Chapter 27 #2
“If we have a daughter, how will that change?” She can’t hide with her hair out of her face and secured with a pin. Instead, I give her a safe place by raising my arm and tucking her into my body.
We’re married, I can give her comfort without the world thinking she’s weak for it.
“If we have children, male or female, everything changes, mia cara moglie. They can go to college, be and do whatever they want, and most importantly, love whoever they want too,” I murmur as we walk. “We’ll break generational curses, and they’ll never need to worry about an arranged marriage.”
Most of all, they’ll never worry that one of us will try to kill them at any point in their lives.
“I’m not my parents,” she whispers.
“And I’m not mine. We can and will do much better, baby. I promise.”
* * *
One week later
ROSALIA
“The Salvatore family called Nico today,” I say, getting off the mat at the gym.
While Donna Ilaria is doing her best to push the narrative that everyone should look away from the train wreck that is the Accetta family, I’m not naive enough to believe everyone will agree.
“What do they want?” Dario groans. “Is that why you beat the shit out of me?”
“That was just for fun,” I tease him. “I told you I fight dirty.”
“Dirty isn’t the half of it,” he whimpers, forcing himself onto his knees.
It’s not my fault he gave me an opportunity to strangle him.
We’ve been sparring more often and have been to the gun range twice this week.
Looney is allowing me to spend time there in an effort to build good faith.
He called the number attached to the credit card receipt and personally invited my pack to use his range.
Something tells me he’s been listening to the rumblings of gossip surrounding the murders happening in Savannah and he wants to be on the right side of things. While I don’t blame him, I’m not the kind of person to hold grudges. He didn’t know who I was or if I could shoot a gun.
As a business owner, he’s allowed to ask questions.
“The Salvatore family wanted to know if I was going to allow my wife to enter into a war. I told them the streets can run red for all I care, and that my wife leads at my side,” Nico grumbles. “I know you said you didn’t want to lead, Rosa, but I don’t think you have much choice.”
“Ugh. When I said that, I really meant that I didn’t want to lead a dead family,” I admit. “Alright, let’s change it up. I want to see your version of fighting, Nico.”
“Not it!” Dario says, touching his nose. Pablo and Ciro follow, leaving Verona to roll her eyes.
“Dammit,” she sighs. “If you promise to kiss all of my bruises, I’ll agree to be the guinea pig.”
Nico’s eyes widen, even as he grins viciously at her.
Things are changing between us all. Ciro and Dario are sleeping in the living room of the guest house, having complained that they no longer want to stay alone in the rental.
While we’re existing in close quarters, the Turley’s agreed to sell their house to us, and we’ll be getting the keys to the property at closing in a few days.
Since we’re paying in cash and the Turley’s had already started to pack, the wait time is greatly reduced.
I’ve noticed Verona is starting to soften toward the guys over the last few days.
They insist on serving her as well as Pablo and I, and ask for her opinion of things more often.
My girl is really fucking smart, and as a debutante in this city, she knows the rules that exist here.
While I fight with weapons, her words can cut just as easily.
I never went with her to those parties because I wasn’t allowed to and it’s not my world, so I didn’t get to see how she could make others dance to her tune.
I always thought Verona was sweet to everyone, but she is perfectly Southern.
Her tongue is honeyed and poisonous, often in the same breath as she speaks to others.
Cassidy and Vero have been making the rounds together to talk up the charity event we’re putting together this week.
The money we gather for it will be going toward a homeless shelter that’ll be able to help displaced omegas.
Cassidy told me about how Minneapolis has one, and that it does incredible work.
I hate how unsafe my city is becoming, and I want to change that. If I’m going to kill my entire family at this thing, I may as well ensure the money goes somewhere that’ll make a difference.
Cassidy has been telling me how Verona works a crowd, and it has solidified this for me: my alpha’s sweetness appears to be reserved primarily for me, and I never even knew it.
“I promise to kiss every one of them,” Nico murmurs, walking over to her. “I am going to turn my back to you, and you’re going to jump me, okay?”
Moving to where he was sitting, I collapse into a heap. Maybe that’s a little dramatic, but I’ve been feeling achy recently. I’ve starting sleeping in Nico’s shirts, and find myself cleaning the most random things. The other day, I cleaned the grout in the bathroom with a fucking toothbrush.
This isn’t nesting, it’s trying to channel chaotic energy and figure out how to make sense of it. I’m also a little more moody. Pablo joked that he was going to give me orgasms until I’m nice again. I told him not to offer unless he could deliver.
See? I feel like I’m a moody bitch.
Ugh, I hate feeling off balance like this. Dario asked if I wanted to talk to the doctor, but I don’t feel comfortable talking to Dr. Walsh about my emotional state. It’s a weird situation because deep inside, I know he’s remorseful.
Tucking my legs underneath me, I watch as Verona jumps onto Nico’s back and uses her arm to choke him out.
I had to insist that the Domino brothers not wear their shock collars to spar, and it makes me wonder if I’ll have to say similar things to our children one day.
I’m quickly coming around to the idea of kids.
My largest hangup was my fear of becoming my parents. I’m a logical person, and I try not to let my bad experiences rule my entire life. Despite the way my father routinely traumatizes me, and how thinking about sex makes me break out into a cold sweat.
I know Nico and Pablo would never hurt me, and I’m even coming around to Dario and Ciro, but I still have a difficult time thinking about losing my virginity.
“You’re thinking really loudly,” Pablo murmurs, sitting beside me. “Take a really deep breath, baby. You’re not breathing.”
Stupid. The black spots in front of my face clue me in on the lack of oxygen I’m consuming and how my seemingly logical thoughts were actually a fucking spiral.
Sucking in a shaky breath, I glance at Pablo to find him nodding approvingly.
“Kick his ass, mama!” he yells, not looking in Verona’s direction.
She screams, and I glance in her direction as Nico fucking drops his weight by falling backward. Vero releases him and rolls away just in time, and Nico huffs out an evil chuckle.
“I’m coming for you.”
“Fucking bring it,” she squeaks.
“You’re still thinking too hard,” Pablo sighs, dragging me into his lap. “Want to talk about it?”