36. Mila
36
MILA
I stayed by Maverick’s side as he checked Silas over.
He was breathing.
I could see his chest pushing in and out with every harsh, unsteady breath he took, but his eyes were closed, and I…
My lips trembled, and I tried to keep it together.
Maverick looked up at me, but he didn’t say anything. I had a hard time discerning what that look in his eyes meant.
Movement caught my attention then, and I looked up to see Killian rushing over to us, his face darker than usual. His eyes were focused intently on Silas.
“Is he…?”
“No,” Maverick said. He pulled off his suit jacket and pressed it hard against Silas’ side. “He’s not dead.”
Silas let out a small groan then, and a sob escaped my lips.
Silas frowned. “Angel?”
I grabbed his hand. “I’m right here.”
“Why are you crying?”
I didn’t know how to answer him. I looked helplessly at Maverick and Killian.
“Did Killian bully you again?”
A watery laugh escaped my lips then, and I shook my head. “No, he didn’t.”
Silas’ face relaxed. “Good. I would hate having to kick his ass.”
Killian rolled his eyes, but I could see the stark relief on his face.
“Silas,” Maverick said. “I’m going to need you to stay awake. Dr. Lee is here, and he’ll come to us soon.”
I hadn’t even realized Dr. Lee was in attendance, but as soon as Maverick mentioned his name, he came up, a bag slung over his shoulder. “It’s a good thing I always keep an emergency bag in my car.”
Killian gently moved me out of the way to help make room for the doctor, and I watched as Maverick ripped off Silas’ shirt.
“You couldn’t resist taking my shirt off in front of all these people, could you? Only, all of this belongs to Mila,” Silas said, his voice, though weak, still held that playfulness that I loved so much.
“Even like this, he can’t shut up,” Killian said fondly. I didn’t know if I should laugh or cry.
I was trying so hard not to think about all that happened and give in to hysteria.
We waited as the doctor treated Silas.
“He’ll be okay. Thankfully, you stopped the bleeding, though he is going to feel the wound for a few weeks. I suggest lots of rest,” Dr. Lee finally said. I let out a small sigh of relief.
Dr. Lee smiled softly at me.
Tears were already streaming down my face, and I grabbed hold of Killian’s hand, trying to keep myself steady.
Maverick nodded, looked once at me, then back at Rachel and the woman Finley had pushed toward us before he looked out to the crowd.
Finley was now holding a man I assumed was his father at gunpoint, though I wasn’t sure why.
Wasn’t he a guest at the wedding?
I didn’t say anything as Maverick stood up and faced the crowd.
“Any last words, Uncle Fionn?” Maverick asked the older man.
Fionn spat on the ground. “Fuck you.”
Maverick smiled cruelly, and I had to remind myself that this wasn’t my Maverick but the head of the Tiernan crime syndicate.
He looked back at me, indecision on his face. I wasn’t sure why, but Killian did because he turned me around and pushed my face into his chest.
“Killian?”
“Shh, it’s okay, little firecracker. Just keep your face pressed here, and no matter what you hear, don’t look. Understand me?”
“No, why? What’s going on?”
Killian didn’t answer. He only tightened his hold on me, pressing one hand to the back of my head.
I couldn’t move even if I wanted to.
“Go ahead, Finley. This is your show now. And for remaining loyal to us, know that the syndicate has your back. We would help destroy any man who dares go against you.”
I tensed when Finley laughed.
“I have been looking forward to this for years.”
I turned my head slightly and peeked out. I didn’t think Killian noticed. I could see just a little from one eye.
I should have listened to him and not looked.
I kept my eyes on the scene unfolding before us, watching as Finley kicked the back of his father's legs. Watched as the older man fell to the ground, and Finley held his hand out.
Someone placed a long, nasty-looking metal blade in his hand.
I held my breath when he pulled his arm back and sliced through his father’s neck, cutting his head off.
The sound…
It was the kind of sound I was sure I would never forget. Along with the sight.
Bile rose in my throat as the head rolled on the floor of the church.
I couldn’t move.
I couldn’t close my eyes.
I couldn’t do anything at all.
Killian finally noticed I was looking, and he turned my face back to his chest, but it was too late.
“Fucking hell, what did I say, Mila?”
He told me not to look. But I still did.
And now I have to deal with that, along with the fact that I killed my first man today.
I was still in a state of shock when we finally got home hours later.
Killian helped Silas clean up while Maverick was with me.
We were in his bathroom, and he had placed me on the counter.
He kept casting worried glances at me, and I didn’t have it in me to tell him I was okay.
I wasn’t sure I was.
Maverick turned on the shower before walking over to me. He helped me stand in front of him, bending down until we were eye to eye.
He looked like he wanted to say something, but in the end, he didn’t. He helped me remove my wedding gown. It was no longer white or pretty. Many of the beaded pearls were gone, and it was currently stained black, brown, and red.
Not how I had imagined my wedding night to go.
Maverick let the dress flow down to my feet, taking in the white lingerie set I had on specifically for tonight.
My lips trembled.
They weren’t going to be enjoyed.
“Ah, baby. It’s okay.”
“No, it’s not. I put so much effort into picking out the perfect lingerie set, and now…”
“You look beautiful, with or without the lingerie. You know that, don’t you?”
I looked down.
Maverick slowly pulled the clothes away from me until I stood there naked in front of him.
He bent down and kissed my belly.
“So fucking beautiful,” he said, moving his lips and kissing my breasts, one and then the other. I could feel desire stirring inside me.
“Maverick.”
He nodded. “I know. When things are better, I’ll take my time and worship every single inch of your body.”
He stood up and started pulling out all the pins keeping my hair in place. I watched as he threw them into a small container until, finally, my hair flowed down to my back. Maverick stepped back and took me in, his eyes darkening in hunger.
I didn’t say anything as he began to undress.
He pulled off the suit jacket first, then his tie and shirt. I licked my lips, taking in all the hard ridges and ink on his torso as his hands went down to his pants. He pushed them down, along with his boxer briefs.
His cock bobbed between us. He was hard, but I knew he wasn’t going to do anything about it. He grabbed my hand and brought me to the shower.
I let out a small sigh as the warm water hit my skin, and Maverick worked to clean me up.
He was gentle and careful about it, as if he feared the slightest pressure might break me.
I felt breakable then.
Images of Sebastian falling to the ground flashed through my mind.
I killed him.
Killian might have shot him afterward—and I had a feeling he only did that so he could tell me not to feel guilty about killing Sebastian, but I knew, and he knew, Sebastian wouldn’t have survived that first shot.
I killed him.
I killed my first man today.
It didn’t matter that Sebastian had been hunting me down, trying to force me to marry him. It didn’t matter that he deserved it. I still killed him, and I wasn’t sure it would be something I could just drop without it affecting me somehow, someway.
Once we were both clean, Maverick turned off the water and helped me out. He dried us both off with towels, then turned me around, looking at me.
I didn’t know what triggered it.
One moment, I was fine. And then the next, a sob burst through, and I couldn’t stop crying.
“I’m sorry,” I said.
“Baby, why are you sorry?”
I couldn’t answer him. I didn’t know. I just… “I’m sorry.”
He pulled me to him and let me cry. “It’s okay. It’s okay. I got you.”
The bathroom door burst open then, and Silas came in.
He still looked pale and worse for wear. Killian was right behind him. They took one look at me, sobbing in Maverick’s arms, and moved over, surrounding me. Protecting me.
And I couldn’t stop crying.
“It’s okay, angel,” Silas said.
No, it wasn’t okay. But it had to be. We didn’t just go through all of that for it not to be okay.
I didn’t know what time of night it was, and at this point, I didn’t care. We were in bed, with me sitting between Maverick’s legs as he ran the brush through my hair.
Killian and Silas were both looking at me as if they were afraid I might break down again.
I was too exhausted to have another breakdown.
I winced when Maverick got to a tangle in my hair, and he kissed the top of my head in apology before working it out.
I patted his knee to let him know I was okay.
“Are you okay?” I asked Silas.
“I’m fine, baby.”
He was probably getting tired of me asking him that so often. I turned to Killian. “And you?”
“Fine,” he answered softly.
I looked back at Maverick. “What about you?”
He placed the brush down and pulled me closer until my back was pressed against his chest. He placed his palm down on my belly. “We’re all fine, little monster. And we’re going to be that way.”
Perhaps so, but it was going to take me a while to realize that.
“What happens now?”
“Now,” Silas began. “We live happily ever after.”
“I don’t think that exists.”
He smiled fondly at me. “Such a cynical little angel.”
Perhaps so. I pressed my hand over Maverick’s.
“You know our baby is going to be just fine, don’t you?” Maverick asked.
“I hope so.”
“I know so. Your inheritance, the one your grandfather gave you, is already drawn up to go to our child on their twenty-fifth birthday.”
I stilled. “What?”
Maverick smiled. “We had the contract drawn up days before the wedding.”
“Are you serious?”
“Yes, little monster. I want to make sure our child will always be taken care of, no matter what. And this is to show you we’re not marrying you for the inheritance, but because we love you.”
“I already know that,” I whispered. “I never doubted any of you.”
He went soft. “We know.”
I looked around at them. “But what if our child gets hunted down for this? Like me?”
Killian shook his head, grabbing my feet. He gently massaged my ankle. “We’re not your father, sweetheart. We can protect our child. And we will. This kid will be the safest kid in the world. The happiest, especially with a mother like you, to help direct it.”
I looked down.
He was telling me I had control over the raising of my child. That I would always have control.
All the fears I had about getting pregnant in this world seemed to just disappear, and what was left was a relief so pronounced, I almost cried.
I looked at each of my men. Their eyes expressed nothing but love—for me and for our unborn child.
Silas grinned when he caught my eyes. “Like I said, happily ever after, angel.”
I nodded, crying a little.
Finally, I felt like I could just let go of everything.