Dangerous Love (Mackenzies Book 3)

by Elizabeth Knox

  Sloane smiles and waves at Luca, and I watch her eyes as they slowly drift toward me. It’s as if it all happens in slow motion, the way her eyes go wide, how she drops her purse and it hits the ground, and her blank stare fixated on the SUV.

  I inhale sharply and open the door, exit the vehicle and slowly approach her. There’s no how-to guide for this but fuck I wish there was. This is uncharted territory for both of us.

  We both stare at the other in complete and utter silence. I’m sure we both have the same thoughts crossing our minds. What should we say? What can we say? Where do we start?

  I clear my throat. “You look beautiful.” I don’t know what else to say. I think saying something as simple as hello wouldn’t be right in this situation.

  Sloane puts her hand on her chest and tears well in her eyes. She begins to open her mouth when another voice comes from behind the gate on the walkway. “Sloane!”

  “Mumma!”

  “Mummy!”

  Two little girls walk through hand-in-hand with a man I don’t know. The girls are smiling at Sloane, and I have no doubt they’re our daughters.

  “Ice cream, can we go for ice cream now?” The dark-haired one tugs on the man’s hand while looking at her mother.

  “Yeah, please, Mumma?” the blonde one begs.

  I don’t know who is who, but I do know their names, Anastassia and Aleksandrina. Beautiful names for two mesmerizing girls. The man holding onto their hands stares me down as if he knows me, but I don’t know him. I’ve never seen him before in my fucking life.

  A door slamming behind me forces me to turn, and Luca comes walking over. “Ice cream? You know what I say, girls, every day is a great day for ice cream.” Luca kneels down to their eye level, and the girls smile brightly.

  “Please!” The girls look at their mother and beg mercilessly.

  “Fine, but you two wait with cousin Luca, okay?” Sloane gives in to their demands, and the girls run up to Luca, smiling ear to ear. I’m staring in complete awe of them. It’s crazy how quickly time flies by.

  The girls go off with Luca toward the car. Meanwhile, Sloane is pulling the other man off to the side, speaking in hushed whispers.

  Chapter Five

  Sloane

  Bloody hell. This has to be a joke. I mean, I know it isn’t, but it damn well feels like one. Tears threaten to spill at a moment’s notice, and my heart is beating so loud I can hear it. It feels like either I’m losing my mind or I’m in a dream world.

  Keeran grabs my shaking hands and looks directly into my eyes. He’s rubbing his fingertips against my palm, and I gnaw on my bottom lip nervously. “H-he’s Aleksei,” I stammer out and am met with a cold reply.

  He scoffs and takes his hands away from mine. “Do you think I wouldn’t know? I’ve seen pictures of him plastered around your family’s estate for years now,” Keeran replies in an aggravated manner.

  I can’t imagine what he’s going through right now, but I need him to be patient with me. The literal love of my life just rose from the dead somehow, and this is all a bit much to process. Sure, we have photos of Aleksei around the estate, but there aren’t that many of them. I know Dad keeps one over the mantle of the fireplace so the girls can see a photo of Aleksei where the rest of our family’s photos are. It’s a sign he’s part of our family, something he’s always wanted to make sure they understand.

  God, he’s lost so much weight. Even so, I can still recognize the man underneath it all.

  “I . . . I’m sorry, I don’t know what to do or say right now. I . . .” I stop speaking and debate telling him I found the ring. I want to tell him I’m not in love with him, but I know right now isn’t the time, nor the place. Not with Aleksei here, not with everything I need to deal with.

  I haven’t felt anything romantic with Keeran in so long. Our candle’s been burnt out for ages now, but if I cut him loose, he’ll only think it’s because of Aleksei when it simply isn’t the case. “Can you t-take the girls for ice cream? I’m sorry to ask. There are just so many unanswered questions. I don’t k-know how he’s here right now, what happened, how it happened. I—”

  “Yeah, no problem,” Keeran snaps back and walks away from me over to the girls.

  I can’t even be upset with him right now. If our roles were reversed, I’d probably be upset, moody, and guarded as well.

  I don’t know why I do it. Probably out of instinct, or maybe it’s out of guilt. I rush up to Keeran and grab onto his hand, forcing him to turn and look at me. The saddened expression on his face guts me like a fish. I can’t imagine what’s going through his mind right now, but then again, I don’t know if I want to find out.

  “Look, I get it. The love of your fucking life just came back from the dead. Go deal with this shite, and I’ll handle the kids.” Keeran rips his hand away from mine and as he speaks to the girls, I can tell he’s faking it. He’s only putting on a brave face for them. Meanwhile, I’m sure his heart is aching. No matter what he’s going to assume whenever I end things, how Aleksei being alive played into it, but the cruel reality is we have only been best as friends.

  Luca hands Keeran the keys and walks away from the girls. It’s crazy to me how he’s putting on a brave face while he’s hurting inside. Keeran’s all smiles as he helps get them into Luca’s SUV and Luca walks over to Aleksei. I can’t hear everything they’re saying to each other, but the moment I hear ‘inside’, I know I need to head into the house.

  I walk ahead of them and get into the house, standing in the foyer while I take a few deep breaths. Fuck, what am I going to do? How am I supposed to do it?

  The door opens behind me, and I head for my brother’s study. This used to be our father’s, but since Liam is the head of the Irish mafia now, it’s his. Luckily for me, Liam isn’t here right now, and he left it unlocked. It’s not the first time he has, and I doubt it’ll be the last.

  I stand in the doorway, and Aleksei’s eyes focus on mine. “Come here,” I say to him, without even thinking how moody my tone is coming out. Whatever, I’m sure he understands.

  Aleksei walks over to me and comes into the study. I allow him to walk inside and shut the door behind him so we can have a much-needed private conversation, but as I turn to face him, my hands are shaking violently. No matter how much I want to be brave and strong right now, I know I’m simply hanging by a thread.

  “T-this feels fake,” I stammer as the tears come flooding down my cheeks. For some reason, I look down at my shaking hands. Maybe I want to be distracted. Maybe I can’t look at him right now. Maybe, just maybe, I’m worried if I actually look at him, he’ll disappear before my eyes . . . and I can’t bear the thought of it.

  I’ve dreamed and prayed for a day like this to come, and now he’s here. He’s standing before my very eyes, living and breathing in the flesh.

  Aleksei takes a step toward me and stops. “It’s not. This is real. I promise you, Sloane, this is real.”

  “I don’t understand how. You were dead. They declared you dead.” I cry as I somehow find the courage to look into his eyes. He licks his lips and nods.

  “Yes, they did, but it was all Valentin. He had many people on his payroll at the hospital. Long story short, they did everything they could to save me and put me in a medically induced coma. They told you all I was dead, but I wasn’t ever dead. It was all a ruse.”

  Every bit of control I had goes flying out the window and I grab onto the back of the chair in front of me. It feels like my entire body is under attack, like someone is shaking me and stabbing me in the heart at the same time. All of the pain, all of the agony, the suicide attempts . . . it was for nothing. He was alive. He was breathing the same air as I was. God, I’m so grateful I wasn’t ever successful. If I was, this day wouldn’t have ever come. “Fuck, this h-hurts so bad.”

  I can’t comprehend why my heart is aching right now. Aleksei’s here with me. He’s alive. He’s telling me his fucking story, and my body is relenting in every way.

/>   My entire body begins to shake while my emotions take over me, but warm arms encapsulate me in his embrace. He presses his lips against my ear and speaks to me in his thick Russian accent. “Sssh, my love. There is no reason to cry. I’m with you once more and I will never leave you again.”

  “A-Aleksei,” I croak.

  “No, don’t speak. Just let me hold you.”

  Fuck, there’s so much he needs to know. The girls. He needs to know about the girls. “N-no. You need to know about the girls. They’re our daughters.”

  “I know. Valentin told me when they were a few months old. He would use you three to taunt me, to try and give him what he wanted. I always made sure to do what was needed to keep you all safe. No harm would ever come to my girls, never.” Aleksei holds me tighter and kisses the top of my head. As tears continue to stream down my face, I wrap my arms around him. For the first time in years, I finally feel like I can breathe again.

  Chapter Six

  Aleksei

  I hold onto her like I’ll never be able to touch her again. She might not have noticed, but I saw her with the man outside. I witnessed the way he glared at her firsthand. I don’t know what their relationship is, but I’m not an idiot. He looked appalled when she went over to him and had their conversation. But more than that, he looked hurt. He obviously knows who I am and there’s no denying it. Upon walking into the house, I found a photograph of myself with Sloane on the wall. Fuck, I never thought the Mackenzies would have a photograph of me hanging up in their home. Life is full of surprises, I suppose.

  “I tried to get to you every day I was there. You were always on my mind, and my sole purpose was keeping myself alive so I could one day have you in my arms again,” I murmur against her forehead, holding her close. Her hot breath hits my chest, and her tears stain my shirt. Still, I wouldn’t have this any other way.

  “I don’t want this to be a dream. It doesn’t feel real. This could all be taken from me in an instant, just like it was last time.” Sloane’s voice grows even more upset with every word. So much so I release her from my embrace, grab onto the sides of her face and stare deeply into her eyes.

  “Look at me and listen to every word I say. I’m not going anywhere, Sloane. Never again. I will be with you until the literal day I die, and until then, every motherfucker can try to take me away. They won’t succeed, and anyone who tries will have to face my wrath.”

  Sloane stares into my eyes and nods curtly, but as she does, I see it. I see the same spark we’ve always had, alive and burning stronger than ever.

  The door to the study comes flying open, and in comes a familiar redhead with freckles. She grabs onto my arm and forces me to turn so she can look at me completely. “Fuck, I thought he was joking,” Greer admits.

  Liam, the leader of the Irish mafia, is directly behind her, and behind him is Luca. Luca’s his cousin and head of security He smiles and looks to his sister and then to me. “It’s good to have you back. I can speak for many people here when I say your arrival wasn’t anticipated but is greatly welcomed.”

  “Fuck, on with the poetic words again, huh?” I reply back.

  Sloane and Greer both let out a laugh, and a familiar frame fills the doorway. Well, not just one, but two. Liam’s wife, Caprice, comes in first and a few feet behind her is my brother.

  “Brat, I never thought I’d see you again,” I admit, and Aleksandr comes over to me and wraps his arms around my body.

  “It is so good to see you. I’ve dreamed for a day like this, prayed it was real,” Aleksandr tells me, and we both release the other.

  I take a step back and look at those standing in the room with me. Caprice goes and shuts the door to the study, giving us privacy from any prying ears. It’s how I notice she’s pregnant. Not newly pregnant either. The woman could pop any day now. “Are you on baby five or six by now?” I ask her, and she gasps. I forgot how she isn’t a very comical one.

  “Number two, Aleksei,” Liam chuckles lightly as he walks over to his wife, ushering her to sit on the couch. The two of them sit beside each other, and Aleksandr sits on the other side of the couch, patting the seat for Greer. She walks over and sits down, leaving Sloane and me standing in the room.

  I look at her, and she seems conflicted as if something is plaguing her. I’d put money on the fact it has something to do with the man from before, but I won’t pry.

  A knock on the door of the study causes me to pull my attention away from my inner thoughts. “It’s only us,” a familiar older male voice announces from the other side.

  “Come on in,” Liam calls out, and the door opens.

  The Mackenzie family patriarch comes in, but he isn’t alone. There’s a woman with jet black hair standing behind him, and now I understand what Sloane must’ve felt. At first sight, she must’ve thought she was staring at a ghost . . . because I feel as though I am right now. I thought Sofia was dead. Sure, she looks so much older . . . but I thought Valentin killed her? This doesn’t make sense to me.

  Her smile is radiant, and she rushes over to me, pulling me into her arms like a mother would. Sure, she isn’t my biological mother, yet she’s the only mother I recall having. My mother was killed by Valentin, my stepfather. Or rather, he ordered her to be killed. Sofia was the woman he was set to marry afterward, and she took a keen liking to Aleksandr and me. Even though I wasn’t Valentin’s son, it didn’t matter to Sofia. All she cared about was being a good motherly figure to my brother and me.

  She whispers lowly as she holds onto me, “Vse v poryadke. Vse snova budet tselym,” she tells me everything will be okay, how it will be whole again.

  For the first time since being here, I take in a deep breath and allow myself to relax. Sofia pulls her arms from around my body and puts her hands on the sides of my face, taking me in. I figure she’s about to speak, but I beat her to the punch.

  “You look as breathtaking as the last day I saw you.” Many, many years have passed, but it’s true. Sofia Ramirez has always kept her beauty, and luckily her daughters inherited her radiance.

  She throws her head back and laughs, smiling from ear to ear. “And you are the same sweet boy I knew all those years ago.”

  “I hate to interrupt, but I’m eager to know what happened, brat. As I’m sure, everyone else is too.” Aleksandr speaks up, bringing the seriousness of the situation to light. There will always be more time to catch up, but if we’re going to take action, it needs to happen swiftly.

  I look over to my brother and nod, prepared to tell him everything. “Valentin was behind it all. The accident, the shooting, everything. Sloane did her best to ‘save my life’ until you could get me proper medical attention. The moment I went through those doors, my fate was sealed. Valentin paid off more than half the hospital for a rainy day, and he cashed in when he faked my death,” I tell them all and prepare to say more, but a bit of dizziness comes across my vision, and I find the need to sit. Sloane notices something isn’t right and grabs onto my forearm, leading me back to sit on the alternate couch.

  “Aleksei told me Valentin knew about the girls, how he would be taunted by him. Valentin wanted things from Aleksei, so he did what he needed to in order to keep the girls and me safe.” Sloane speaks up, addressing the room.

  “I’ve heard reports of Valentin being dead,” Liam speaks up, and everyone in the room gasps. He rolls his eyes. “There’s no confirmation, so I wasn’t going to say anything until I had proof.”

  “Why would you keep something as important as this to yourself?” my brother grits at Liam.

  Liam stares at Aleksandr like he’s losing it. “I will restate the fact I didn’t have proof. There’s no point in wasting my breath if it means only spreading rumors. I want facts, not uncertainties.”

  Desmond claps his hands together. “Men, might I suggest we take this conversation a bit more private? I’m sure the ladies could use some time to freshen up and chat.”

  All of the men look to their respective women and give
nods of approval. Even Sloane does it with me. Sofia walks over to Sloane, wraps an arm around her waist, and escorts her daughter out. Meanwhile, Caprice and Greer walk alongside each other, and no man in the room speaks up again until the door is shut.

  There’s so much to say, and I didn’t want to get vulgar in front of the women.

  Chapter Seven

  Sloane

  I don’t know why I’m sitting down right now or even how. Well, that’s mostly a lie. If it weren’t for Greer practically forcing me down on the couch, I’d be pacing the length of the sitting room right now. I sit with shaking hands on my lap while my sister is standing at the wet bar. She grabs a short glass, opens the icebox, and places a single cube in it. I know what she’s doing, preparing to give me a drink to calm my nerves. Little does she realize it won’t work. Although, I won’t tell her. I sure as hell need the stiff drink right now.

  Greer proceeds to pour me a tall glass of imported tequila. It’s the best of the best, from my uncle Alejandro’s farms in Jalisco. Its name is Amor, a simple word which describes how much he loves his craft, in addition to his family.

  Greer brings me the drink, and I gladly take it from her hand. I waste no time bringing the glass to my lips. The cool liquid settles over my tongue and hints of agave and caramel sink into my tastebuds. I’ve always been the type who savors food and drinks before I swallow, especially things like this. Quality product. While I savor the first sip, I down the rest of the drink in a matter of seconds, praying the burning in my throat will help me somehow.

  “Dios Mio, mija. Slow down, will you?” my mother speaks in broken English with her thick Mexican accent.

  I look up at her through my thick lashes, wondering how she expects me to handle this. I thought he was dead and the man . . . I saw him on our property. A man I would’ve waited for if I knew he was still alive. I wouldn’t have done half the things I did while he’s been gone. Fuck, there’s so much regret storming through me right now.