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It takes everything in me not to laugh. It’s not like she invited me.
“Carry on. I’m on a ten-day diet of no killing. So, I’m useless,” Luna, the sister who was shot during her wedding, tells her brother. No one laughs, but it cuts the tension enough.
The priest restarts once more, and everyone turns their attention to him. I can feel the men in her family’s eyes on me, even though they look like they’re immersed in the ceremony. One by one, the guns disappear.
My guns scratch at my skin. Right now, my beautiful Katrina is the only thing keeping the peace in this room.
The ceremony ends, and her mother comes up to me. “Demetri,” she greets. “I don’t believe you and I have had the pleasure of meeting before.”
“No, ma’am. Nicoli was an honorable man. I am sorry for my part in his death. If I could go back I would have done things differently.”
Tears sparkle in her eyes, making me uncomfortable. I should have kept my mouth shut. She grabs my hand. “Thank you for that. I know it’s part of our life, but…” She looks around, and I see Luca place his hands on my wife. I’m about to pull away, when she continues. “Kindness has a way of shining through in the end.”
I give her a bit of an awkward nod while I’m distracted, keeping an eye on Katrina. Her mother gives my hand a gentle pat, and I take that as my moment to leave. My long strides take me to Katrina.
“You are not in the right frame of mind,” Luca whispers angrily at her, his hands still holding my wife, so my fingers wrap around Luca’s and physically remove them from her.
My hand easily crushes his, and as it wraps harder around his skin, the more he glares. We hold each other’s stare, my fingers wanting to snap every one of his, until finally I let go.
“Do you know what he has done to our family? He’s blocked our ports. Stolen our shipments. Blown up buildings. All while you weremarriedto him?” He spits at my feet as he raises his voice at my wife.
Jealousy.
That’s what this is. He would have done the same to me if he had the power.
I loop my arm around her shoulders. “I look forward to the newfound peace, brother. You will find your ports now open, and shipments will no longer get lost during transit.” I can’t help but grin as Luca’s fingers fist at his sides. But I’m not done with him or their family yet, and my face turns serious. “If anyone disrespects my wife again, the truce will be over. If anyone tells Katrina one more time that she’s not in the right frame of mind or makes her feel inadequate ever again, I will start a war like you’ve never seen.”
I move to take our daughter out of her sister’s hands, then walk my family out of the church. I will not celebrate with people who think they’re above Katrina or Capree.
I help my wife into the car across the street, and she slips in easily, even though I may have hurried her a little too quickly, as she’s out of breath. I’m at the end of being nice. If one person says one wrong thing, I’m liable to go on a shooting spree. I do not tolerate disrespect. I’ve killed my own men for less.
I quickly buckle Capree into her car seat before moving to the driver seat, and we start moving.
“Thank you.” Her voice is low and soft. It’s not her typical, hard,me against the worldtone she uses.
“For what?” I’m still trying to grasp my own reactions surrounding her andourfamily.
“For standing up for me. Not many people do, especially against my family. They all say what they do is for my own good, but….” She looks away, glancing into the back to check on our baby.
My fingers bring her face toward me once again. “You are worth it. They’re all fools for not seeing you the way I do.”
“People have a way of dying around me.”
“My heart has been dead for years. I’m not scared its beats will stop. If anything, you seem to have the opposite effect on it.”
She blushes, and it’s so damn adorable.
“I’m a ruthless monster who kills people for a living. No one would consider me a good man. We both have a dark past. The difference is, people have praised mine, while your family has scolded you for yours. That ends here and now. You are a queen.Myqueen.”
She lunges over the console and kisses me. Her lips are tender and soft, and she tastes like cotton candy. Sweet and addicting, just a bite would never be enough.
I pull the car to a stop and smile as I have to tenderly push her away so I can get out. Opening her door, I hold my hand out for her. She takes it, bending into the back I opened for her, taking only a moment to get our daughter out of her seat and wrap her in her arms. Effortlessly, I pick them both up, making Katrina squawk then giggle, as I walk them over the threshold and into our new life together.
Our new nanny steps into the room, and I set Katrina down to introduce her. “This is our new nanny, Polina…ifyou approve of her.”
“Would you like me to put Capree down for a nap?” Polina asks.
I watch the hesitation fill Katrina’s eyes. She hasn’t allowed the baby out of arms reach since she was born, so I wait to see what she will do. Surprising me, she allows the nanny to take the baby from her arms and carry her away.
