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My eyes flick to Tiana, and I catch her looking at me before she quickly glances back at the TV.
“Aren’t you tired?” I ask.
“You can go to bed if you want to sleep,” she answers.
“You need your rest. You’ve had a crazy two days. All the stress can’t be good for the baby.”
She lets out a sigh, then switches off the TV and walks to our bedroom. Climbing beneath the covers, she turns her back to my side of the bed and pulls the covers so high they almost cover her head.
I leave the room to make sure all the doors are locked and switch off the lights before I return to climb into bed. Tiana still keeps her back to me, making it clear she doesn’t want me to touch her.
I lie on my back and stare at the ceiling, the minutes ticking over into an hour. I listen to my wife drift off to sleep and relax now that she’s getting some rest.
She just needs time.
Tiana turns onto her back, throwing her arm above her head like she always does. The corner of my mouth lifts, and I wait a bit longer before I move closer. Careful not to wake her, I spread my body over hers and press my face to her neck.
Inhaling her scent, I finally find some peace.
I wrap my arms around her and silently promise never to let go again.
I feel her hand on the back of my head, and closing my eyes, I whisper, “Thank you.”
She curls into me, and I feel her jerk. Her breaths are warm on my shoulder before I feel the wetness of a teardrop.
I hold her tighter and begin to press kisses all over her hair and neck. “I’ll never doubt you again. I promise I’ll make up for the damage I’ve done.”
She nods against me.
“We’re having a baby,” I murmur.
She nods again.
“I hate that I ruined the surprise.”
She pulls a little back, and our eyes lock. “Did you see the tests?”
“Yes.”
The heartache I’ve caused her still lives on her face as she whispers, “You scared me. How do I know whenever we fight, you won’t fly off the handle again?”
“Because I’d rather die than hurt you like this ever again. Whoever’s targeting us must know how I feel about infidelity. They used the perfect weapon against me.”
“Who hates you so much that they’ll try to tear us apart?”
“I have many enemies. It can be any of the bastards.”
Her eyes shine in the meager moonlight falling through the windows. “Are we safe here?”
“I’m not leaving your side until I’ve killed the fucker. Misha will also stay for a while.” I rest my head on my palm and stare down at her. “Do you think you can forgive me?”
“It’s not the forgiving part I’m struggling with.”
“Tell me what you’re struggling with.”
She turns on her side, facing me, and I feel her breath on my chest.
“It’s that you hated me. It was so easy for you to stop loving me.”
Jesus.
Before I can correct her, she continues, “When you were chasing me through the forest, and I thought you were going to kill me, I still loved you.”
My heart stutters in my chest. “Loved?”
“Love.”
Placing my finger beneath her chin, I tip her face up so she’ll look at me. “I never hated you, bella. I was angry.”
“I saw it in your eyes.”
“I hated hearing the recording of you with another man. That’s what was killing me. Even though I thought you betrayed me, I still loved you.”
“It was traumatizing hearing my voice in such an intimate setting with a stranger.”
I pull her against me and kiss her shoulder. “I’ll find whoever’s behind this and kill the fucker. I promise I will make him suffer a million times more than we’ve suffered.”
Suddenly my phone starts to ring, and I reach for the bedside table. Not recognizing the number, I answer, “De Santis.”
“Tell me, Mr. De Santis, how does it feel when someone fucks with you?” The thick Russian accent has me sitting upright in bed, and I try to place where I’ve heard it before.
“You and Misha made me look like a fool. It’s not something I can forgive.”
Madre di Dio.
“Makarova,” I growl the fuckers name. “I considered you could be behind it but never actually thought you’d be such a bitch about losing a woman you didn’t want in the first place.”
Tiana darts upright, her eyes wide on me.
“It’s not the woman I care about. It’s my reputation.”
“You started a war with the wrong man over such a trivial thing as your reputation.”
Makarova lets out a chuckle. “You’re a small fish in a sea for sharks, boy.”
I’m going to enjoy killing you, fucker.
“A pirana can do more damage than a shark, fucker,” I say before I end the call and quickly press dial on Luca’s number.
