“Oh my, cana!” she cries, squeezing me tight. I pull her closer, the smell of her clean smelling perfume a godsend. I didn’t realize how much I missed her.
Pulling away by an armslength she looks me over.
“You’re so tan and practically glowing!” She beams, making me laugh. Her eyes sweep over my shoulder and her face falls, her eyes narrowing in on Kieran. I take it they met when he came to inspect my room for clues of where I’d be.
“What is he doing here?” She sneers.
“Mom-ma.” I shake my head. “We’ll talk about it later.”
“There’s nothing to talk about. Get out!” she screams, pointing to the front door. Kieran gives an annoyed look and kisses me on the cheek.
“I’ll be back soon,” he whispers before opening the door to leave. Standing on the other side is Dominic. Kieran and he give each other a deadly scowl and I fear there will be a shoot-out right here on the foyer if I don’t intervene. The press would fucking love that. Two rival families going at it in the streets of Manhattan.
“Dominic, you’re here.” I smile, stepping in between him and Kieran. He finally takes his eyes away and looks down at me, and then to my wrapped arm.
“What happened? Who hurt you?” He tries to push me out of the way to get in Kieran’s face but I refuse to move.
“Don’t! If it wasn’t for him I’d be dead!” I shout, pushing him farther inside the house. He takes a few steps back, a glower on his face as he stares Kieran down.
“I’ll see you later, I tell Kieran before shutting the door.”
My mother and Dominic both glare at me with unapproving eyes. I wasn’t expecting to come home to this. Is it too late to turn around and go back to the cabin?
“I didn’t even notice your arm, what did he do?” my mother clips, automatically assuming Kieran hurt me. Ignoring her badgering, I go into the dining room and sit, letting them both take a seat as they bicker about it.
“I was shot,” I finally tell them and both of their eyes widen.
“What the fuck Leona!” Dominic stands, his chair nearly falling over. “I knew I shouldn’t have let you go alone. Why didn’t you call me? Why didn’t you tell me you were in trouble?”
His eyes furious, chest puffed out, he shouts at me as if I’m a kid and I instantly think of Kieran. Would he allow one of his men to talk to him like this?
“Sit!” I order him, and his attitude slips from his face. “I said sit or get the hell out.” I lift my chin, pulling all the courage and strength I have inside of me to the surface. If my father is not coming back, I guess it’s time I start showing everyone who is in charge around here. Right?
“We were attacked, and Kieran is taking care of it now. His brother showed up with a doctor and fixed me up right there in the cabin,” I explain to them.
“Do you know who did this?” Dominic asks, his arms on the table and hands fidgeting.
“One of the men told Kieran it was his father, Emilio, but we don’t know if that is for certain. They knew they were going to die, they could have said anyone’s name.” I shrug, knowing how torturing works, but only because Dominic has told me.
“I can’t believe you were going to let her marry into that famiglia,” Dominic insults my mother and my eyes flick to him with fury.
“I’m not marrying him,” I interrupt his tantrum and stand, placing both of my hands on the table. “Not that it’s your business, but Kieran has agreed to give whatever this is time. To see if we’re right for each other,” I explain further.
“Which you’re not. Your enemies, they want nothing more than to wipe us out and take our territory. His dad will be top boss of all of New York!” Dominic raises his voice, and my nails curl into the table, scratching at the fine paint. He’s pissing me off. He doesn’t know anything about Kieran, or the man that he can be. He knows what the tabloids have told him, what whispers around the streets say in the midst of the darkest nights. But I’ve seen the smile on Kieran DeAngelo, the caring touch, and the heartfelt laughter he’s capable of.
If he’s a monster, then he’s my monster.KieranPulling up to the docks, I put the car in park and get out. I swipe my hands down my suit to drag out any wrinkles and pull my gun out to make sure it’s unlocked and ready to kill if I must. My love for my father is complicated, but if he tries to kill me today, I will be the first to draw blood.