please, he’s protecting me… he loves me, Cristiano. I know that it might not make sense to you now, but it will. This is what’s best for me,” Ada explains.
Cristiano’s jaw tightens. “You expect me to forgive him for kidnapping you? How canyouforgive that?!”
He has a point there.
“He’s right,” I say softly. “I don’t think that’s a mistake that I can ever atone for…”
“Everybody makes mistakes. Things happen for a reason… it brought us together.” Ada says as she shakes her head. It’s obvious that she’s ready to put all of this behind us.
“If it’s penance that you need, I’ll trade my services for it,” I say. I hear the words leave my lips, my eyes still locked on the woman in front of me. Otherwise, I don’t think I could even believe that it was a thing that I was willing to offer. But for Ada? Anything.
“What services could you possibly offer me?” Cristiano answers reluctantly.
“My services as the Reaper, but for the Dominio clan… consider it another gesture to solidify your new alliance with the Doyle clan in Boston.” Only then do my eyes finally cut over to Cristiano. I don’t know if we will ever really be able to move past the bad blood between us, but it is a start. We both will have to be willing to try for Ada’s sake.
“Please, brother,” Ada whispers just loud enough for him to hear.
Crisitano’s gaze shifts between Ada and myself. “I’ll consider it.”
CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE
ADA
Kieran hasn’t left my side in days.
It’s nicer than I want to admit. He’s been, almost overbearing, but in a sweet way. He’s allowed Cristiano to station men outside of our room and said that he could implement any security measures that he felt necessary to ensure that he’s not going to be a threat. I don’t love the way my brother keeps looking at Kieran like he’s a feral dog ready to snap… but I suppose that it would be asking for entirely too much to think that they were going to get along immediately. They are existing together, that’s more than I ever expected them to be able to. I have to remind myself to be grateful.
It’s an unexpected yet strangely comforting new reality.
Kieran’s presence is a constant, silent protector.
However, the power dynamic between us has shifted dramatically.
Kieran is attentive, making sure that anything that the baby or I could possibly ever need or want is provided for me. It’s easier to eat now that I know I get to keep them both. I’m not in any rush to try to plan the wedding or the nursery yet. I want to find a new place that will be just ours, but for now we’re planning on staying in the Dominio headquarters until my brother’s pissing contest is resolved. Having Kieran be so attentive is empowering. I don’t think he’s able to say no to me anymore. I am his queen and at night, he serves me well.
Honestly, I’m not sure what I should credit the change in him to. I suppose it’s just the general prospect of becoming a father. Given his own tumultuous history with his father, I can’t say that I’m surprised he doesn’t want to repeat any of the mistakes that he experienced. Liam is the only family that he has left that he’s able to claim.
When he’s around me, he’s different - softer.
I sit on the bed, waiting for him to come back with takeout from my favorite Thai place. He doesn’t bother knocking on the door when he arrives, just comes in with the fragrant bags of food hanging off of his arms.
“Now, before you start complaining that it’s too much food, I wanted to try a little bit of everything. Maybe the baby willwant you to try new things too,” Kieran teases, pulling over my circular table and placing it by the end of our bed and starting to lay things out.
“I doubt it. The baby seems to be just as picky as I am.” I laugh and scoot to the edge of the bed, letting my feet perch on the end of the bedframe and lean over my knees. There’s not going to be a bump for a long time. I still don’t know how I’m going to handle the body changes when they come, but for now Kieran and I are going to keep trying to take things one day at a time.
“I ran into your brother and Maeve on the way up here…” He says, not looking at me directly when he speaks.
“Oh?” I open the takeout container and take a small bite of noodles. They are heavenly.
Kieran nods. “She doesn’t seem to like me here any more than I like them, but today she only stuck up her middle finger at me and walked on by.”
I laugh. “Progress then.”
