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“What a fucking day and a half,” I groan when Sophie and I finally make it to her old bedroom since ours still looks like a crime scene.
“Worst day ever,” Sophie agrees as she flops onto the bed on her stomach.
“At least Lena and Toni will be okay. I’ll make sure the two of them and all of the families of the fallen guards are paid first from the sale of the brothels. The rest will go to the bombing victims. And fuck, I hope I’m not responsible for killing anyone else except Flynn.”
As the cherry on top of the past twenty-four hours, Warwick called to tell me he’s settled the civil case to the tune of three-hundred million dollars.
When I climb into bed, too tired to take off anything except my shoes, Sophie reaches over to cover the top of my hand with hers.
“If you’re worried about paying the settlement, I could…I could ask my father to reconsider making you his heir.”
Rather than get upset at the reminder like I did yesterday morning I just chuckle. Or try to make a similar sound. It feels like a year has passed rather than a single day. “That’s what you’re thinking about right now?”
Sophie nods. “Aren’t you?”
“Yes, but not how you think,” I promise her, finding the strength to lift the back of her hand to my mouth to kiss it. “You know, after you called me daddy in front of Dante, I shouldn’t be surprised he doesn’t want me to be his successor. Still absolutely worth it, though.”
“It wasn’t that that made him change his mind. When I came home upset, he told Cass and Cole that he would choose one of them.” I don’t even flinch when she says the other man’s name, which seems like progress.
“Oh, yeah? Poor Cole. I actually pity that blond bastard.”
“Why?”
“Because I think your sister can be a vicious little bitch when provoked. I bet she’ll do whatever it takes to beat Cole, even if it’s just for spite. He should watch his back, or she’ll stab him in it.”
“So, you think my father will choose her?” she asks. “And you’re…okay with that?”
“I don’t know. Cole is Petrov’s grandson. Blood, family, means more to the old Russians than most other mafias.” I pause then add, “At first, yes, Dante’s money and power was my backup plan because of the civil case threatening to leave me bankrupt. But lately, I think I just wanted to make sure I could give you the kind of life you deserve.”
“For richer or poorer,” she says softly. “I never cared about how much money you had.”
“I know. I cared, though, even though money never brought me happiness. Only you ever did that.”
Biting her bottom lip, she asks, “So do you still want a family even if you won’t be Dante’s heir and the civil case is settled?”
I tell her the honest to god truth. “Yes. Fuck yes, I want to have babies with you. Lots of them. But if you don’t want to be a mother…”
“I don’t know if I would be a good mother. I never had one before my dad married Vanessa.”
“I didn’t have one that stuck around,” I remind her. “But I know you and I could figure out how to be good parents together if you wanted to.”
“I wasn’t sure I could even take care of myself until yesterday. I didn’t want anyone to die trying to save me.”
“I knew you could protect yourself if you had to, princess.”
“Flynn deserves to die slowly now that he’s confessed to all the horrible things he did,” Sophie says. “Does that make me a bad person, to want him to suffer? To like that he’s suffering?” she asks.
“No, baby. You’re my ruthless mafia princess, and you’re fucking perfect. I love everything about you, but especially that side.”
“I love you too,” she replies followed by a yawn.
“Try to get some sleep, baby. I know you’re exhausted.”
“Okay,” she agrees. Pulling our clasped hands toward her, she rests her cheek on them and closes her eyes.
I slide closer, until I can wrap my arm around her, tucking her against my chest.
Before either of us drift off, Sophie says softly, “Your knife saved my life too.”
