by Penelope Sky
Sapphire sat at my bedside, her hand constantly resting on my own. She was too pregnant to get into the bed with me, her stomach extending far out and making her waddle everywhere she went. Just like my mother, she constantly looked at me with worry. When she first saw me, she broke down into tears. Just weeks ago, we’d enjoyed our romantic honeymoon, and now, I was lying in a hospital bed.
A man in a suit had pulled me aside when the banquet finished, saying that Nicole had something for me. When I followed him into a dark hallway, I was blindsided. Three men took me down, dragged me into the alleyway, and then beat me into submission. They could have just put a syringe in my neck, but beating me was obviously more enjoyable.
Everything that happened didn’t matter to me because the only person I cared about was my wife. As long as she was okay, everything else seemed irrelevant. Worrying about her was much more painful than a few broken ribs.
Sapphire watched me, a permanently emotional look on her face. Her wedding ring glittered under the fluorescent lights, and despite her sadness, she still looked beautiful. She’d been stressing about me this entire time, even though the doctors said I would be okay.
“Muse, you should go home and get some rest.”
“No.” She squeezed my hand tighter. “We aren’t leaving unless you come with us.” Now she always referred to herself as two people, feeling the baby inside her kick every night while we tried to sleep. “The doctors say you might be leaving soon anyway. Let’s just wait.” For no reason at all, she started to cry.
“Muse…” My hand glided up her arm, doing my best to comfort her without moving and affecting my ribs.
“The pregnancy hormones…I’m just a mess right now.”
“Muse, I’m alright. Nothing to worry about.”
“I know…but I hate seeing you like this.”
I squeezed her hand. “In a few weeks, I’ll be back to normal. I’ll be the strong man that you married.”
“It’s not that you aren’t strong. I just hate knowing what happened to you.”
It was nothing compared to what could have happened to her if Bones hadn’t intervened. I hadn’t had a chance to thank him…or tell him that I was indebted to him for the rest of my life. He saved my wife and baby. How could I ever repay him for that? “It’s in the past. We have such a great future to look forward to. Let it go.”
“What if they come back…?”
“My father said they killed everyone.” I didn’t know what the future held for me. The Skull Kings had hired someone else to do the job. Did that mean they were still after me? Or would they back off now that they’d seen what the Barsettis could do? I had no idea. But I hoped they had bigger fish to fry.
Sapphire nodded, like that eased her mind.
All I wanted was for her to feel better, so I screened the truth from her. All she needed to worry about was having our baby. I would take care of the rest.
“Your parents offered to host us at their house. That way you could recover, and they could look after us.”
“We don’t need that, Muse. We’re—”
“I said yes.”
I didn’t press my argument, wanting her to feel safe instead of getting my way.
“Your dad and uncle are there, so that way we won’t be alone…”
“I would hire men to watch the house.”
“But men aren’t loyal when it comes to money. Men are only loyal when it comes to family.”
That was well said.
“I feel more comfortable staying with them,” she whispered. “Until you’re better.”
I let her have her way. “Alright, Muse.”
Carter tapped his knuckles against the door before he poked his head inside. “Hey, man. Is this a bad time?”
“No, come in,” I said. “Sapphire and I have just decided to stay with my parents for a while, until I’m back on my feet.”
Carter would normally make a smartass comment, but he’d been in a distant mood lately. He approached me on the opposite side of the bed as Sapphire. “Can I speak to him alone for a minute? If that’s alright?”
Sapphire kept holding my hand, like she didn’t want to let me go.
“Muse, get something to eat with my mom.” I pulled her hand to my mouth and kissed it. “It’s been a while since you’ve eaten.”
Her eyes still shifted back and forth with hesitation, but after a long pause, she finally rose and left the room.
Carter shut the door behind her, announcing that this conversation needed to be private, which meant only one thing. He came back to the bedside and pulled up a chair so we were close to one another. “That’s a loyal woman.”
“I know,” I said with pride, loving the way she sat at my bedside constantly and didn’t want to leave me for even a moment. “I’m very lucky.”
“You’re lucky for a lot of reasons,” he said with a sigh. He pulled his gaze away from me and looked at the wall, his thoughts a mile away. “My father didn’t tell me what was happening. He kept me in the dark on purpose. I just want you to know that, because I would have been there—”
“I know, man. He told me he needed to make sure there was still a man around to take care of the family if they didn’t make it.”
Carter gave a slight nod. “I would have been there. You’re my brother.”
“I know that too. Don’t sweat it.”
He finally turned to me, the shame in his eyes.
I knew exactly where that shame came from.
“This is all my fault… Fuck.” He clenched his jaw, his eyes black like oil. “I’m so sorry… Sorry doesn’t even begin to describe how I feel.”
“We don’t know if that’s the reason.”
“Yes, we do,” he said with a hiss. “My appearance at the Underground must have set them off. Maybe they started watching us. Maybe they figured out what we’d been doing.”
It was the only logical explanation. “But they didn’t come after you.”
Carter turned back to me, his eyebrow raised in surprise. “You’re right…”
“Where were you?”
“At home.”
“Then it seems like they only wanted me. So maybe this had nothing to do with you.”
“But how can that be possible?” he countered. “It’s too big of a coincidence.”
“But maybe it is just a coincidence. Maybe they found out that one of the girls I bought had been returned to her family.”
“Maybe…” Carter shook his head. “But I’d like to know the truth.”
“We may never get it.”
“Do you think they’ll come after you again?” Carter asked.
“I don’t know. But I think I’m going to have to do some damage control either way. Maybe I can meet them, pay off whatever debt they think I owe. I don’t want to look over my shoulder all the time, not when I’ve got a family.”
“You’re right.”
“But Sapphire isn’t going to let me out of her sight for a while.”
“Don’t blame her,” he whispered.
“So I’ll have to communicate with them in some other way. I guess I could call them…” I was afraid to accidentally provoke them.
“I could talk to them.”
“No,” I said quickly. “The problem is isolated to me. Let’s keep it that way.”
“We could ask Bones to help us. He’s got some kind of relationship with them.”
Bones was an incredible ally, a man whom all men feared and respected. “He’s done enough for us. I can’t ask him for anything else.”
Carter nodded in agreement. “Makes sense.”
“We’ll figure it out. After the entire crew was wiped out, the Skull Kings won’t be in a hurry to attack me again. Even they have to be somewhat impressed.”
“Hopefully.”
I rested back against the bed on a thin mattress that wasn’t nearly as comfortable as the one at home. After everything that happened, I wanted to lie in a real bed with my wife beside me. I
wanted to rest my hand on her stomach and feel my baby inside her. It was my favorite form of entertainment, other than fucking. Staying with my parents wasn’t the worst idea in the world since she was so far along. I couldn’t take care of her right now, and my parents would be more than happy to get her whatever she needed. And if she went into labor sooner rather than later, I’d have help getting her to the hospital. “I didn’t tell our fathers anything, just so you know.”
Carter looked at me, gratitude in his eyes. “Then what did you say?”
“That I didn’t know what provoked them. And now that there’s a good chance you had nothing to do with it, I’m glad I didn’t tell them. But you need to get rid of that girl and never get involved with that shit again. Where is she, by the way?”
“Chained up at the house. One of my maids is keeping an eye on her.”
“Witnesses?” I asked coldly.
“I had no other choice,” he countered. “I’ve been here for the past three days. It’s not like I could bring her with me.”
I looked away, knowing he was right. “Get rid of her and forget her.”
“Amen,” he said. “And let’s figure out what the problem is with the Skull Kings. They’re psychopaths, but they’ll respond to a good deal.”
“Yeah.”
“And then whatever answer we get, we’ll pass it on to the family.”
“Alright,” I said in agreement.
“I don’t want to tell our fathers about my current situation because they’ll get involved in it. And after everything they’ve been through, I don’t want to put them through any more bullshit.”
“I agree.”
Carter leaned back in the chair, finally relaxing now that the difficult conversation was over. His hands rested on his thighs. “I can’t believe Bones did all that. You would all be dead right now if he hadn’t.”
“I know.”
“What do you think is gonna happen?”
I knew my sister loved him, still loved him after all this time. And if Bones put his life on the line for assholes who treated him like trash, then he must still love her. “I think Bones is going to be part of our lives…for a very long time.”
Nine
Bones
Vanessa had fallen asleep in my arms, her earlier sobs bringing her to exhaustion. She fit against me just the way she used to, even in the small and uncomfortable bed. Her cheek was on my chest, while her arm was hooked around my torso. I cradled her to my side with my arm, making sure she didn’t touch the cold metal of the railing.
I watched her for an hour straight, seeing the face that haunted my dreams every night. Her lips parted just the way they used to, showing a small glimpse of her white teeth. Small freckles dotted her olive-toned skin. Her beautiful face, high cheekbones, and luscious lips were exactly as I remembered.
It was hard to believe she was really there.
I’d fantasized about her so many times that I wasn’t sure if this was just my imagination.
But my fingers could feel her frame. My eyes could see her chest rise with every breath she took. I could feel her pulse against my skin.
She was real.
And she was mine.
I went through hell to get her, risked my neck for a man I didn’t even like, and now it was all worth it.
Crow finally gave me his daughter.
There was a gentle tap on the door before Max appeared. Dressed in the same clothes as the last time I saw him, he’d obviously been at the hospital the entire time. He didn’t have a single bruise anywhere that I could see, and I was grateful my closest friend didn’t get hurt at my expense.
He approached the bed then looked down at Vanessa. He watched her sleep for a second before he lifted his gaze to look at me, a smile forming on his lips. It was the kind of joy that reached his eyes. Then he gave me a thumbs-up. “Happy for you.”
She was as small as I remembered, fitting within the crook of my arm perfectly. Half my size but twice as aggressive, she was the perfect woman to give my heart to. “Thanks.” I kept my voice low so I wouldn’t wake her up. “I’m glad you’re alright.”
“Me?” he asked with a quiet laugh. “Not a scratch. You’re the one who almost died.”
“Better me than you.”
His eyes narrowed on mine, a hint of affection deep within his look. “I’m glad we’re both alright. The guys are fine too.”
“Looks like we all got lucky.”
“Extremely. What’s next for you?”
“I’m not sure yet. I just want to get out of here.”
“I bet. You’ve never been the kind of man to sit still very long.”
The only reason I was still now was because of the woman in my arms. I enjoyed holding her, had missed it more than anything else.
“The boyfriend is gone?”
I shrugged. “If he’s not, I’ll make him gone.”
“Sounds about right.” He patted my shoulder. “I’m gonna take off. I’m in desperate need of a shower.”
“I agree,” I teased.
He patted my shoulder again, but this time a little harder to cause me pain. “I just risked my ass for you.”
“And I’ll risk mine for you anytime.”
“Give me a call when you’re feeling better. I know you won’t be in the field for a while, so take your time.”
I held his gaze, but I hesitated when I heard what he said. Vanessa and I had barely said a few words to each other, but we didn’t need to have a long conversation to establish what we both already knew. It was her and me—forever. I couldn’t risk my life for work anymore. I’d have to give it up like I did last time.
But Max assumed otherwise. “Love you, man.”
“Love you too, Max.” I watched my friend walk out and saw Conway step inside immediately afterward. He was on his feet and moving around, but his face was in terrible shape. Both of his eyes were swollen black and blue, and the rest of his face was discolored from the beating he took in the alleyway. He didn’t walk like he normally did, with a straight back and even straighter shoulders. He had a slight rigidness, doing his best to move without inflaming whatever was broken in his body.
He stopped at my bedside and looked down at his sister. He watched her for several seconds, the teddy bear in my arms. After what seemed like an eternity, he met my gaze again. “I haven’t seen my sister that happy in three months.”
It was the first time I felt anything remotely close to happiness. “How are you?”
He ignored his sister and focused on me. “Alive.”
“That makes two of us.”
He gripped the rail that divided us, standing beside my bed just the way his father had. “My father told me everything you did. That we’d all be dead without you.”
I didn’t say anything, unsure what to say to a statement like that. I wasn’t trying to be humble. If anything, it was awkward. Conway had been cold to me just the way his father had been, even though he was a sinner the same way I was.
“And you saved my wife…” His voice broke at the end, his emotion overriding his coolness. “If your men hadn’t gotten there first…I wouldn’t have been able to find her again. I wouldn’t have met my future son or daughter.” He broke eye contact, unable to look at me as the horrible thought crossed his mind. “I want to thank you for what you did, but I don’t even know where to begin. My father and uncle mean a lot to me. But my wife…the way I feel about her… I wouldn’t have been able to live with myself if I survived and she didn’t.”
That was the way I felt about Vanessa. I’d rather die than let something happen to her because living without her was just too damn hard.
“So, thank you.”
I didn’t look at him when I replied. “You’re welcome, Conway.”
“I misjudged you,” he said quietly. “I never gave you a chance.”
“Can’t say that I blame you. The past sticks to you like glue sometimes. You were just looking out for your sister and your family. I res
pect that.”
“Doesn’t change the fact that I was wrong. I should have listened to my sister. She’s the smartest person I know. Instead of trusting her instincts and actually listening to her, I encouraged my father to get rid of you. The past three months have been for nothing. That’s time you’ll never get back.”
“But I have the rest of my life with her. So it was all worth it. I’d do it again in a heartbeat.”
Conway pulled his hands from the rail and placed them in his pockets. “You could have died.”
“Still would have done it. When I got that phone call, I didn’t think about the bullshit you guys put me through. That wasn’t important. I thought about how Vanessa would feel if she lost her brother and her father. I couldn’t let that happen. She loves you both with all her heart, and if she loves you…then I…don’t want you to die.”
His eyes filled with gratitude as he dropped his aloof stance. Conway Barsetti always carried himself with ruthlessness, like he didn’t care about anyone or anything. He seemed cold, untouchable. But he left all that indifference at the door and had an honest conversation with me, wearing his heart on his sleeve. “You’re a better man than I am. If the situation were reversed, I don’t think I would have helped you.”
At least he was honest about it.
“But now, I would. Anything you ever need, I’m there. If there’s anything I can ever do for you, don’t hesitate to ask. You have my loyalty. I know I’ll never be able to repay you for what you did for me…but I’d like to try.”
Her family didn’t understand that they didn’t owe me anything. I didn’t do it for them. I did it for her. “There is something you can do for me.”
“Name it,” he said immediately. “Anything you want, I can make it happen.”
I let go of Vanessa and extended my arm. “Shake my hand.”
A grin slowly spread across his face. “That’s it?”
“That’s it.”
Conway beamed before he gripped my hand and shook it. “To new beginnings.”
“Yes. To new beginnings.”
