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It was always like this. It would always be like this.

“I want my own path.” I crossed my arms. “The way you did when the uncles told you not to leave New York. They hid you away to protect you.” His dad was the infamous Luca Nicolasi, Grandma Joyce had been an Alfero through marriage. Long story short she had an affair with Luca Nicolasi.

They had two children, my dad and my Aunt Val.

“You’ve always searched for home even though we told you, you were in it.” He shared a look with Ace. “I think you found it.”

“I have.”

Bella walked over to me. “The car seat’s already in there. I told them not to be idiots and that you’d make your choice, see aren’t you glad I told you to wear pants?”

“You should have hinted at makeup and brushing my hair too.” I glared. “But yes, thank you.”

“I could have done without pants.” Ace just had to say earning a glare from my dad. “Nothing wrong with a beautiful naked woman.”

Dad reached for his gun.

Ace gave him a knowing look. “Can’t kill me, remember?”

I took Lily in my arms. “Let’s go.”

I knew if I waited any longer I’d think more, and I wanted to leave with my husband, with my family.

It would be tedious this new relationship.

I quickly put Lily in the car seat and closed the door just to turn around and see Ace fire off two shots, one in my dad’s shoulder and one in Ivan’s. “A guest should never walk away without leaving a gift.” He blew them a kiss and got into the car.

I didn’t scream.

I stared straight ahead and kept my hands in my lap.

Once we were through the gate and on the road, I smacked him in the shoulder “You shot them!”

He turned down the road. “They were expecting nothing less. We’re La Nebbia, they know it, we know it, now it’s a game of cat and mouse and trying to stay alive.”

“Dangerous.”

“You chose the path.”

“Because you were on it,” I reminded him. Lily was already fast asleep in her car seat as he took another turn and went down a winding road a few miles from my parents’ house.

At the very end of the driveway was a huge brick two story home. There was a barn, horses in the nearby field, an extensive garden.

“I think I like this better than campus.”

“Thought so.” He reached for my hand. “Lily’s room is ready—I just?—”

A knock sounded on the window.

Just in time.

“Hi, Sara, can you take Lily to her room? I need to talk with Raven.”

Sara was in her mid-sixties and was the only nanny we were allowed to have, meaning we had another pair of eyes on us in the house.

When she left, I kissed Raven’s hand and whispered low against it. “We live with the enemies, we must become closer then family—in order to protect ours and yours, in order to peel away the layers and find who’s at the root. Are you with me?”

“Yes.”