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I wrap my arms around his waist as my chest starts to constrict. “There is no way that they are alive. I’m telling you, Salvatore, it’s impossible. I saw the blood. I watched them die.”
“I know. I know.” He kisses my head again. “I’m sorry that I’ve upset you. We don’t know who those people in the picture are.”
Even though I know he’s only saying that to placate me — I hear it in his voice — I lean into the small white lie.
It’s easier to believe that than to believe that my parents could be alive and let me think that they were dead all this time.
I break away from him and check the computer to see that the reverse search is completed. There are a few results that have come up, the first of which is an obituary for the two people in the picture.
Pointing at the screen, I try to hold back my tears. “I told you these aren’t my parents. I don’t know who they are, but they’re dead now too.”
Salvatore bends over and looks at the screen. When he turns back to me, his shoulders slump and I can see the defeat on his face. “You’re right. I’ll let Sofia know. She’ll keep digging.”
I take a deep breath and try to get control of my emotions. I’m sure that the baby hormones are making me a little more emotional than normal but finding out that they suspected my parents could be alive feels like a punch to the gut.
“Why don’t we get in bed and watch a movie?” Salvatore asks, taking off his jeans and socks. He tosses his shirt to the side and gets into the bed, holding up the covers.
I run my hand through my hair. “What are we doing?”
“We’re going to bed and you’re going to relax a little bit.” Salvatore leans back against the pillows, still holding the blankets up.
“We’re acting like some couple when we both know that we’re not.”
He arches an eyebrow, the easy look slipping off his face. “No, you’re right. We’re not a couple. We’re two people having a baby who keep dancing around each other and hovering at the edges of what we both want.”
“So, you want to be a couple, then? Even though we can barely go a couple days without arguing?”
He shrugs. “Keeps things interesting. I would rather fight with you than not fight with anyone else.”
“Careful,” I say as I walk to the edge of the bed. “It’s starting to sound like you might care about me.”
“Brielle, get your ass in the bed. I’m not going to play this game with you. I want you. I do care about you. I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t. So, you can either get your ass in the bed or tell me to get out. Those are your options.”
I slide into the bed beside him and nestle into his side. My eyes drift shut as I lean against him. “I would rather fight with you too.”
“Good. Like I said before, the rest of it can all be figured out if we make it out of this alive. Now, get some rest.”
“Don’t tell me what to do.”
He chuckles and kisses my temple. “Stop arguing with me, woman.”
“Never.”
20
SALVATORE
I’m walking down the street with a tray of milkshakes when two people step into my path. I feel like I’m going to be sick when I recognize the people from the picture I had shown Brielle two nights ago.
“Well, this meeting has been a long time coming,” the woman says, her voice breathy as she glances at the tray in my hand. “I see the pregnancy cravings are starting. She always did love strawberry milkshakes when she was little.”
“Excuse me?” I ask, standing a little taller as I look down at them. I’m taller than both of them and while I think I could handle both of them if it came to a fight, I don’t know if they have people waiting for them.
Once upon a time, it wouldn’t have mattered to me.
Now that I have Brielle and our baby, I’m not going to take any risks. I’m not going to attack these people or bring them to the estate for interrogation without knowing if there’s more people around.
I should have had Gio come with me.
