The pain in his voice is clear, and I swallow hard.I will not cry. I will not cry…
“You didn’t tell me,” I say quietly. “All this time. There must have been a thousand different opportunities, but you didn’t. You wanted me dependent on you.”
“I wanted ya safe,” he interrupts. “When Uncle Cormac told me what they’d discovered about your- your possible grandfather, we were already married. I dinna tell ya because I wasn’t sure what kind of reception we’d get from Harris. Would he be concerned for your safety? Would he want to take ya out as a complication?”
“He told me he’d wanted to meet me right away and you insisted he wait for the ‘big wedding.’ Is that true?”
“I wanted time-”
“This isn’t about what you wanted!” Backing away, I smooth my hands down my sweater, trying to regain my self-control butit seems to be bleeding out, along with my heart. I know Kai doesn’t love me. But I thought he liked me enough to be honest. “I’m leaving with him. I’m as safe with one mafia family as with another, right?”
It’s taking everything in Kai to hold his temper, I can tell. The cords in his neck are straining from his tight jaw as he takes in a deep breath of air. “You’re my wife. Ya belong with me, little fox.”
“Don’t call me that!” Fuck, tears are welling in my eyes and I’m weakening. He has done everything he’d promised in those vows we took.
Except for telling me the truth.
“I’m leaving, Kai. Thank you for saving me on the island, and thank you…” My throat tightens, almost choking me. “For everything you’ve done. The cousins. Money for Hope House and the church. I just…” I look away. “I need to go.”
“I’ll come with ya.”
“You can’t. You know you can’t. This is where you have to be, protecting your people.”
He’s close now, close enough to touch me if he wanted to. That’s all it would take. Just an arm around my waist or a kiss.
“As you wish.”
With thatPrincess Brideperfect goodbye, my husband leaves the room without looking back.
Chapter Thirty-Four
In which Kai is forced into an epiphany.
Kai…
“Ya need to leave, Kenna.”
She’s planted firmly on the chair in front of my desk looking like she’s ready to handcuff herself to it if necessary.
“I’m thinkin’ ya need to talk this through,” she says, “process it with your sister. Who better? Also, Luna’s been gone for two days and I doubt you’ve slept and I know-” she wrinkles her nose elaborately, “-that ya haven’t showered.”
Ignoring her, I pour another drink. I’m halfway through the first bottle of scotch and there’s a second one waiting for me on the bar.
I believe in being prepared.
“Fine,” she says, “I’ll start. Did it never occur to ya to earn your wife’s trust by being honest with her in the first place, ya eejit?”
“Kenna…” I rub my eyes. When did I sleep last? “I’m five seconds from throwing this bottle at ya to make ya go away.”
“No, you’re not,” she says, unimpressed. “You’ve never laid a hand on us girls. What did she say when she left? Are ya calling each other? What’s your communication like?”
I finish my glass. “We haven’t spoken.”
“So, she thinks you’ve just washed your hands of her?” Kenna asks indignantly.
“I know she arrived safely. Collin was courteous enough to message me, but I have two men shadowing her who report back to me.”
My sister snags my scotch off the desk, drinking straight from the bottle. “I’ve never had a patient drive me to drink, but ya might be my first, brother.”
