25
Merehours felt more like days. Between combing the property, interviewing the staff, and quieting the witnesses not privy to our world, I had drained every ounce of strength left in my body. I was still in my bloody, raggedy wedding dress, dried blood still clinging to my skin. The sun would be rising shortly, but neither of us had the luxury of sleeping in, much less making a 6 a.m. flight for what would have been a honeymoon.
I leaned against a wall on the first floor, just outside Derek and Eva’s room. He’d booked a private plane for his family, and I didn’t blame him. He had a little girl to protect. Things here had gotten out of hand. Decades had passed since an enemy breached our walls, and I was determined to find who had betrayed my family.
“Amalia.” Holly’s soft voice and a hand on my shoulder pulled me away from Kai and Derek’s goodbyes. “Are you all right?”
I nodded. It was better than lying out loud. “Are you?”
She forced a smile and pulled me in for a hug. “I’m so glad you’re okay. What were you doing by yourself on your wedding day anyway?”
Looking back at Kai, I shrugged my shoulders. “Being foolish.”
“Were you able to extract any information?”
“I don’t think he had any to give. Either way, he’s not a problem anymore.”
My phone buzzed in my hand. I didn’t need to look at the screen to know who was calling again. Rocco had been relentless, but I didn’t have the mental or emotional strength to deal with his questions or, worse yet, his possible involvement. It was quite the coincidence that he’d left right before everything went down. And what’s more, I wasn’t even sure how he found out. Though things like these circulate quickly in our circles, I couldn’t shake the suspicion.
I rubbed a rough hand down my face.
“You going to answer, babe?”
“It’s just Rocco. I already told him through text that I was fine.”
Her forehead creased. “How about I call him and tell him you’re already asleep.”
I pulled her in for another hug, kissed her hair, and whispered a thank you.
Holly had a crush on Rocco when we were teenagers, but he never reciprocated her feelings. There was a time I used to worry that she’d resent me for always having his attention, unwanted or not. But we were like sisters, and she understood I had no control over his emotions. Luckily, that puppy love dried up fast. Holly was a beautiful soul and deserved to be loved by someone who could appreciate that.
“Just because you two are canceling the honeymoon doesn’t mean you can’t have your fun,” she joked, motioning toward an approaching Kai.
“Hols, I don’t have the energy even if I wanted to, but also—mind your goddamn business,” I said with a laugh as I playfully shoved her away.
“I’m going to go check on Gio, and then I’ll be out.”
“Thanks.” I blew her a kiss.
“Where’s mine?” Kai circled my waist and drew me into his arms. I wasn’t sure when he and I had gotten this comfortable touching each other, but I wasn’t complaining. If ever I needed comfort, it was at this very moment. “You look exhausted.”
“Is that a polite way of telling me I look like hell?”
He chuckled and whirled me around. “Never. But I know you’ve been through a lot, and it’s late.”
“There’s no time to sleep, Kai. Whatever this is, it’ll be back. And what if next time, it’s at our doorstep?”
“I really want to focus on what you’re saying, but the words ‘our doorstep’ make that impossible.”
I reached down, threaded my fingers through his, and raised our joined hands. “You’re wearing my ring, and your cock has been in almost every hole of my body. I’m pretty sure you live here now.” I grinned.
“Almost? Fuck, we should remedy that.”
I laughed and let him pull me toward the bottom of the steps. “Have you ever felt so damn tired but also completely wired at the same time?”
He had already started to ascend the stairs when he froze before turning around. “Amalia, get cleaned up and meet me outside.”
“Cain, it’s nearly five in the morning. What do you mean?”
Kai brushed back a strand of hair, his eyes boring into mine. “You said you trusted me, right?”
The second those words left his mouth, my stomach fluttered in ways I hadn’t experienced in a long time—quite possibly never. He had no idea how hard it was to trust anyone outside my family, but he had somehow scaled the wall I had put up for the world.
“I do.” My voice was barely a whisper. He brushed his lips over mine, and I felt myself melting against him.
“Thank you.” The way he spoke and his relaxed expression told me that he was aware of just how pivotal that admission was.
But did I?
Dawn had yet to break the horizon as I walked outside to wait for Kai. When the door opened behind me, I whipped around, fully expecting to find my new husband, but was met with Eva and Valentina instead.
“Derek told me you and Kai were about to head out, and I know we’ll be gone by the time you come back, so I didn’t want to leave without saying goodbye or clearing the air between us.”
“I wasn’t aware the air needed clearing,” I said, calling her bluff and crossing my arms.
“Amalia, the last time we spoke, you basically called me a na?ve, spoiled brat.”
I couldn’t help the smile that drew from my lips. “I don’t believe those words came out of my mouth.”
She scoffed. “Listen, I’m used to people thinking I’m—”
“Evangelina, I heard what you did for my mother. Kai told me you saved her life, and I could never thank you enough. So whatever you’re about to say, I don’t think that at all. And I didn’t think it before, either. You just caught me at a bad moment. Besides, you’re Derek Cain’s wife, for fuck’s sake.” That earned me a laugh. “But let’s spare ourselves a sappy goodbye. I’ll see you when I see you.”
She put a hand on my arm. “Take care of yourself. And take care of Kai for me.” Eva nuzzled her daughter’s cheek. “Someone also wanted to say goodbye and thank you for the hospitality. We’re about to head out, too.” When she leaned forward, Valentina raised her arms and reached for me. This kid was probably the happiest baby I’d ever seen.
“Pórtate bien, chiquita.” (Be good, little one.) I kissed her forehead, and we said our goodbyes. No sooner had Eva walked back inside, I heard an engine revving from around the corner.
“No,” I said, shaking my head. “I’ll take my car.”
Kai pulled off his helmet. “As sweet a ride as that Hellcat is, I want you to ride with me, vicious.”
“Are you sure you and Gloria don’t need some alone time?”
He laughed and leaned over the front of his bike, looking so damn good I might have licked my lips. “The only woman I want alone time with is you.”
“Oh, so you admit she’s a woman?”
“She was.”
“Was? Who? A lost love?”
“I killed her.”
I’d seen more death than any one person should in a lifetime, many of those by my hand, but somehow, his admission sent a small shock wave through my body. He’d said it so casually, I almost doubted I’d heard it.
“You killed Gloria?”
“How about you hop on my bike? I’ll tell you the whole story when we get to where we’re going. And we should hurry. I want to get there before the sun.”
I placed my hands on my hips. “You just admitted you murdered a woman who was significant enough for you to name your bike after, and you expect me to just ride with you into the sunset to some mystery location.”
“Wrong. Sunrise, not sunset.”
“Kai Cain, you better start talking.”
“I thought you said you trusted me,” he said with amusement.
“I did, up until three minutes ago.” Kai tipped his head back and laughed. “I fail to see the humor here.”
He extended a helmet to me. “Come on. We’re already married. No backing out now.”
Eyeing the black helmet, I huffed as I snatched it. “Kai, don’t crash this goddamn bike, and don’t kill me and hide my body in the woods.”
“Never.”