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“This is all very touching, but I’d say our job here is done.” A man with a heavy foreign accent stepped forward, along with several others who held the rest of my father’s men at gunpoint.
The Albanians.
Conner moved, placing his body between the foreigners and me. “Our organization appreciates what you’ve done for us.”
“As does ours,” added Renzo.
The man smiled, holding his hands wide. “Well, hopefully, this can be the start of something new for all of us, eh? We work together, is much better for all.” He barked a string of commands to his men, who turned over their captives to the Italian soldiers nearby. “Until we meet again.” He bowed his head before leading his men away from the scene.
I watched Conner, blistering hatred in his eyes. Those very same men had tried to kill us and had succeeded in killing his biological father. He had no intention of ever again working with those men. They’d made a life-long enemy in my husband, but he’d done it this once. For me.
I couldn’t even grasp the magnitude of what that had cost him.
I flung myself into his arms. “I’m sorry I left the house,” I said hoarsely. “Sante told me Dad was setting you up, and I had to warn you. I tried to call. I was so terrified.”
Conner pulled me back and peered into my eyes before lowering his lips to mine. Neither of us cared about the men milling about or the two dead bodies at our feet. All that mattered was the press of our lips and a promise of another tomorrow.
“Don’t look in the mirror.”I did my best to keep Noemi facing away from the bathroom vanity. The last thing she needed to see was her father’s blood splattered across her face. She knew it was there. That was bad enough. She didn’t need to see it. “Arms up,” I instructed softly.
She did as she was told, having slipped into a state of shock as I whisked her away from the warehouse scene. The others could handle the fallout—cleanup and the authorities. I’d had to get my wife out of there. Her poor little body was shaking like a leaf.
Once I stripped us both down, we stepped into the steaming shower. Her eyes drifted shut under the hot spray of water. Even blood splattered and wrecked, she was incredible. Smooth, creamy skin over soft curves. It was mesmerizing to watch the water run in rivulets down her body.
I let her absorb the water’s warmth for several long minutes before I lathered her in soap. For once in our short relationship, she handed me complete control. We both needed it. After discovering she had wound up at the warehouse and feeling like all of our plans had erupted into total chaos, I needed to feel a sense of control. I needed to feel her unharmed body warm and alive beneath my fingers.
Noemi angled her head back so I could wash her hair. It wasn’t something I’d ever done before, so when I finished, and she opened tear-filled eyes, I had a moment of panic that I’d gotten the damn shampoo in her eyes.
“What is it?” I asked, my entire body tensing.
“Conner, I’m so sorry. I left your gun at the warehouse. It was the one from your nightstand,” she said, her words growing frantic.
I huffed out a breath, smiling softly. “Don’t worry about that, baby.” I cupped her face in my hands. “The guys will take care of everything. I’m just glad that if you were going to go, you went prepared.” I pressed my lips to her forehead, temple, and the bridge of her nose. “You scared the shit out of me, Em.” The words were as raw and broken as my insides felt. I hadn’t wanted to fuss at her, so I’d kept my mouth shut, but I needed her to know how terrified I’d been.
“I know, and I’m so sorry. I would never have gone if I hadn’t been so worried about you.”
I pulled her against me, wishing my damn dick understood the difference between comforting my traumatized wife and shower sex. “I’m just glad it’s over.”
“Me, too.” She pulled back, brows drawing together. “You said over the phone that my uncle had verified Dad sabotaged Mom’s car—how?”
“They got ahold of the detective working for Fausto. He doctored the investigation. He admitted to removing the incendiary device that took out her brakes and had modified the accident report. We’re connected to half the NYPD. I’d say your father was lucky one of ours wasn’t the first to respond to the scene, but I imagine he planned that as well and had his guy on call.”
“It all blows my mind.” She shook her head just slightly. “And those men who came after us in the car. They were sent to kill me. What kind of father does that?”
“The kind who doesn’t deserve a second thought.” I brought her eyes to mine, holding them until she nodded. “I’m just glad he was dumb enough to take our bait.”
“Bait?”
“We intentionally leaked information about our meeting today. Keir and his men were stationed around the perimeter to let Fausto think he’d successfully surrounded us, but we knew we had the Albanians in our pocket. Of course, there was always a chance they wouldn’t uphold their end of the bargain, but it was a risk we decided to take. Their leader knew they’d fucked up making an enemy of us, and working against the Italians would only have made things worse for them. Agreeing to be bought was the same as saving their own asses. It won’t buy them indefinite immunity, but there’s peace for now.”
“You paid them?”
I nodded, hating how worry etched into her face.
“How much?”
“Totally inconsequential when compared to your safety.” I smiled, hoping to reassure her. “And besides, everything we did has strengthened our ties to the Italians more than any abstract alliance could have.”
Finally, a smile formed on her lips. Small, but it was a start.
