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“Alright.” She held her hands up in defeat and returned to the kitchen to finish her coffee, and I took that as my opportunity to leave.
When I made it downstairs and stepped out onto the street, the usual New York chaos surrounding me, I sagged against the apartment building wall. The doorman was eyeing me curiously, but I didn’t care. I needed a break.
I couldn’t wait for this wedding to be over. I didn’t know why, but ever since the night at the Gala when I’d proposed, I’d been waiting for her to step back from me and laugh like this had all been a big joke.
I loved her, but I couldn’t understand why she loved me… I’d been awful to her. I’d been awful to my family, yet somehow, she’d forgiven me for all of it. It didn’t make sense.
Insecure Idiot.
* * *
Later that evening, when I was done with work, Cait called to tell me all about her shopping trip with Brianna.
I was beyond happy to hear her voice, but I couldn’t really focus on what she was saying. I was too busy thinking about all the shit I’d had to do today.
Usually, I was better at feigning interest when work was overwhelming me, but she seemed to be able to sense I wasn’t into it.
“What’s wrong, Aidan?” Her voice curled around my name in a way that made my dick swell at the sound of it.
God, I loved her.
“Nothing. Nothing’s wrong, I just miss you,” I sighed, leaning back in my desk chair, the old leather creaking. I reached down to release a few of the buttons on my waistcoat. “I wish you were here.”
“I know when you’re lying.”
“I’m not lying, I do wish you were here.”
“No, about the other part.” I heard her smile on the other end of the line.
“It’s nothing for you to worry about. How about that?” I said, praying she’d drop it. She was just as tenacious as my sister sometimes.
I’d spent the morning with my father and Enzo, going business to business to reassure them that we were still in control. Several of them reported Russians showing up to try and intimidate them, and our men were already stretched thin protecting what was ours.
I was just praying the explosion would wait until I’d tied the knot.
If she left me, I didn’t think I would survive.
“You can talk to me, you know. I wish you would. I’ll be your wife soon.”
Wife.God, how that word did things to me. It almost made me forget everything that was going on.
“I appreciate that, Clover. I do. But it really is nothing to worry about. It’s just been a busy day.”
Another excuse.
I did feel bad lying to her. I did feel the truth waiting to trip off of my tongue. A problem shared is a problem halved. Wasn’t that what they said? But this wasn’t a problem she could help solve, and it would just frighten her.
I rubbed the back of my neck. It had been hell trying to reorganize all of our inbound cargo to go to new ports in an effort to keep it out of the hands of our enemies. I’d spent the rest of the day travelling up the east coast, threatening the port authorities to keep our names off of the books. Issuing bribes when that was effective. Issuing beatings when it wasn’t. Transport was going to cost a fortune, and tomorrow, I was leaving the city. My city. I was leaving my city when it needed me most.
The sensible thing would have been to postpone the wedding… again. My father had suggested it earlier today, and I’d nearly ripped his head off. I wasn’t waiting a second longer than I had to to make Cait mine. Besides, if I asked her to postpone… again, there was a high chance she’d run and I’d never see her again.
No.
This would all work out.
My father and I were leaving the city in the hands of some of our best men with strict instructions not to engage with any of our enemies. They were to keep their heads down until we got back and figured out how we were going to defend our territory. The first drops of blood had scented the water, and the sharks were circling in, just waiting for us to drop our guard.
Was this what the rest of my life would be like? Lucky to get a few years peace in between the constant struggles for territory?
