Chapter 47
Julian takes my hand as he makes a U-turn out of Dima’s driveway. We pass cop cars and dead men. As we’re pulling out onto the street, two EMTs speed toward Dima’s house.
We’re quiet, and I shut my eyes.
I immediately open them as the memory of me stabbing Dima’s man floats into my mind. At that moment, I zoned out, disassociated, and all I thought about was my baby’s and my lives.
After killing Dima’s guy, I had to either sit there in his blood or clean myself off. I was too scared to get in the shower, in fear that another one of his men could come after me, I had to scoot Dima’s body to the side to wet a washcloth in the sink and clean the blood from my body.
I changed out of his robe and back into my clothes, and I waited for the police. My body shook as I slouched in a corner, hiding, in case someone tried to kill me before they arrived.
Julian’s hand moves from mine when his phone rings. Grabbing it from the cupholder, he checks the caller ID before answering.
“Hi, Lora,” he says. “Yes, she’s safe.” Peering over at me, he mouths, “ Are you okay to talk?”
I nod, taking the phone from him.
“Hi, Lora,” I say around a gulp.
“Oh, Genesis,” she says, her voice hitching with emotion. “I’m so sorry. Going forward, I promise, I’ll do better at vetting who stays with us here. This should’ve never happened to you.”
“Lora, this wasn’t your fault,” I say. “You were only trying to help Sage. We all were.”
“I’m glad you’re safe, honey. Please keep in touch.”
“Of course.” After ending the call with her, I glance at Julian. “How’d Lora know Sage wasn’t innocent?”
“We watched the camera footage.” He clenches his jaw, tightening his fingers around the steering wheel. “Sage met with the men before she lured you out of the restroom. At first, we weren’t sure why, but as we started putting the clues together, we figured it out.”
“So, you know why?” I ask, my voice wavering.
He gives me a look, waiting for me to answer my own question.
“I know she was my sister,” I say with sadness. “Dima made a show of telling me before he shot Sage in the head.”
Not one expression passes over his face.
I swear, I can almost see him fighting back a smile.
“Ah,” he says. “I was wondering what had happened to her.” He makes a right at a Stop sign.
“You wondered, but didn’t care?”
“I hoped she’d faced the same fate as Dima.”
I frown. “That’s not very nice, Julian.”
His strong hand takes mine again. “It wasn’t nice for her to set you up.”
“That doesn’t mean she deserved to die.”
“She knew what would happen if Dima got to you. Had it not been for her actions today, you wouldn’t be shaking in my car after murdering two men.”
I stare down at our joined hands, noticing for the first time that I am shaking.
“Had she not set you up, I wouldn’t have been trying to come up with a plan to find you in fucking Russia. There was a chance Dima would kill you, but Sage didn’t worry about that either. She didn’t care whether you lived or died.”
My shoulders slump. “I wish she’d just told Dima no.”
“She didn’t, and that cost her, her life. Don’t feel bad for her.”
“Easier said than done.”
“I do not envy those with large hearts,” he says under his breath.
My mind is set when we get home.
I’ll block out everything bad that happened today.
Dima will not ruin this moment for us.
His darkness will not spoil our happiness.
I escaped him, killed him, and now, he’s no longer a threat.
Maybe Julian and I can get our happily ever after.
The air-conditioning is cold when we enter our home.
“Let’s get you cleaned up,” Julian says. “You need to rest. We’ll order takeout and eat in bed.”
“Are you staying with me tonight?” I whisper as he scoops me up into his arms.
“They’d have to kill me before I left your side.” He carries me upstairs, straight to the bathroom, and lowers me to my feet.
I kick off my flats as he turns on the water, and he returns to help me undress. After checking the water temperature, he kisses my forehead and helps me into the shower.
I sigh, tension gradually releasing from my muscles as the hot water splashes my body. Moments later, a naked Julian joins me. I scoot back, giving him room.
Tipping my head back, I allow water to run over my face and down my hair. As my head lowers, I pretend not to see the traces of blood running alongside the water down the drain.
I cleaned the blood off my body in Dima’s bathroom, but there was still some caked in my hair and beneath my nails. Julian soaps a washcloth and gently starts washing my body. I relax against his touch and the heat of the water.
Unlike me, Julian doesn’t seem exhausted at all.
This is just another day for him.
A single tear slips down my cheek.
I’m not sure what the tear is for.
What happened with Dima, that Julian saved me, or that I’m finally getting what we’ve talked about?
I gulp, mad at myself for getting emotional.
Everyone around me is ruthless. Maybe that’s how I need to be too.
“Julian,” I say, shutting my eyes.
He stops mid-grab of the shampoo and sets it down.
Stepping closer, he runs the pad of his thumb along my cheek.
“Genesis, everyone reacts to these situations differently. While some prefer to talk about it, others don’t.
We can talk about it right now, tonight, or any other time.
” He drops his head to kiss my cheek. “However, you’d prefer to get it out—tears, letting your anger out on me, whatever—I’m here for you. ”
Another tear falls down my cheek from the other eye.
I brush my fingers along his chest, my voice sounding hoarse as I say, “I was so scared, Julian.”
He drags me into his chest, holding me tight and resting his chin on my head.
“I killed a man,” I say against his skin. “I killed two men.”
He shakes his head. “Genesis, you fought for your life. That’s it.”
“I didn’t just fight for my life.” I inch back, grab his hand to interlace our fingers, and smooth it down my stomach. “I fought for our baby’s and my lives.”
He pauses, his gaze moving from my stomach to my eyes. “Are you serious?”
I shyly smile at him. “I am.”
A wide grin spreads across his face.
I’ve never seen him smile so big.
His lips brush against mine before he before drops to his knees and softly kisses my stomach. “We’re having a baby, Genesis.” Staring up at me, he blinks water from his eyes and then nuzzles his rugged cheek against my skin.
Reaching down, I run my hand through his hair. “We’re having a baby.”
A lightness forms in my chest, and excitement pours through me.
Today has been an emotional roller coaster.
It went from the high of seeing the positive signs on the pregnancy tests, to the horror of being kidnapped by Dima, to this intimate moment now.
This is what I fought for.
For this.
For us.
For our life together.
I wake up to an empty bed.
Reaching across it, I look around for Julian, but there’s no sign of him.
The bathroom light isn’t on, so I scoot out of bed, taking the sheet with me, and walk across the bedroom. A sliver of light shines from beneath the door. I ease the door open and tiptoe toward the banister. Peeking down, I see Julian sitting at the island, FaceTiming on his phone.
“I’m going to be a dad,” he says into the phone, Damien’s face on the screen.
“Are you serious?” Damien asks before I hear Pippa shout, “Oh my freaking God! You’d better not be lying!”
“Look at that big-ass smile on his face,” Damien points out. “He’s not kidding. After what happened today, other than when he found out Genesis was okay, that’s the only thing that could make him happy.”
“Awww, a happy Julian is a cute Julian,” Pippa comments cheerfully.
I crack a smile, imagining Julian narrowing his eyes at her too-happy tone.
“Look, honey, he’s growing a heart.” She claps. “I’m so happy for you two! Alessia is going to be so excited that she’s getting a cousin! Another Bellini baby! I need to call Genesis.”
“Not tonight,” Julian hurriedly says, as if he saw her reaching for her phone.
She sighs. “I know. Damien told me I had to wait until tomorrow.” Another sigh. “Poor thing, but also what a fucking badass. She killed a fucking Mafia boss.”
“Bratva,” Julian and Damien correct at the same time.
“Semantics,” Pippa shouts at them.
“All right, I have to go,” Julian tells them. “I just couldn’t wait to tell you, bro. I feel like I’m on top of the world.”
“You are,” Damien says. “I’m happy for you and Genesis, brother. I was worried about you for a while. It might’ve been hell for the both of you, but I’m happy Genesis was brought into your life. She’s who you needed to save you.”
I slam a hand over my mouth as tears prick at my eyes.
Jesus. Is this what pregnancy does to you?
I’ve never been much of a crier, but these tear ducts are a-flowing.
Julian tells them goodbye, and I dash back to the bedroom, jumping back into bed. I situate myself to how I was lying before, pretending to sleep as I hear Julian’s footsteps come up the stairs.
“I know you’re awake, eavesdropper,” he says with a chuckle. “You could’ve come down and joined the conversation.”
I sit up in bed. “I was trying to only be halfway rude.”
He’s shirtless, but since he put his sweats back on, he takes them off before climbing back into bed, wearing only his boxer briefs.
He reaches across the bed, dragging me closer, and I turn on my side to face him. I settle myself as he loops his arm around my shoulders, and I relax my head against his warm chest.
I trace one of his tattoos with my finger. “Two people who felt like they had no one will now have everything they’ve ever wanted,” I whisper.
He takes my hand, moving it from his chest, and trails kisses along my palm. “Destiny was just waiting for us.”
I let out a breath when he bends forward, spans his hands along the flares of my waist, and pulls me onto his lap so I’m straddling him.
“Thank you for saving yourself and our baby.” He opens his hand, smoothing it over my bare stomach.
“You were so brave, and you did it for us.” Grabbing the back of my head, he drags my face toward his.
“I’m ready for our future, Genesis. A real wedding, our baby— babies if you’ll let me be lucky enough to keep trying. Fuck a contract. I just want you.”
“A big Bellini family,” I whisper.
He nods, swiping his nose against mine. “A big Bellini family.”
“Just like your mother wanted.” I press a soft kiss to his lips, but he deepens it.
“I love you, Genesis,” he says when we finally take a break for air. “You are now the reason I’ll make sure I stay breathing. I never thought I’d be lucky enough for love. I always thought men like me didn’t deserve it, but even if I don’t, you’re giving it to me anyway.”