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“The first time my brother and I were tasked to go out on our own, I threw up. I was a nervous wreck, even though I knew exactly what to do, knew the orders. It didn't sit right with me. Half the shit my family wanted me to do didn't in those days. Once we got to the site, I threw my guts up behind the car. Dante saw me and didn't say a word. Never told anyone, knowing it would make me look weak to anyone vying for my position. He took lead on the task. It wasn't even one of the worse ones, either. Nobody got hurt, but I was more afraid of fucking it up and disappointing my family than I was of anything else.”
Serenity’s hand flattened out over my chest. “It's hard to imagine you ever being nervous about anything,” she admitted. “But I also understand the feeling about disappointing your family. Although, I honestly don't give a shit about mine anymore.”
We both laughed at that, levity returning to our conversation.
“Thank you for trusting me with that,” she said sincerely.
“I trust you with everything,” I said. “And I get that about your family. Thankfully, the older I got, the more progressive my family grew. The entire organization actually. They haven't completely come over to my way of thinking yet, but they're close. And we found a healthy way to still maintain our relationships even though I backed out of anything that wasn't legal.”
“Sounds like you have an amazing family,” she said. “I hope I get to meet the rest of them someday.”
“You'd want that?” I asked. “That wouldn't create more stress for you? Meeting an entire family that isn't completely dissimilar from yours, in terms of status anyway.”
“I’d love that,” she said. “Just from the few stories you've told me about them, I know they're nothing like my family. Anyone who is important to you is important to me.”
I pursed my lips before grinning down at her and lightly smacking her ass. “Well then,” I said. “You better get dressed.”
“Why?” she asked, even though she'd already gotten off the bed. “Where are we going?”
“To meet my family.”
An hour later, my mother was greeting us at the front door of my childhood home, ushering us inside with loud exclamations of where have you been, and even harder, more suffocating hugs.
I'd barely gotten two words out of my mouth before my mother smacked me across my bicep, reaching for Serenity and pulling her into a welcoming hug while scolding me at the same time.
“It's about time you bring your wife here,” she chided as she released Serenity, only enough that she could get a good look at her. “You're stunning,” she said.
Serenity looked to me for help, and I couldn't help but chuckle.
“Ma,” I said. “Give her some breathing room.”
My mother dismissed me with a wave of her hand, taking Serenity under her arm and leading her deeper into the house. She was met with a barrage of introductions, not only being reintroduced to Dante, but to four of my cousins, two of my aunts, and one uncle.
I greeted them all in turn, any tension I had about bringing her here quickly dissipating as everyone instantly fell in love with her. Couldn’t blame them, because she was damn amazing, and she quickly adapted to the chaotic nature that was my mother's home.
“You can't cook?” I heard my mother say from the kitchen, and I quickly hurried in just in case Serenity needed rescuing. Cooking was a religious act in my family, and I was more than ready to defend Serenity's reasons for not being able to cook, even though it shouldn't matter.
“Well, that's fine, love,” my mother said just as I came into the kitchen. “We can easily fix that.” My mother smiled at Serenity, and she returned it, looking excited as my mother handed her an apron. She grinned at me as she tied it behind her back, following my mother around the kitchen.
I breathed a sigh of relief, settling onto a bar stool at the kitchen island, knowing full well I’d be kicked out if I stepped a foot inside it. Instead, I was content to watch Serenity be effortlessly folded into my family, my mother taking her under her wing without a second thought.
And the longer I watched her, the clearer everything came to me.
I kept telling myself that I’d be here as long as Serenity wanted me, knowing the reality of the situation was that Serenity had never been on her own and she deserved a chance at that life. I wasn't going to be the one to push her away, but I had to be the one to let her go when she decided she needed to figure out who she was by herself.
It wasn't until now that I realized how hard of a task that was going to be when it inevitably came. Because I could try to deny it all I wanted, but I was hopelessly in love with this girl, and I selfishly never wanted her to leave. And that made me no better that the monster who had kept her locked up before.
CHAPTER 14
Serenity
“Oh my goodness,” I said as Gareth held the door open for me. “I'm so excited, but I'm really nervous.”
Gareth chuckled softly, his hand a comfort on the small of my back as we walked farther into the little building. A cedar scent hung in the air, and eight little tables had been set up, all occupied by couples, except for one.
“You shouldn’t be nervous,” Gareth said as we made our way to the lone empty table.
“That’s easy for you to say,” I said my eyes trailing over the array of ingredients spread out on the table. “You have to remember, I’ve never taken a public class before. What if the teacher calls on me and I don’t know the answer?”
