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“It’s better if you don’t know. We have a few safe places around the city—Dmitri’s connections that haven’t been uncovered yet. We’ll stay in touch until we figure out what is going on.” Gianni began running his fingers through my hair, trying to soothe my growing panic.
My head was going to explode. “Wait, how – no – this-” Gianni shushed me, pulling me into his lap as Dmitri slipped Tia from my arms and laid her on the lounge beside us. “Stop trying to-”
Valentyn crouched in front of me, Paval still in his arms. I had wanted domestic – all of this shit was definitely that – but now it was too real and everything out there was trying to steal it from me. “We’re not doing anything, Rhys. I—we—will not stop until this is over. We will protect our little ones at any cost. I hate being separated as much as you do, however, I’d rather see them safe than worried and tossed around.”
I didn’t know what to say. So, I said nothing. I just sat there, trying to figure out what to do next.
Gianni jostled me a little, pressing a kiss to my cheek. “In an hour, I will head to one of the locations. If you decide to come with me instead, just let me know okay?”
“How the fuck are you all so calm? You were getting chased and we just got told that everything I’ve been doing is basically for people who want to see the world burn? My siblings are off-the-wall crazy. Someone isstillafter us for the program and I killed Owen.”
Silence.
Dead silence.
I didn’t really believe that but even as I said it, I still felt guilty for what I had done. I had never known that I was capable ofsomething like that and was terrified that I would do it again. I was the numbers guy, the hole-up-in-the-room type of guy, not the stab-and-ask-questions-later type of guy.
Seconds later, when I came to, I had been laid out on the couch, Gianni hovering over me, covering me like a warm blanket as phrases of encouragement fell from his lips.
Shit, another panic attack?
I didn’t even get to apologize before Gianni slowly lowered himself on top of me, the weight of his body giving me the relief I didn’t know I needed. “We’re going to sleep for a little bit. Like this. But before we do, Rhys – Rhys, look at me. There you go. Reeces, you did not fucking kill Owen. You took charge of a man who caused you pain, so much pain that you can’t believe that we want you, that we love you. You do not have to feel sorry for that, however, I can see that words don’t work for you. You need actions. You need to see that we mean it.”
I nodded slowly, consumed by his scent. God, this position was oddly comforting.
“So, we’re going to spend every fucking day reminding you that you belong with us and that no one else is going to keep us apart.” And then he kissed me, just a quick, soft one. “Sleep, Rhys. Rest. Let the world take care of itself for a little while.”
Chapter twenty-four
RHYS
The lingering moments with Gianni had been a bittersweet goodbye filled with tears and the tightest hugs as I pleaded with them to stay safe. Watching Tia and Paval struggle to leave nearly broke my heart. Tia clung to me, her entire body shaking as she told me that I wasn’t allowed to die. It hadn’t been on my mind but it was now as I hugged her back just as tightly.
Paval hung on Valentyn’s neck, burrowing his face into the man’s shoulder. I couldn’t watch my men huddle around the kid as they murmured their goodbyes, Gianni slowly peeling Paval away. I knewwhythe kids had to leave. It was much too dangerous to continue this by worrying about them around but I still hated it. I hated it even more when Gianni had to all but pry Paval from Valentyn’s arms and I didn’t know whether it hurt the kid more or Valentyn.
The fucking distraught look on my man’s face as Gianni walked out the door nearly killed me as I stumbled over to him.Valentyn dragged me against his chest, rocking me back and forth. He had told me that Paval hadn’t been out of his sight since the kid came to live with him, anything aside from school, the occasional playdate, and short instances due to work. From the few details I had managed to gather, sending Paval and one of his fathers to what equated to a safe house wasn’t something they had done before so I had no idea how hard this must be for Valentyn.
Valentyn held me until his hands slipped to the back of my thighs and hoisted me up as he carried me to bed. There were no words spoken as he smothered me, Dmitri saddling up against my back. I drifted to sleep, tightly wrapped up in a cocoon, hoping and praying that Gianni and the kids would be safe.
It would give me the headspace to focus but now Tia’s words were ringing loud in my ears.
Don’t die. We still have to see the Eiffel Tower. No dying.
***
We sat at a small café, just across the street from Valentyn. He was on the lookout for Caiden while I leaned into Dmitri’s shoulder, trying not to panic. Caiden had told us that if he didn’t show up by 10 am, then we were to take off. Ireallyhoped that that wasn’t going to happen. We were all on our last nerve, trying to keep it together as Valentyn spoke into the earphones he had set us up with.
“How are you doing, Rhys?”
I frowned, trying not to look across the street. We were supposed to be inconspicuous. “I’m not the one…” I stopped those words. Paval and Tia’s departure was still too fucking raw for all of us to handle even if I knew that they were in good hands. “Yes, I’m fine.”
“Good. Sit tight. I see Caiden.”
I leaned forward, watching the man gingerly hop up the sidewalk and slip into a chair adjacent to Valentyn’s table. It really was like a spy movie. He ordered a coffee and an omelet before speaking. “It’s not safe. After this, you should move andstayon the move. Look, there’s a lot of shit in play right now. All I know is that if they get their hands on Rhys, it’s over.”
Valentyn grunted, “What the fuck are you talking about?” He had started forward but relaxed in his seat, tearing off a large chunk of his pastry and stuffing it into his mouth. So much for being inconspicuous.
“I’msayingthat the program Rhys created is their main dream. It was supposed to doeverything. They will do whatever it takes to get him and after they get what they need, Rhys isn’t going to be their concern anymore.”
