Bound to Darkness (Doubeck Crime Family)

“Is he always like that?”

Kai laughs. “Yes, he is, except when he’s around Valentina. She brings out a different side of him. Just like you do for me.”

I smile and let him tighten his grip to squeeze me. “Oh, you want to see what’s in the box?”

I eye the tiny square he sets flat on the middle of his chest. “Some kind of jewelry, I assume.”

He opens the box, and my eyes shoot straight to the giant diamond in the middle. “Holy shit, you’d need your own security team to wear that outside.”

Gently, he slides the band onto my finger. Of course, it fits perfectly. “How did he know?”

Kai lays me back down and holds my hand up so we can both admire the sparkle of the diamond. “He’s good at those kinds of things, the smaller details.”

I drop my hand and roll to rest my cheek on his upper chest. “You didn’t have to give me a ring.”

“You think Valentina would feel the same way once she hears we are married and how we had to do it? I’m hoping the giant diamond will show her how much I really do care.”

I swat at his chest and roll my eyes. A voice breaks in from the doorway. “If you want to show me you care about my cousin, Kai, you could have invited me to the wedding.”

Gently, I climb off the bed and gather my cousin, my sister, into my arms. We both squeeze each other until we can’t stand it any longer and stare into each other’s faces.

“You’ve lost weight,” she mentions.

“You’re pregnant?” I don’t hide the shock in my tone, staring between Kai and Val.

He huffs. “I told you a while ago. You don’t remember?”

I frame my hands around her slight baby bump. “Well, there’s a difference between informing and seeing the actual proof with my own eyes.”

She tips her head toward me. “What about you, are you guys being safe?”

I don’t mention how I rode him covered in the evil queen’s blood, and neither of us used protection. If it happens, it happens, and I don’t think I’ll be upset about it. “Yes, we are being safe. Not a topic I want to go into, though, if that’s okay with you.”

She shrugs, and then leaves me to kiss Kai on the cheek. “We’ve missed you around here.”

“You mean Adrian has missed me, and he’s driving you insane with his hovering?”

Her smile makes my stomach flutter, reminding me of our childhood when smiles weren’t so precious and rare as they became when we got older.

Val heads for the door, and Kai tilts his head after her. “You can go with her, catch up, spend time together.”

I climb onto the bed and curl up beside him again. “Nope, I need to stay here and protect you from cougars on power trips.”

He chuckles, and I wince. “Sorry, too soon?”

“No, I’ve already forgotten about her.”

I kiss him softly, but he doesn’t let me get off easy, cupping the back of my head, holding me against him until I see stars and am breathing so fast I have to calm my heart again.

“You’re supposed to be resting. If Adrian finds out, he’ll be mad at me, and I fear what his version of a punishment will be.”

“Yeah, it might not be your thing.” Kai kisses my forehead, and I settle against him once more.

“Are we going to get pregnant? We weren’t exactly safe back there. What do you think about it?”

He shrugs. “If she’s your baby, then I’ll love her no matter what.”

“She’ll be your baby too, so…you’ll have to live with both of our chaos demons living in one child. That doesn’t sound terrifying?”