Page 106 of Jetmir

CHAPTER FORTY-FOUR

JETMIR

The weight of Raphael’s gaze followed me as I helped Anya to her feet.

For a moment, I let myself feel the warmth of her fingers wrapped around mine while my own chest glowed. It fucking glowed.

My wife chose me.

I had spent years wondering if I would ever win her back. If she would ever choose me and she did. If I died by my father-in-law’s bullet at this very moment, it wouldn’t matter because I would die a happy man.

I looked at Raphael.

His gun was still in his hand.

His jaw was clenched, his eyes hard, and every instinct in me screamed that this man would quite possibly never trust me. Maybe he shouldn’t. I had given him enough reasons not to.

But if there was one thing I had learned over the years, it was that some debts couldn’t be repaid with apologies.

They had to be repaid with action.

“I know I’ve made my share of mistakes, but I love your daughter,” I said. Raphael’s eyes narrowed. “I don’t expect you to trust me.” I glanced at Sailor, then back at him. “But I want you to know, I’m doing all in my power to fix everything.”

Anya’s fingers tightened around mine.

“Jetmir,” she whispered.

I squeezed her hand, then continued addressing Raphael, “Whether I deserve your daughter or not, I’m keeping her, and I’ll do my best to earn her love and deserve her love every day for the rest of my life.”

“I’m happy to hear that,” my mother-in-law gushed, tears glistening in her eyes. It was easier to earn her forgiveness than her husband’s.

“You also deserve to know the truth,” I added.

Raphael shot me a look full of suspicion. “What truth?”

I took a breath.

“It’s about the explosion in Albania.”

Raphael’s expression hardened and his finger tightened around the trigger. “You mean the one that blinded Gabriel and almost killed my daughter."

I held his gaze.

“I know who’s responsible.”

Suddenly, the world stilled and even the waves seemed quieter.

Sailor’s eyes moved between us.

Raphael took one slow step toward me. “Who is responsible?”

“The Triad.”

Raphael went still.

“It was their first attempt, and ever since then, they’ve been trying to get their hands on Anya.” I pulled my wife closer to me. “Their obstacle—my stalking—interfered with their plans.”

His eyes sharpened. “You’ve been stalking my daughter.”