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Through the slit in the bathroom door, I see him switch on the water and wait for the tub to fill. In the mirror, I catch a glimpse of his reflection, and it nearly weakens my resolve.
Until he looks up, and our eyes meet from across the room. I swallow, flip onto my back, and glance up at the ceiling.
Carter returns to the room and perches on the edge of the bed. “Anita is letting us have the entire floor to ourselves. Tristan and Sam are staying at our place, so they’re nearby.”
I swallow. “What about the war?”
“I already told you that I’m going to take care of it,” Carter says in a hard voice. “It’s taken enough from us, and I don’t want it to take anymore.”
I lower my gaze and stare at him through lowered lashes. “And Lilian?”
Carter stands up and pulls the cover up to my chin. “You need to focus on getting better and keeping our baby healthy. That’s all that matters.”
Tears burn the back of my eyes when Carter leans forward and presses his mouth to my forehead. He lingers, and I almost want him to move further down and kiss me again. Before I can shift closer, Carter pulls away and steps out of the room. The door clicks shut behind him, and I stand up. In the bathroom, I peel off my dress and throw it into the laundry basket.
With my body mostly submerged in the water, I pull some of the bubbles to myself.
Then, I drape my arms on either side of the tub and exhale. “Maybe you’d be better off without us, bean. You could go to a nice, normal home with normal people who’ll love you and look after you and give you all the things we can’t.”
Including safety.
It’s the one thing I know I can’t give my baby.
I suck in a harsh breath, plunge my head under the water and squeeze my eyes shut. When the need for air becomes too great, I lift my head back up and gasp. Carter is in the room, sitting on the edge of the bed with his ankles crossed together. He doesn’t say anything as he watches me. I turn away from him and stare at the window above the toilet.
I have no idea how long I sat there or when I fell asleep.
All I know is that when Carter lifts me out of the water and wraps me in a towel, I’m relieved. He helps me change into a pair of shorts and a T-shirt that smells like him. I’m still half asleep when he helps me climb onto the bed and tucks the covers around me. I lace my fingers through his and refuse to let go until I drift off.
Because I’m afraid of what’s waiting for me when I close my eyes.
Carter pulls a chair up and sits down next to me. “You’re not alone, dove. We’ll get through this together.”
Chapter Seven
Carter
“How is she?”
I walk over to where Anita is standing, an apron tied around her waist and a ladle in her hand. “All things considered, I think she’s doing well.”
Anita frowns and peers into the pot of soup. “Have you thought about getting her to see a professional?”
I give my aunt an incredulous look. “And what is she going to tell a shrink? It’s not like she can be honest with them.”
Anita shrugs, the furrow between her brows deepening. “It’s just a suggestion. Everyone is waiting for you in the dining room.”
I press a kiss to the side of Anita’s head and brush past her, yelping when she swats me away. In the dining room, several of the Blackthorne men are already pacing, with Tristan, Ernesto, and Paul standing near the other side of the table. Behind them, the flames in the fireplace are crackling, red and orange flames dancing as they cast long shadows across the walls.
“Have they seen reason yet?”
Lorenzo glances around the room and clears his throat. “No, boss. They want to stick to the terms of the agreement. We’ve already hit them in several key locations, but it seems like they’ve got more money pouring in.”
“Fucking Hughes,” I yell, pausing to slam my hands against the table hard enough to make it rattle.
No one flinches or reacts to the gesture. Not when they’re all used to seeing much worse from me.
“We need to hit them harder,” I realize after a lengthy pause. “Target one of their warehouses, and we won’t let up until they come back to the table with a better offer.”
