Malakai flicks his eyes to me but doesn’t say anything as he takes his seat, setting up for the game.
“And are you?” Malakai finally asks, “Settled down?”
I roll my shoulders, “I’m hers.” Is all I say.
Malakai dips his chin in understanding, because he gets it. It goes beyond just simplysettling down. I am hers for as long as she will have me. I will be her rock, her shield. I’ll be the villain for her, the monster and burn the whole fucking city to the ground if she even deigned to whisper it. My heart beats for her. It beats for us. For the child growing in her stomach.
I think I’ve always been in love with Willow, from the moment she sat in my lap at my friend’s wedding, but it’s a dangerous thing to feel, so while I won’tgive her those words, not until I know she is safe, I will show her in everything that I do.
“So, what are you having?” Dean asks.
“It’s too early to tell that!” Killian rolls his eyes at his brother.
“Well how the fuck am I supposed to know that!?” Dean grumbles, “Not like I’ve been around babies or pregnant women.”
“We can find out around twenty weeks,” I tell him.
“Well, least you have an heir now,” Dean checks his cards, “Follow in your footsteps.”
“My kid will be nowhere near here,” I growl at him, “Ever.”
Silence settles in the room.
“Okay, man,” Dean says softly.
I pinch the bridge of my nose and change the subject, “Any word on Richard or Christian?” I ask Malakai.
“Richard has requested a meeting,” Malakai tells me.
“When?”
“This weekend, he wants it to be public,” Malakai places a bet and glances at me.
“So, we don’t accidently shoot him,” I grumble.
Malakai scoffs, “Likely. I’ve agreed to it and will wait for the time and place.”
“It could be an ambush,” I point out.
“Doubtful,” Malakai waits while the rest of us place our bets. I haven’t even looked at my cards. “He’s too afraid of what’ll happen to him if he comes against me.”
“And Christian?”
“He didn’t mention him,” Malakai tells me, “He was in the hospital for a week after your beating. A broken nose and jaw, fractured orbital bone and three missing teeth.”
A sick sense of satisfaction loosens the tension in my shoulders. I broke his damn face but still wish I did more. I won’t be happy until the threat is gone. Permanently.
“As far as I can tell, he left the city, our trackers haven’t caught sight of him.”
My eyes narrow, “I don’t fucking like that.”
“He’s young but not stupid,” Killian joins the conversation, “If he knows what’s good for him, he’d have left the city and won’t be coming back. He got one taste of what would happen if he came after you or anyone you care about, a fractured orbital bone is the least of his worries if he chooses to retaliate.”
I grunt but don’t necessarily agree. Anger and hate are a toxic fuel and when it’s not harnessed correctly,it leads people down dangerous roads, consequences be damned. I killed his father and then fucked him up for touching my girl, he’ll want revenge, one way or another.
Our game of poker goes on for a couple hours but I’ve barely paid attention and when it’s finally over, I don’t waste a second before I’m searching for Willow. As I walk the halls, the sound of the girl’s laughter fills my ears until I find them in the media room, and it’s no longer just the two of them, my sister is with them too.
“And just when were you going to tell me I’m going to be an auntie?” Savannah quirks a brow and taps her foot.
