He laughed outright. “My bestie, huh?” The back of his fingers caressed my face. “He’s good to my sister. And I’m glad he’s been there for her, protecting her when I couldn’t.”
“Of course, the villain gets the girl, and now he’s a new man. Maybe someone will write a book about his harrowing story of redemption.”
Silas leaned over and kissed Valentina on the forehead. “Don’t listen to her, nugget. She’ll come around.” His warm eyes were on me now. “She always does.”
I raked his nape with my fingernails, pulling him in for a kiss, and whispered in his ear. “Thank you for almost killing me and fucking me with my own knife. It’s been one hell of a ride… many of them. I love you.”
He exhaled a long breath, eyes still closed. “How soon did you say Derek would be here?”
I smiled against his lips as little hands gently patted the sides of our faces. “Soon,” I said, my attention back on the baby. “And please stop calling my niece that horrendous nickname.”
“She loves it.”
“She’s eight months old and eats pureed peas. She doesn’t know what she loves.” The alert on our phones went off just as Silas got to his feet. “Speak of the devil himself.”
“Behave,” Silas said as he approached the front door.
“Or else what?” I teased.
“Just wait.” His voice was husky and promised a satisfying Wednesday night.
Derek Cain stood at our door with a broad smile as he greeted Silas. Anyone who loved Eva was an automatic friend and ally. And while he and I bickered and feigned hatred, I’d be lying if I said our relationship hadn’t improved over the last several months.
But what was the fun in playing nice?
When Valentina’s eyes found her father, she squealed and bounced frantically, reaching for him as if he’d disappear any second. He scooped his little girl in his arms, nearly melting into a puddle and raining down kisses on her cheek and forehead.
He was in so much trouble.
“Sorry, I’m late,” he said, eyes still fixed on his baby. “I had to stop by Kai’s.”
“More time with Vali is always great.” I pulled her face toward me and popped a kiss on the top of her head. “Keep him up for me tonight, okay?”
Derek shook his head and actually smiled at my joke. An apology and a crack on that stony face of his. I’d call that progress.
If someone had told me three years ago that Derek Cain would be in my living room, baby bag slung on one shoulder, his infant daughter on the opposite hip, pulling at his ear, I would have laughed and slapped them. Yet here we were.
Silas said goodbye to his nugget and walked the pair to the door. “I’ll see you all this weekend at Franco’s.”
While Silas still had no memory of his life before Hades, he’d integrated back into his family, though his relationship with Franco remained somewhat rocky. With the circumstances surrounding his supposed death and his father’s involvement, it was difficult for them to reconcile, especially because of what transpired in his life, who he became, and everything he’d done as a result. It was one of the reasons Silas decided to keep his name as it was. Despite having lived through his attempted murder, Frankie Cruz had, in fact, died that day.
As Derek crossed the threshold, he turned and reached inside his jacket pocket, pulling out a black envelope sealed with gold wax. “From Kai.”
With nothing else but a nod, Derek and Vali were gone.
“What is it?” I asked, taking the squared piece of mail. “Looks like an invitation.” As I slipped a finger under the sealed flap, Silas tore it from my hands, tossed it on the entryway table, and chucked me over his shoulder.
“Whatever it is can wait. I need you, love.”
I laughed and pinched his ass. “Si, our dinner will be here any minute—” Like clockwork, the chime went off again.
“Fuck.”
A half-eaten box of pepperoni pizza sat in the middle of the table, Si and I on opposite ends. He knocked back a beer, leaning against the seat, his eyes on me and looking so damn good I was suddenly ravenous.
The bottom of my wineglass hit the table with a loud clank.
Silas held his beer, frozen mid-sip, his expression one of shock and amusement. “Leni, love…are you okay?”
