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It was really something to see the way Diggs’ family and friends effortlessly returned to normalcy after such a life-altering incident. It could’ve been because they were used to these types of events—that they were something to be expected within mafia families. But I had a feeling it had more to do with all the babies and toddlers everyone was doting on.
Because tragedies happened. Different, more horrifying, tragedies happened for the people I’d somehow found myself linked to throughout the years. But love kept you going. New generations kept you moving and put smiles on faces even when hearts were breaking.
I was sure of it.
The proof was in that room. In the laughter. In the fact that Kieran had even shown up. Granted, he’d stayed off to the side, not talking to anyone. But he’d scooped up his daughter from where Jentry and Rorie had been watching his kids and was clinging to her like a lifeline.
I rolled my eyes and gave Diggs an amused look as Cora rambled about being seconds away from calling out a search party for me, even though I’d been assured dozens of times that Rorie had covered for me with her.
“No search party needed,” I told Cora and reached out to touch one of the hanging curtains that apparently spread out to create makeshift rooms. “I’ll be back on Monday.”
Diggs’ fingers tightened against me in refusal, but I lifted an eyebrow to stop him when his lips parted.
“It was just this stupid virus, but I’m better.”
“What kind of bullshit virus had you not answering your phone or calling me back? Girl, you missed almost the entire week,” Cora informed me as if I weren’t aware of that.
Then again, I was surprised it’d only been five days since I’d seen her. It’d felt like weeks had passed since that first morning I’d run into Lachlan and Chaos outside my apartment.
“I thought Mr. B&E had finally gone all Ted Bundy on you.”
A soft, affectionate laugh left me as I searched the gray eyes intently studying me. “He was there, actually. He took care of me.”
At that, Cora paused. “Details,” she begged greedily. “Details—all of them. Right now, and please tell me they’re steamy.”
“There isn’t a lot to say, Cora. It wasn’t a good time for me,” I reminded her. “But I wanted to assure you I wasn’t dead since I had about three dozen messages from you.”
She made a displeased noise but said, “Monday, right? I’ll actually see you?”
Affection swelled in my chest at the underlying worry in her voice. “Promise.”
“Then I’ll bring muffins,” she said as if my assurance were all she needed. “Now, get back to that hunk of a man so you can give me some real details come Monday.”
Another hushed laugh left me. “Will do.”
“Monday?” Diggs asked once I ended the call, his brow furrowing. “You still need to heal.”
“I’ve been down here for hours,” I reminded him as I tapped my phone against his stomach. “I’m okay. I’ll be okay.” My lips parted to suggest he could always send Jessica to check on me from wherever she hid within the school, but the tease died in my throat, choking me as I remembered watching Lachlan drop her lifeless body to the ground.
“And what if it’s too early?” Diggs maintained. “What if Keane Street’s regrouping and readying to move against us? Monday’s less time than we gave them.”
“So, we just stay hidden away in here forever?” I asked gently, my eyebrows drawing close together as I tried figuring out this world of his. “I quit or lose my job that I love?”
“No,” he said softly but resolutely. “No, we’ll return to our lives. We always do, but we just hit them. We don’t know if Keane Street will accept what happened as our retaliation or if we’re now in an open war with them.”
I nodded absentmindedly before asking, “And what will that look like once we do return to our lives?” I stepped closer until I was pressed to the hard planes of his chest and tipped my head back to meet his stare. “More days of wondering when I’ll see you again and random nights of you slipping into my apartment?”
Diggs’ head angled as if refusing my words as they came. Sliding one of his hands up my body, he tenderly cradled my neck. His thumb brushing along my jaw when he said, “I’ll let you set the pace, but we aren’t going back to that.”
Dipping down, he stole a brief kiss before releasing me, and then he was carefully moving around, untying the cascading curtains closest to us until he’d made a miniature room.
Just us, a couch, and a blanket-covered mattress on the floor, all surrounded by layered curtains and the glow of twinkle lights.
“Oh my God,” I breathed as I looked around, a stunned laugh dancing across my lips when Diggs grabbed my hand and led me to the couch.
“I’ve only ever wanted to live in an apartment because owning a house meant commitment,” he began, drawing my attention back to him. “Since entering this family, I’ve never had a car and all my motorcycles only have one seat as a reminder that I didn’t want the weight of someone else’s life on my hands.”
Surprise pulsed through me at the depth of what he was saying—at how much more profound it made his earlier words.
