I clung to him too and slowly came back down again, but when I opened my eyes this time I wasn’t just satisfied, I felt more whole. It was like I had found a new piece of myself I didn’t know existed, and I almost felt it slot into place as Arran held me, making me feel just that little piece less broken.
“That did it,” I breathlessly told him as I opened my eyes and lay my head on his shoulder.
“Did what?” he asked, looking almost concerned for a moment.
“Reached mind blowing. You did it,” I told him happily, and he chuckled when I gave him a weak pat on the back.
“We’ll no be stopping there. What’s better than ‘mind blowing’? I’ll aim fer it next time.”
“I’ll work on that thought when my brain works again,” I promised him.
“God, I love ye, Cara,” he told me as he pressed several kisses against my neck.
“I love you too, Arran. Being with you makes me happier than I ever knew I could be.”
He kissed me slowly, taking his time and seeming to savour the moment, just the way I wanted to too. It was possibly the greatest moment of my entire life to that point, and definitely one I would lock away in my heart for all time.
CHAPTER 21
DARIO
I sat back in my office chair with a sigh. It had been a hell of a long day between trying to run our legit business, keeping our allies and enemies alike appeased with the docks, and trying to keep Rafe from pushing too hard when he was barely able to stand on his own two feet.
He was angry, and I got it. I was angry too. My brother had been shot and we, as a family, had done nothing in retaliation. Gia had been killed and Cara brutalized and we had done nothing about that either. It made us look weak, and that was the last fucking thing we needed when Rafe was getting ready to step out of the dark side of our dealings. We had to leave looking strong and in control, or our enemies would see the chance to come for us when we were no longer allied with anyone.
But Rafe wasn’t up to doing shit, and he knew that himself. He just didn’t want to admit it. I had worked my arse off trying to find out for sure who had shot him. I had eyes and ears everywhere, but still no one could give me anything to go on. Even the bodies we removed from the scene didn’t seem to be linked to Adamian in any way, so we couldn’t retaliate without proof. And fucking Mikhail Kozlov was a ghost. No one new where he was or what he was up to.
It was pissing me the hell off. All I wanted was some justice, especially for Cara and for Gia too. Gia had lost her life, and Cara had lost so many parts of herself, parts she couldn’t afford to lose, in that warehouse, that night. Someone needed to pay for that and I was itching to dole out the revenge.
I rubbed at my exhausted eyes and sat up again, setting down the glass of whiskey I was nursing. I didn’t have time to stop. I needed to arrange a female doctor to come in and check on Rafe tomorrow – someone Cara would feel safe being in our home, and who wouldn’t patronise Rafe and piss him off any further. I had three meetings with clients I needed to prepare for, and I needed to call Kean with an update on our situation.
Of course, that update would be that we had not a fucking thing to go on, and that our enemies still roamed the street while we uselessly sat on our arses.
All I wanted to do was go upstairs and be with Cara. I’d barely got a minute with her since we all decided to give this relationship a go. I just wanted to hold her, to know that she was doing alright and make sure I was giving her everything she needed in my absence from her. But I didn’t have time to go to her.
I’d looked in on her, after checking on Rafe, about an hour ago, and she’d been asleep against Cal in her bed. They’d been watching a film and she’d dropped off. Cal assured me that she was alright, and that he would stay the night with her, but that didn’t make me feel any better about not being the one who was with her, who would hold her and keep her nightmares at bay.
Rafe had been asleep too when I checked on him. Arran was with him, having promised Cara he wouldn’t leave her brother alone. I knew she was worried because it was Rafe’s first night home.I was too. The stubborn dick should have stayed in the hospital, but I understood his need to be home, and at least feigning a strong leader. Our family needed that image right now.
I opened my email, scanning through the notes, which the private hospital we dealt with had sent me, on doctors who would be available to give Rafe in home health care for the next week. The words blurred and I knew I needed to get some sleep, but it would have to wait.
***
My phone rang just after midnight, startling me awake. I must have dozed off while reading notes for my first meeting in the morning. I looked to the screen but didn’t recognise the number.
“Yeah.”
“You always answer your phone like it’s gonna be bad news?” Killian laughed.
“Yeah. I do lately,” I agreed.
“Maybe try looking on the glass half full side, manifest good shit.”
“Yeah, yeah. What have you got?” I was too exhausted to do anything but get right to the point.
“Something you’re looking for,” Killian answered. He was obviously in one of his clubs, the clinking of glass and dull music in the background.
“Go on.”
