Chapter Seven
Parker.
I groan at my stitches. They’re fucking itchy, and I want to claw at them.
But baby girl is on it, putting another clean bandage on them so I can sleep without scratching and pulling the stitches.
She moves about the room like she’s got a second wind under her wings.
It’s just us now. Aleksi and Niko are downstairs, and Tildy has retired into the guest room for the evening.
I know Raven wants to be here, but she still looks kind of sick.
After she changes into one of Maksim’s large shirts, Sabrina helps me into bed and then climbs in with me.
I lift an arm to put it under her, and she immediately tucks herself into my side.
“What are you planning, pretty girl?”
“Everything, love. From everything that can go right to everything that can go absolutely wrong. Mostly… Mostly I’m planning a way to have Kane a sniffling, urine-soaked mess at my feet before I shoot him between the eyes.”
Fuck. That’s hot. “Your urine or his?” I ask, and she giggles.
“I’m not entirely sure it matters at this point. All I know is that I want him dead and gone and our husband back.” She sighs, letting out a soft yawn.
I let my thumb rub circles over the soft skin of her hip and grab her hand with my other, kissing every finger before letting it rest just below my chest. Below my new wound.
I hear her drift off, small little snores.
My mind can’t seem to stop scanning over that night.
The way Sabrina ran into the mansion, looking for Maks.
The way I was rushed from behind, not by one but by two big motherfuckers.
The pain in my chest throbs, and when I think about reaching for the bottle of Oxy, I stop myself.
I would rather feel the pain and remember that I’m alive than numb myself and fall into a fever dream.
Life is too short to not feel everything it throws at you. Even if it hurts.
All this has done is make me want to hold Sabrina tighter and have the longest life I can live at her side.
When I clutch her to me, she wakes up a bit only to kiss me, to reassure me she loves me, and then nestles back into me.
We have so much to do in the morning when the capos get here.
Traveling. Shit. She’s gonna have to push school back again.
I’m not even sure if Tildy being here is a good thing or not.
I take a deep breath and begin my own mantra.
I am alive. Though I've been through the valley of the shadow of Death, I have conquered evil and have no fear.
Demons see me rise and seek refuge. Though I am but a man, I am greater than the shadows that perch themselves above me.
They do not have access to my mind nor my soul.
I am the unconquerable. My demons fear me…
And I repeat that.
Over and over until my eyes flutter closed and I fall into a restful sleep with my girl by my side.
I blink awake in the morning to the sounds of someone knocking.
I let out a sigh, willing myself to wake back into this distorted reality, and rub my hand down my face.
Fuck. I clear my throat. “Yeah?” I lean over, land kisses on her temple to wake Sabrina, making sure to give her hip a squeeze, then sit up.
When I don’t hear an answer, I call out for them to come in.
“Hey man,” Aleksi walks in. “Dons are here. And, uh, Aristide is on his way. Niko just picked him up from a private tarmac.”
Sabrina sits up like a doll. “That’s not good, is it?”
Aleksi’s brown eyes roam over us, and he gently shakes his head, dirty blonde hair falling forward. “The news needs to be broken to him gently. I think Maks would hate it if the old man croaked and he didn’t get to say goodbye.”
Sabrina gets out of bed and shoves her hair into a messy bun on her head.
“The good thing is we’ve got somewhat of a plan started.
If I know my mum, she’s already got plans running, getting the Barclay estate ready and fully staffed.
” She grabs her phone from the bedside. “Oh, good. Jonny’s almost here.
We’ll begin to make more plans to set up Casino Night with Mother.
Let me call Raven. It’s almost nine. Jonas will be at practice.
Maverick and Damon have their jobs to do as well. You know, I really despise Mondays.”
I can feel her anxiety kicking in, but she takes a sharp breath. “What are you thinking, baby?”
“We’ll need a new headquarters. We can’t exactly run an entire operation from across the pond. I’ll need unfettered access to the Winters’ Manor in Wales. The less staff, the better.” Peridot eyes roam over our surroundings. “I’ll need to talk to my father. See if he knows anything.”
“Do you think that’s such a good idea?”
She rubs at her temples. “I don’t know anything, love. We’re going in blind. Everything I do from here on out is going to feel like a really bad movie written by very high college students with D-list actors trying to make a comeback.”
Aleksi laughs. “Hey, the acting might be terrible, but some of those movies are terribly good.”
I peer over at my girl, hating all the worry and tension in and around her eyes. “The good thing is we have one of the best actresses available.”
Her gaze snaps to mine. “Who?”
“You, babe. You had the whole world fooled that you were perfect for three years. Other than us, you still have the entire world fooled.”
Aleksi nods and brings his big-ass hand to his face, rubbing across the stubble along his jaw. “So then we plan as we see fit. Lots of improv on your end.”
“All the world’s a stage.” Sabrina sighs.
“It’s showtime, baby.” I grin and don’t miss the smirk forming on her face.
When I get downstairs, there’s a lot of suits and ties sitting around the large kitchen table, and in the middle, Aristide Giordano.
I greet them all with firm handshakes and lean down to kiss Il Capo dei Capi on each cheek as a sign of respect.
Which means a lot of this conversation is about to take place in Italian.
I was practicing my Italian with both Maks and Bri before this all went to hell, so I'm hoping I can understand and my brain hasn't exactly found a way to forget it all in such a short amount of time.
Men in tactical gear are either sitting or standing patiently around the large space, but they're otherwise ready to go at the drop of a hat. Aleksi has a pretty fuckin’ badass home.
It’s almost like a fortress; even the fence around his sizable yard is about ten feet tall.
I take my usual spot against the wall, keeping an eye on everyone.
I’m a sconce on the wall once again, but this time with purpose.
Niko stands up and greets me. “I’ll translate for you.”
I dip my chin while keeping my eyes on Sabrina. “I appreciate that.”
Tildy comes down next, and she’s introduced to everyone again even though she met them all at Sabrina and Maks’ wedding not even six months ago.
Goddamn. Six fucking months. That’s all it took for it to go to shit just when things were finally getting good.
Better than good. They were fucking perfect.
Once Tildy takes a seat, my eyes trail up the steps when I hear a set of heels click-clacking to see my girl looking deadly in sleek, black pants that flare at the ankle, a tight white shirt that falls off her shoulders, minimal makeup but eyes lined sharp, and her hair pulled back in a high ponytail.
I haven’t seen that ponytail since she was interning at Winters Tildy begins tapping her index finger to the top of her mug, staring at Sabrina, lips pursed and eyes slightly narrowed.
She looks at me like she has something real fucking peculiar she wants to say.
I tap Sabrina’s thigh under the table and jut my chin to her mom when she glances at me.
I can tell Sabrina is seeing the same thing I’m seeing. How Tildy’s demeanor has changed extensively with an arch of a brow. “Spit it out, Mum.”
“There has only ever been one thing in this life I’m sure Kane has ever wanted and has fought for, Sabrina.”
I can feel when Sabrina holds her breath. “Well?”
“You. He negotiated for you. He stuck by your side as children. He watched over you. Did his best to protect you when he could. By the looks of things, you two were to be set in stone.”
Sabrina gags. “Oh, I’m sorry. That—” She gags again. She stands up quickly and goes to the bathroom, coming back later with watery, red-rimmed eyes, telling me that made her physically ill.
“That’s right, darling. Get it all out now. Because you’re about to have to swallow it all down later,” Tildy murmurs.
Sabrina leans against the wall, holding her stomach. “Mum. You can’t possibly be saying what I think you’re saying.”
“What isn’t she saying?” Aleksi asks out loud, obviously confused.
Tildy lifts the teacup, resting her elbows on the table, pinkies out. “The next course of action is to seduce the little Syndicate prince.”
Sabrina gags, covering her mouth with a trembling hand, then stomps her foot. “MUM! STOP IT! I’m wearing Dior!”
“Oh yes, darling. I’m afraid your acting skills are about to be put to the very test.”
She gags again, then groans. “Oh, fuck me.”