My eyes are on the windows opposite us, staring at the tall building surrounding ours, watching as the sun slowly begins to sink from the sky.
"Are you okay?" he asks, his warm breath tickling my ear.
I nod, turning to face him.
"It's strange," I admit, resting my head against his collarbone, reaching up to stroke my fingers along his beard as I talk. "I'm glad he's gone. It's like a weight has been lifted off my shoulders, knowing I no longer have to be on high alert, worried that someone is going to come after me."
"But?" he prompts.
"But my chest still aches."
Moving his hand from Jellybean's head, he wraps both of his arms securely around my body, pulling us closer together.
"I knew you'd be conflicted." Pressing a gentle kiss against my forehead, he sighs. "It's natural to feel that way, I think. He may have been cruel, and you may have hated him, but he was still your brother. He was still family."
We sit in silence for a few moments, snuggled up beneath the blanket, eyes locked onto each other, and small smiles tugging at our lips.
"It's crazy how we've got here, don't you think?"
I nod, chuckling as I rest my head against his shoulder.
"Just a few weeks ago, we were complete strangers, thrust into an arrangement none of us wanted to be a part of, clawing at each other's throats every chance we got. And now, here we are, making googly eyes at each other, cuddled up on the sofa with our little fur baby, who you used to refer to as a rat—which was highly offensive by the way. But we're happy, aren't we?"
Smiling down at me, he nods, squeezing his arms tighter around my midsection.
"Happier than I think I've ever been," he tells me, dipping down to capture my lips with his.
Chapter Forty-Eight
Dominic
Peering down at Alicia in my arms, I watch her in awe. The morning light shines through my window, casting a warm glow over her as she lies sleeping in my arms.
The crease between her brows, that was there for so long last night as she worked through the conflicting feelings she was having over her brother's death, is finally gone.
She looks at peace, and that brings a rare smile to my face.
Swiping my thumb across her cheek, I watch as her dark lashes flutter, but her eyes remain closed.
Smoothing my thumb up the side of her nose, I brush it over the stud piercing until I reach the bridge, then I move it away again, mesmerised by the feel of her smooth skin beneath my fingertips.
Never would I have thought I'd be in complete wonder over a person before, yet here I am, captivated by her beauty.
The glint of sunlight hitting the wedding band on my hand captures my attention, and I stare at it for a moment, memories of our wedding day flooding through my mind, causing me to frown.
Although I have one good memory of that day—namely the sight of Alicia in her wedding dress—the rest of that day was a complete disaster.
It's funny how things have changed.
Back then, we couldn't stand each other, and both of us would've done anything we could to destroy this marriage. Hell, wediddo things in an attempt to destroy our marriage, but thankfully, we were unsuccessful.
I just think it's a shame that such a horrid situation was what brought us together, and I wish we had better memories of, what I now deem to be, an important day in our lives.
"It's rude to stare, you know?"
Alicia's husky voice breaks me out of my thoughts, and I smile as she squints her eyes and crinkles her adorable little nose as she peeks up at me.
"I can't help but admire such a beautiful thing," I retort.
