“Theo is the one who vandalized your studio,” I tell her.
“Ugh, seriously?” Brielle groans. “He’s such a man-child.”
“Yep,” Nicole agrees. “But he got his. From what I heard, someone”—Nicole side-eyes me—“beat the shit out of him and then dropped him off at the hospital. Normally, I don’t condone violence, but in this case, he totally deserved it.”
“Yeah, but it doesn’t change the fact that he destroyed my studio, and now I’m going to have to spend weeks, possibly months, cleaning up the destruction.” She takes her last bite of her muffin and stands. “Guess it’s time to face the music.”
Nicole frowns. “If you need anything, I’m here.” She pulls Brielle into a hug. “I’m so glad you’re home.”
After we throw away our trash, we head to Brielle’s studio. When she unlocks the door and walks in, I wait with bated breath for her response. I ended up paying triple for the contractor to get it done in time, and since I was in Russia while they were finishing, I haven’t had a chance to do a walk-through.
“Holy shit,” she gasps, her hands covering her mouth as she takes the place in.
“What do you think?”
She whips around to look at me. “Did you do this?”
“That depends. Is it how you envisioned it?”
“It’s exactly how I envisioned it.” She walks through the main area and into the side rooms, a look of shock and awe in her features. “I can’t believe you did this in a month’s time.”
She runs her hands over the state-of-the-art equipment I had shipped on rush order and smiles. “Thank you.”
She throws herself at me, and for the first time since my wife walked out on me, I breathe a bit easier. With her face against my chest, I take a moment to inhale her sweet scent. She hasn’t let me anywhere near her since I showed up in Russia, and before that, I spent two weeks avoiding her. It’s been too long since I’ve felt her body against mine, and like an addict, I’m craving my next hit.
“I would do anything for you,” I tell her honestly as I wrap my arms around her. “Whatever it is you want or need, Princess.”
“I just need time, Kane,” she whispers against my chest. “Just a little bit of time.”
“Isit okay if we go by Dominick’s house?” Brielle asks, glancing up from her phone. “Matteo and Dani are there, and they know I’m back and want to see for themselves that I’m okay.”
“Of course, but if you want to go alone, I can drop you off, or Giani can take you.”
I glance over at Giani and Kiril, who are standing guard on either side of the front door to Brielle’s studio.
“I’d rather you go,” she says. “You can be my buffer. I haven’t seen them since they found out I’m pregnant.”
“And what do you think they’re going to say?” I quirk a brow.
“I don’t know.” She shrugs. “Sometimes, they forget that I’m a grown woman.”
“They care deeply about you.” I slide my arm across her shoulders. “Let’s go. I’m sure they’ll be so busy threatening to kill me that they won’t even remember you’re pregnant.”
Brielle chuckles. “That works for me.”
We slide into the back of the town car, and Giani heads to Dominick’s house. When we arrive, Peyton and Daniella swarm Brielle, and Dominick extends his hand to shake mine.
“Brielle told us why you had the divorce papers drawn up,” he says. “You’re a better man than me. When I found out Peyton had my baby, I forced her and our son to come live with me.”
“Yeah, well, I’m done forcing Brielle to do shit she doesn’t want to do.” I sigh, glancing at my beautiful wife.
She’s holding Dani and Matteo’s baby girl, and she looks so natural with a baby in her arms. It’s crazy to think that before this year ends, she’ll be holding our baby.
“Now, I just have to hope she chooses to stay married to me.”
“Thank you for bringing our sister back,” Matteo adds. “I still don’t like you, but … I don’t hate you as much.”
“Matteo.” Brielle glares at her brother.
