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Yep, he’s possessive, alright.
We’re sitting in the breakfast nook of the cabin, looking out on the glasslike surface of the lake. It mirrors flawlessly the somber, weighty clouds that drape the sky, casting an eerie atmosphere over everything around.
Is today the day that snow is going to fall?
I nibble on the piece of toast Tiero made for me. It’s all I can stomach. He offered to make me some eggs, but I was quick to tell him what a bad idea that was. I still can’t stand the smell.
Besides, Tiero has never cooked anything in his life. I’d have loved to watch him try to figure it out. Perhaps another time.
I hate to admit it, but I miss Ade’s sweet potato mash. He added a little grated ginger to the mix, making it even more delicious and palatable.
“What are you thinking about?” Tiero asks, taking a sip of his coffee. All morning his focus has been on me, and I wonder what he sees when he looks at me.
A woman conflicted over the choices she’s made? Or is he attributing my funny mood to being pregnant and feeling unwell?
I sigh as my eyes meet his. “Many things.”
“Care to share?” he asks.
“Well… I think it’s going to snow today. We were going to spend the winter in a mountain retreat which will get snowed in pretty quickly.”
“We? Who’s we?”
“Claudette, Aiden and I. She’s friends with the owners. There’s a whole community up on the mountain and the three of us shared a cabin. We only left there because of Rhia. We were supposed to return before the snow falls.”
He nods, his face serious. “You can’t go back,” he says firmly.
His determined declaration grates on me. I widen my eyes at him. “You’re not trying to dictate my moves already, are you?”
His fists clench and unclench, and he grinds his teeth together. “No, but you must see that it’s not a good idea to spend long months snowed in somewhere. What if you need medical attention? Besides, you and I need to be together, and I don’t do the cold weather… at least not for long.”
I figured I wouldn’t return to ‘Mountain Breath’, but I sure as hell am not going back to Sicily.
“They have a very capable naturopath there who’s been looking after me,” I tell him. “I don’t want to be apart from you, but perhaps it would be best for me to winter up there while you sort out what you need to sort out… you know…” I gesture with my hands wildly into the air, not wanting to speak out loud about him leaving his mafia life.
“No!” Tiero shoots back. “We won’t be separated again. I’m going to be part of this pregnancy and be there for you every day from now on.”
“I’m not going back to Sicily. My view on that hasn’t changed,” I tell him firmly.
Tiero takes a deep breath, clearly trying to rein in his temper. He really isn’t used to opposition.
“We’ll work it out,” he assures me. But what solution could there possibly be?
Leaving that subject for now, I turn to more pressing matters.
“Rhia and Aiden… I need to speak to them both. And I want them free to go.”
“They are. A car is waiting to take them whenever they’re ready.”
Why do I get the impression he’s keen for them to leave?
“Are they awake yet?” I ask.
“Rhia is. Burg is still asleep. We can go to them after you’ve had enough to eat.”
“I’m done. Let’s go.” I’m desperate to check on them. I need to see with my own eyes that they’re okay.
We walk to the door to put on our coats. “And Tiero, I want to talk to them alone.”
