Chapter Thirty-Four Ava
A fter exchanging numbers and god knows what else with Nick, Brody headed back to Boston. Nick lounged at the kitchen table finishing my leftovers while I cleaned the kitchen.
“So you and the Mafia Don?” he teasingly questioned.
I rolled my eyes. “Dare is not a Don. His brother is the leader of their clan, and since they’re not Italian, he’s not considered a Don.”
Nick waved his fork absently. “His status in the clan is not what I was asking about.”
Picking up a sponge, I began scrubbing the omelette pan. “The alleged Mafia Don has a name, which you well know.”
“And you were screaming that name last night, weren’t you?”
His words caused me to drop the pan, which sent sudsy water spraying over my shirt. Whirling around, I asked, “You heard me?”
Nick’s eyes bulged. “You really screamed his name? I was just teasing you.”
Warmth flooded my cheeks. “Yes, we slept together last night.”
“And you screamed his name.”
“I said his name. I’m not sure about screaming it.”
“So it was as good as you remembered?”
I sighed. “Oh yes.”
Nick rose out of his chair to bring me a plate. “What happens now? You know, besides more hot monkey sex.”
I smacked his arm. “For your information, it was much more making love last night than monkey sex. Well, at least the first round.”
“You still didn’t answer my question.”
With a shrug, I replied, “We’re together.”
“Just physically?”
“No. Emotionally. He was talking about staying here to be close to us.”
Nick snorted. “You two have never taken it slow, have you?”
“Considering we started a relationship with a bang, no, we don’t.”
As he leaned back against the counter, Nick’s expression grew serious. “After everything you two went through, all is forgiven?”
“While I still don’t agree with his lifestyle, I understand him better now. As for forgiveness, it’s me who will be earning his for keeping Piper from him.”
“And breaking his heart four years ago.”
Grimacing, I replied, “And that.” After I rinsed the plate Nick had given me, I asked, “What do you think Mom and Dad are going to say?”
He made a face. “Good question.”
“They never liked Dare, so I can’t imagine they’re going to be stoked we’re back together after all this time.”
Nick placed his hands on my shoulders. “Just like I told you four years ago, the decision is yours, not theirs.”
“I know. I just hate to disappoint them.”
With a grin, he said, “You already got divorced and then knocked-up. There’s not much else you could do.”
“Ass!” I replied, while whipping him with the end of the towel.
“When do you plan on telling them?”
“Tonight.”
For as long as I could remember, my parents had held a standing family dinner at the restaurant on Saturday nights. If you could make it, great, and if you couldn’t, that was fine, but also be prepared to be extremely guilted for missing.
Piper burst through the garage door with Dare on her heels. “Mommy, look at my kitties!”
My brows furrowed. “Kitties?”
“Mm, hmm, we gots two.”
Oh no he didn’t. Crossing my arms over my chest, I narrowed my eyes at Dare. “And why did we have to get two?”
“Because they were littermates and a bonded pair,” he explained with a sheepish look.
“I believe I agreed to only one kitten.”
“But they’d both been the victims of abuse. Even after being tortured, he was trying to save his sister. They couldn’t be apart.”
“And were they the only kittens at the shelter?”
Dare rubbed the back of his neck. “Not exactly.”
“Unbelievable,” I growled.
“Guess what else Dare’s doin?” Piper said.
“There’s more than two cats?” I gritted out.
She nodded. “He’s gonna take me on his pwane to see cousins.”
“That’s great, honey.”
“And we’s goin’ today!”
“No, Piper, we’re not doing that today.”
“But Dare?—”
“Dare doesn’t make plans for us.” Pinning him with a glare, I replied, “He doesn’t know that we have dinner with Yaya and Pappouli at the restaurant every Saturday night.”
“But I wants to go on a pwane!” Piper pleaded.
After glancing between me and Dare, Nick said, “Come on, Pipes. Let’s go get your kitties set up in your room.”
Her pouting lips turned slightly upward at the prospect. She then happily followed him to the stairs.
Once she was out of earshot, Dare held up his hands. “Look, I’m fully aware that I’m in deep shit, and I deserve everything you’re about to throw at me.”
“How could you possibly tell her you’d take her to New York today?”
“Because I have the plane and the time, and I wanted her to meet some of her family.”
“How do you think it makes me feel that I’m her mother, and you didn’t even check with me.”
“I intended to take you with us.”
“That still doesn’t answer my question.”
“I guess because I’m her father.”
“You’re not on her birth certificate, Dare. Legally you are nothing to her.”
His expression clouded over. “Whose fault is that?” Before I could open my mouth to argue, he shook his head. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said that.”
“No, you shouldn’t.”
He leaned back against the counter and shook his head. “This fatherhood thing has me spinning.”
“That’s understandable.”
His shoulders drooped, and he put his head in his hands. “I’m such a fuck up.”
“No, you’re not.”
“Yeah, I am. I’m saying and doing all the wrong things.”
“No, you’re not.” When he shot me a look through his fingers, I said, “Well, for the most part you’re not.”
With a sigh, he righted himself. “Look, I’m really sorry. I shouldn’t have offered to take her to see Maeve.”
“I don’t mind you taking her. I just wanted you to ask me first.”
“In the future I will.” He grimaced. “Except for maybe the cats.”
“Excuse me?”
“They’re a bonded pair, and Piper had to have the orange menace. She wouldn’t even consider any of the others.”
“You’re going to have to be tough with her. I know you feel guilty for what you’ve missed with her, but that doesn’t mean you get to spoil her like with the plane while I play the bad guy.”
“You’re absolutely right. I’m still playing the spoiling uncle rather than the dad,” he replied as his phone buzzed.
“That’s not a bad thing. Well, it is when there’s two cats peeing and shitting in the litter box,” I mused.
When Dare’s head remained buried in his phone, I demanded, “Dare, are you listening to me?”
He jerked his head up. “Two of my men just apprehended Wesley outside a gun store in Rockport. Along with the gun, he had rope, bleach, and trashbags in his trunk.”
Just the mention of Wesley sent a shudder through my body. Realizing what he was intending sent me rushing over to the sink where I heaved up the contents of my breakfast. Over and over I retched.
Dare was at my side in an instant, rubbing my back and telling me nothing was going to happen to me.
When there was nothing else left in my stomach, I swiped my mouth on my sleeve and fought the shakes going through me. “Baby, it’s over. He’s over.”
I bobbed my head. “I-I know. I-It’s just thinking about if you weren’t here what c-could’ve happened to me…and Piper.”
Dare drew me into his arms. “I’m here. As long as I draw breath, nothing is going to happen to you or that little girl. And should something happen to me, my family will always protect you.”
At his allusion to his death, I pushed out of his embrace. “Promise me you won’t do anything that could take you away from me and Piper.”
Even as the words left my lips, I knew they would be in vain. Belonging to the world that he did, Dare couldn’t possibly make that promise. But I still wanted to hear the words. I wanted to believe the lie.
“I promise,” he said.
At the words, I wrapped my arms tight around him. “Thank you,” I whispered.
“Can Nick stay with you today?”
“Yeah. Why?”
“I need to go back to Boston to take care of some business.”
I tilted my head to look at him. With his clenched jaw, his expression was tense. “You’re going to take care of Wesley.”
“Aye, I am.”
An image from four years ago of Dare bloodied from torture flashed in my mind. “Why can’t you just let your men do it?”
“Because it’s personal.” He brushed his knuckles down my jawline. “He hurt what was mine.”
“I’m yours?”
“Absolutely.”
Overwhelmed, I clung to Dare as a dizzying flurry ran through me. “This is all happening so fast. We weren’t even speaking yesterday, and now you’re standing in my kitchen calling me yours.”
“You and I don’t know how to take things slow, remember?” he teased.
I laughed. “You’re right. We don’t.” As I ruminated on that thought, I asked, “Will you be back by seven?”
He furrowed his brows. “What’s at seven?”
“Dinner with my parents.” When he threw his head back with a laugh, I questioned, “What’s so funny?”
“You were just worried about us moving too fast, but you want me to be at dinner with your parents?”
I smacked my head to my forehead. “You’re right.”
“I’m just teasing you.”
“You’re right. I was going to make us official with them.”
He groaned. “They were never fond of me, and that was before I was an absent father.”
“That wasn’t your fault.”
“Do they know that?”
“Yes, they do.”
He stared intently into my eyes. “Do they know why you broke things off?”
“Yes. The cat’s out of the bag on that one.”
“After what they experienced in Greece, I’m their worst nightmare for their daughter.”
Although he was right, I didn’t have the heart to tell him that. Regardless of what had happened with Preston, he had been a safe choice for me. Of course, the adage that looks can be deceiving had been played out with Wesley.
Placing my hand on his chest, I said, “They will come to see you for the man you truly are.”
As Dare leaned in to kiss me, Piper appeared in the doorway with the kittens in her arms. “Ew, no kissing!”
Dare laughed as he leaned his forehead against mine. “Now I know what my siblings meant about kids being cockblockers,” he whispered.
“They truly are,” I mused.
Despite Piper’s aversion, Dare gave me a quick kiss on the lips. “I’ll see you tonight.”
I nodded. “Be careful.”
I realized how ridiculous I sounded telling my mafia boyfriend to be careful as he drove back to the city to torture and kill my ex.