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“My dad always thought Kieran would be a better heir,” he started. “I mean, yes, he was irresponsible, and he often does talk without thinking, but he seems to be able to compartmentalize a lot more. I think if he’d been the one you were supposed to marry, he wouldn’t have backed out.”
I shook my head. There was nothing wrong with Kieran, but the idea of living through all of this with him instead of Tristan made my stomach churn. “What? And be stuck with the not quite as handsome Callahan? No thank you.”
Tristan laughed. “So, you’re saying I’m the best of a bad lot then?”
I squeezed his hand, my other hand reaching over to flick his nose playfully. “The very best,” I assured him, my tone teasing, but the truth behind the words was undeniable. I wouldn’t have chosen anyone else.
He glanced at me momentarily, a softness in his eyes that made my heart flutter. “I won’t let anything happen to you, Adriana,” he said, his voice firm with a promise he intended to keep.
I swallowed hard at his words, nodding slowly even though a part of me was scared. Scared of what was to come and scared of what it might mean for us. But I trusted Tristan and somehow, that made it all okay. Or at least, bearable.
We drove for a while in comfortable silence, the familiar sights of the city passing us by in a blur of color and light. It felt strange to be in this limbo, the looming threat hanging over our heads even as life around us continued on as usual. I watched as people walked down the street, going about their day without a care in the world - blissfully ignorant of the danger we were in.
Shaking my head, I turned to look at Tristan, focusing on his strong profile - the man who had somehow become my world amidst the chaos. He glanced sideways at me, offering a reassuring smile, as if sensing the turmoil within me.
“So what’s next?” I asked him.
“I’m going to shore up our defenses at home,” he said. “And you should go back to looking at the financial records for the time you were gone. In fact, you might want to look further back. You don’t know how long Carmen has been doing this.”
My stomach churned. “Carmen might not be doing this.”
He paused for a second before he answered. “Okay,” he said. “But someone is doing it, and the more information we have on that, the better.”
I nodded, pulling away from him to let him focus on driving. There was much to consider, mainly the shocking revelation of Carmen’s possible involvement. But we also had the ever-present danger looming over our heads - the mole in our empire and the growing threat of the Rossis.
“What about you?” I asked.
“I’ll speak to some contacts,” he said. “Are you going to be okay if I leave you alone at home?”
“I’m pregnant, Tristan,” I said. “Not a child. I can handle being alone for a few hours.”
His jaw tightened and his hand left the steering wheel to trace soothing circles on my belly. His babies. Our children. The tension around his eyes eased, and he gave me a tight smile. “I know you can,” he murmured, leaning over to place a lingering kiss on my forehead.
As the car pulled up outside our new home, I watched as Tristan’s face hardened with determination.
“Stay in the car,” he instructed, unbuckling his seat belt and opening the door.
“But...” I protested.
“No buts,” he cut me off. “I need to ensure everything’s safe.”
The sun was high up in the sky.
I sighed, inhaling the scent of Tristan that lingered in the car – warm and comforting – as I watched him exit the vehicle. He moved with a purpose, his strong form disappearing into our home. I waited, my heartbeat echoing in my ears like a ticking time bomb. It was a familiar routine he practiced every time we arrived home, scanning for potential dangers before giving me the all-clear.
It wasn’t until the front door creaked open again and Tristan emerged, his posture relaxed, and he gave me a small nod that I finally let out the breath I had been holding. Gathering my strength, I pushed open the car door and slowly made my way towards our safe haven.
I glanced up once more at our new home. It didn’t feel like my home yet— not really. Tristan didn’t love it, either, I knew he would have much rather stayed at his apartment than his dead father’s house. But until things were sorted with the estate, we needed to be there.
With a sigh, I turned, heading toward the door where Tristan stood. His figure was a beacon of safety, the only certainty in a world that had gone off the rails.
“Careful,” he said as I climbed the steps, his hand instantly at my elbow to steady me. As always, his touch was warm and comforting. His gaze held mine for a moment before he looked away, but the hint of unease in his eyes wasn’t lost to me.
I snorted softly. “I’m not that fragile, you know.”
He smiled then, his blue eyes lighting up. “Never said you are.”
I looked around at the totally clean living room as we moved deeper into the house. “What did you do with our…midnight friend?”
