Page 147 of Fighting With Light

“You got here just in time because I would’ve given in to protect her.”

“Hey, I asked you to marry me before that Italian bastard. You would leave me like that, princess?”

A small smile makes the corners of her mouth tip up, and I consider that a point for Team Liam because I haven’t seen her smile since we’ve been reunited.

“I mean, have you been to Rome? If that’s not a reason to marry someone…”

“Well, we have a beach house,” I counter.

“I don’t know, ancient history, a ton of luxury brands, and arguably the best food in the world? That’s pretty hard to compete with.”

I slap her butt and she gasps like she’s offended.

“That’s okay, I would have hunted him down and then kidnapped you and brought you back. I don’t care how pretty Rome is. You’re mine,only mine.”

I know we can get through this, it’s just going to take time.

“It’s true,” she says, “I would have married him if it meant protecting my mom.” Her smile drops, and she rests her head on my shoulder.

“I would have too, baby,” I murmur.

***

We went back to Mom’s house, and Aelia hasn’t let go of me since we got home. Mom has been kind and welcoming to Aelia. I think she realizes that she’s nothing like her father.

I explained everything that happened and what we need to do next. Since this is a big decision, it needs to be made as a family.

“Are you sure we can…handle this?” Cordelia asks as she bounces Theo on her hip.

Aelia has been staring at him this whole time, and it’s making me wonder if she wants that…now. I don’t know if I’m ready to be a dad yet. But I don’t think Kai thought he was, either. Shaking my head of the thoughts, I look at Mom.

“That is a valid question. You all need to understand that the moment we do this, it isn’t in defense of what we have built here, it’s a declaration of war to your father,” she says.

“I think the bigger question is areyouprepared for that? He called out a hit on you, Mom,” Kai says.

Righteous anger floods my veins and I want to go medieval on him for what he’s done to us.

A few years after leaving our father, I decided to leave what happened to us in the past, but I would make damn sure that it never happened again. I became my own villain, willing to do the bad thing to protect the good or sometimes the bad thing for the sake of sending a message. But it was worth it and I’ll continue to do it.

People don’t realize how powerful pride and power are. They don’t understand what it does to someone unless they have experienced it themselves. It rots from the inside out, and it makes you want more. Power is corrupting, addicting, and violent. It took me many years to realize that my father wasn’t going to change. It was solidified when he tried to kill my sister-in-law, kidnap my mother, then tried to kill her.

My brothers and I had to see my mother fight for her lifeagainbecause of him. I will never forget the look on her face as she held her bloody side. Everything was happening so fast and I had never felt fear the way I did that day. I never want to feel that way again.

No more. If this is war, then so be it.

“I am,” Mom says.

“I don’t think there is any other way,” Emerson says. He sits down on one of the large chairs and rubs his face. “I’ve been thinking about it since Liam clued us in on what he was doing. If the Feds don’t want it, then we go public with half of it. I think it’s the only way to show that we mean business, but…” Emerson trails off, and I know what he’s about to say. The text messages are damning. It would create a whole different set of issues for Fred Coldwell, and I’m sure shit is hitting the fan as we speak.

“Just say it, Emmy,” I grumble and put my nose in Aelia’s hair.

“We send Fred proof of the text messages. Let him know we have something that could destroy him,” Emerson says.

“And expose Liam? Hell no,” Kai says.

“I’m fine with it, we do it if we have to.”

Aelia tenses under my hold.