My phone buzzed in my hand. I didn’t need to look at the screen to know who was calling again. Rocco had been relentless, but I didn’t have the mental or emotional strength to deal with his questions or, worse yet, his possible involvement. It was quite the coincidence that he’d left right before everything went down. And what’s more, I wasn’t even sure how he found out. Though things like these circulate quickly in our circles, I couldn’t shake the suspicion.
I rubbed a rough hand down my face.
“You going to answer, babe?”
“It’s just Rocco. I already told him through text that I was fine.”
Her forehead creased. “How about I call him and tell him you’re already asleep.”
I pulled her in for another hug, kissed her hair, and whispered a thank you.
Holly had a crush on Rocco when we were teenagers, but he never reciprocated her feelings. There was a time I used to worry that she’d resent me for always having his attention, unwanted or not. But we were like sisters, and she understood I had no control over his emotions. Luckily, that puppy love dried up fast. Holly was a beautiful soul and deserved to be loved by someone who could appreciate that.
“Just because you two are canceling the honeymoon doesn’t mean you can’t have your fun,” she joked, motioning toward an approaching Kai.
“Hols, I don’t have the energy even if I wanted to, but also—mind your goddamn business,” I said with a laugh as I playfully shoved her away.
“I’m going to go check on Gio, and then I’ll be out.”
“Thanks.” I blew her a kiss.
“Where’s mine?” Kai circled my waist and drew me into his arms. I wasn’t sure when he and I had gotten this comfortable touching each other, but I wasn’t complaining. If ever I needed comfort, it was at this very moment. “You look exhausted.”
“Is that a polite way of telling me I look like hell?”
He chuckled and whirled me around. “Never. But I know you’ve been through a lot, and it’s late.”
“There’s no time to sleep, Kai. Whatever this is, it’ll be back. And what if next time, it’s at our doorstep?”
“I really want to focus on what you’re saying, but the words ‘our doorstep’ make that impossible.”
I reached down, threaded my fingers through his, and raised our joined hands. “You’re wearing my ring, and your cock has been in almost every hole of my body. I’m pretty sure you live here now.” I grinned.
“Almost? Fuck, we should remedy that.”
I laughed and let him pull me toward the bottom of the steps. “Have you ever felt so damn tired but also completely wired at the same time?”
He had already started to ascend the stairs when he froze before turning around. “Amalia, get cleaned up and meet me outside.”
“Cain, it’s nearly five in the morning. What do you mean?”
Kai brushed back a strand of hair, his eyes boring into mine. “You said you trusted me, right?”
The second those words left his mouth, my stomach fluttered in ways I hadn’t experienced in a long time—quite possibly never. He had no idea how hard it was to trust anyone outside my family, but he had somehow scaled the wall I had put up for the world.
“I do.” My voice was barely a whisper. He brushed his lips over mine, and I felt myself melting against him.
“Thank you.” The way he spoke and his relaxed expression told me that he was aware of just how pivotal that admission was.
But did I?
Dawn had yet to break the horizon as I walked outside to wait for Kai. When the door opened behind me, I whipped around, fully expecting to find my new husband, but was met with Eva and Valentina instead.
“Derek told me you and Kai were about to head out, and I know we’ll be gone by the time you come back, so I didn’t want to leave without saying goodbye or clearing the air between us.”
“I wasn’t aware the air needed clearing,” I said, calling her bluff and crossing my arms.
“Amalia, the last time we spoke, you basically called me a naïve, spoiled brat.”
