“It’s scary but that much safer for our family,” Violet told her softly.
Aria looked at her. “Areyouscared of him?”
Violet glanced at me, lips twitching faintly.
“No,” she said. “But I respect what he can do.”
“That sounds like a yes.”
A quiet laugh escaped Violet. “There’s a difference. Some people get off on instilling fear in you to make themselves feel more powerful. Your father isn’t like that. He projects fear to protect those he loves.” Violet’s eyes met mine, shimmering with emotions. “In that, we can trust blindly.”
I was many things, but never unpredictable where my family was concerned and I’d never been more grateful that my woman could see it.
I love you, I mouthed, holding her gaze. If she only knew how much. But I intended to show her. For the rest of my life, I would prove to her that she and the kids were my life.
Dimitros appeared at the doorway and entered the room, his always watchful gaze on his little sister.
“Everything okay here?” he asked, sitting on the bed.
“Yes. We’re talking things through,” I said.
“Good.” He leaned over and pressed a kiss on Aria’s forehead. “Talking is good. Right, sis?” She nodded, gazing up adoringly at her older brother. I suspected he would never do anything wrong in her book and a part of me was comforted that she would always have him. “Salvatore called,” he added, flicking a glance at me. “He cleaned it all up.”
I nodded, not wanting to discuss the disposal of Dick Freud.
“You hated it,” Aria said suddenly.
I looked back at her.
“Hmmm?”
“What you did tonight...” Her brows pulled together. “You hated it.”
Children noticed a lot, and Aria was very perceptive for her age.
“I don’t enjoy it,” I said softly. “And I hated thatyousaw it.”
That was the truth of it.
Violence had lived inside me since childhood. It was bone deep. I could live with it. But Aria being a witness to it? That felt unbearable.
Her eyes filled slowly with tears. “I love you, Papa.”
“I love you too, my little golden one.”
Something flashed in Aria’s eyes and she said pensively, “You call Violet…” She hesitated for several heartbeats before she continued, “You call Mama golden one too.”
I smiled. “I do, because you are your mama’s replica and for that I’m grateful. You’re the apple of my eye and that will never change. You, Dimitros and Violet are my everything.”
She nodded somberly, the wheels in her head spinning fast. Aria might be ten years old, but she was smart and so damn mature. Too mature for her age.
“What if one day you can’t stop and turn into a monster? Like ma—” She cut herself off, her eyes shifting to Violet. “Like Amara?”
Suddenly, I understood exactly what she was worried about. I reached forward carefully, cupping her cheek gently.
“Aria. Look at me.”
She did.
