“I’m sure Kaz can work all that out with you. For now, it’s all yours. What you do from here, is up to you.” He slaps his knees, then stands up.
“All right. Thank you.”
Kaz walks him out while I sit in a daze.
My phone sings out Kara’s ringtone. Leave it to her not to wait even a single second before wanting the story. I swear she has a sixth sense about these things.
“So? What happened? What’d the lawyer say?”
“Uncle Vicente lied about everything.”
She huffs. “How unlike him. So? What’s going to happen now?”
“Tommy stays with me. Tony gave me custody. And everything else—” Gingerly, I sink back in the chair. The pain is better but not gone completely. Every movement is a lingering reminder.
“It’s all mine, Kara.”
She squeals. “Everything?”
“Yeah,” I laugh. “Uncle Vicente was holding the reins of it all, he made promises to Dante I think to keep him in line, but…it was all mine this entire time.”
“So all this mess, forcing you down the aisle, holding Tommy over your head, it was all bullshit?” She blows air into the phone. “Whatever your husband did to him wasn’t enough.”
“I still don’t know what he did, exactly.”
“Does it matter? Your uncle is gone. All of that drama, gone.”
“Not really. If it’s all mine, that means I’ve also gained business associates.” I move to stand, wincing slightly.
“That’s okay. Kaz will know what to do with them.”
“I’m not sure he knows what to do with me,” I say.
“What does that mean?”
“He’s been weird since I got home. Distant again.”
“You scared him, Sienna. If you saw him the way I did in the hospital you wouldn’t even be questioning it. He was terrified of losing you.”
Memories flash, words being whispered in the dark. My hand being held, my cheek being kissed, but it’s all so far away I can’t remember anything in full.
“Do you think a man like him is capable of loving someone like me?” I ask.
“He already does.” A deep voice surprises me from the doorway.
“What was that?” Kara hurries to question. “Was that him? Ugh! I should have stayed longer.”
When I turn around, Kaz steps inside the office, shutting the door behind him.
“I think I need to go.”
“Fine. Call me right after!” She yells just before I hit end on the call.
“Were you listening to my phone call?” I tease, unsure if I’m ready for the conversation coming.
His body is stiff, and his eyes have that stone hard look he gets when he’s about to bark orders. He’s in full alpha-male mode.
And while it makes my mouth—and other parts—water when he has such a controlled, confident, dominating demeanor, his distance the past few days suggest I may not like what’s coming toward me.
