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It’s after midnight by the time we leave Donny’s house with every piece of information we’d need to hunt these two assholes down tonight.After deciding to play with them a little first, Holy heads to his apartment close to the estate while I go inside.
“She’s not feeling well.”Carmine’s voice stops me as I’m about to head upstairs.
“Her period is out of control,” I respond.
His grimace is reflected in his tone.“Her mother and sisters always had a terrible time during theirs.I thought she was lucky.”
Approaching the older man where he’s sitting in the den, I can see the scowl on his face.“Sounded to me like this was new for her.”It’s fucking weird talking about my woman’s period with her father, but I can tell there’s something else on Carmine’s mind.
“The Simons…” he begins, anger reflected in the way he’s clenching his glass.
“I’m taking care of them.”
Frigid eyes finally look up to me.“End them, Malice.They won’t stop coming until they’re eliminated.”I nod.“Your mother…” He trails off again.
“If she’s in the way,” I assure.“If she’s a threat to us, to Odette, she’ll go with them.”
“Don’t make my mistakes, son.Odette before everything.Before everyone.Put her first, always.”I’m shocked he’s saying this because, my entire life, it’s always been the families first.
Cavanaugh and Sinclair above all else.
“I wouldn’t have it any other way.”Odette will always be the first priority in my life.
“Good.She deserves that.”I couldn’t agree more.“I don’t believe she wants to attend college,” he continues.I figured as much.“She wants a role in the family.She wants to be at your side as an equal.See that it doesn’t kill her.”With that final request, Carmine gets to his feet and heads to his quarters.
Slipping up to Odette’s room, I find the window open slightly, allowing a gentle breeze to flow through the room, and a lamp in the corner casts a gentle glow.Stripping off my clothes, I flick the light out and crawl into bed behind Odette.Pulling her into my hold, she relaxes and sighs as I begin massaging her stomach and murmuring in her ear to soothe her.
CHAPTER21
Odette
“Did he kiss you?”I ask Cece as we enter the school.Malice, our shadow once again, follows a few feet behind.He’s no longer pretending to be a student, but he’s in full-on bodyguard mode.He hasn’t talked about where he went last night, but I was pleased to wake up with him wrapped around me this morning.
“I could see he wanted to.”A blush tinges her cheeks.“But he says I’m not old enough yet.”Carter O’Neill has an interest in my new friend that is so unlike him.I’ve never seen him give a shit about anyone but Della.
“When’s your birthday?”I ask.A cramp hits me right in the gut, nearly doubling me over with pain.Jesus, why is this happening now?
“Are you okay?”Cece grips my elbow until I feel Malice pick me up, cradling me to his chest.
“You’re going home.Cece, you coming?”Resting my head on his chest, I’m glad he doesn’t leave her out.
“Uhm, yeah, sure.”We all turn right back around and leave as swiftly as we came.
Groaning into Malice’s neck as my insides feel like they’re being torn apart by a weedwhacker, I whimper when he leans down to put me back in the car.I’ve never been such a baby about cramps before, but this feels different.Like I’m in someone else’s body.
Malice immediately turns the heat on for my seat when he gets in, and his eyes flick between me and the road so often that I worry we’re going to get into an accident.
“I’m fine.”Gritting out the words, I try to reassure him when it feels like my insides are on fire, and I’m almost certain there’s a vice around my spine, twisting and turning as I try to find relief.
“You’re not fucking fine.”He looks back to Cece.“This shit normal?”he snaps at her.
“No.I don’t think so.”My ears are buzzing, and tears sting my eyes.Concentrating on what they’re saying is too difficult, so I lean back and close my lids in the hopes of breathing through the pain.
Screeching tires, horns blaring, and a loud crash have me sitting upright, only to be thrown around the car.Hitting my head on a side post, I feel blood dripping down the side of my face as I try to blink my eyes open.
Shattered glass surrounds me, and my vision is blurry.Are we upside down?My head spins as I try to glance around, searching for Malice or Cece.Coughing from the back tells me Cece is alive.
