Page 50 of Ice & Steel

“So we have to go into exile?” she whispered.

“My home is with my wife and sons,” I said. “It always has been.”

Her eyes filled with tears. “I’m not strong like you, Lucien.”

“Olivia,” I said, my fingers tightening on her hips. “You’re made of steel.”

I let her cry for a moment even though the sight broke my heart. She buried her face into my chest and soaked my shirt with tears. I let her weep until she was done and dried her tears with my palms.

“Okay,” she said, taking a deep, shuddering breath. “So when do we go?”

My God, she was so strong.

“Tonight,” I said, straightening. “I’ve already spoken with our accountant and had our assets and wealth moved from the States. The only thing we stand to lose is our home.”

“What about other members of the outfit?”

“I’ve sent word to everyone,” I said. “They can choose to flee or assimilate and wait for my return.”

I saw a faint light flare in her eyes. “When we return?”

“I will bring you home, Liv,” I promised.

“So we’ll be like political refugees,” she whispered.

“We’ll be alive. My wife and sons will be safe,” I said. “Riccardo Mezzasalma has an army of men, of mercenaries, and now he’s stripped me of my political position and my title as head of the outfit. The only way to save my men is to resign. They can’t fight without weapons.”

“Otherwise?” she whispered.

“Otherwise he’ll slaughter my men and take their women,” I said grimly. “This is a network beyond what I imagined. Right now, we have to go, Liv.”

Her jaw shook. “So that’s it…it’s all over?”

“You married a usurper king,” I said. “I turned the tides once and now the tides have turned on me.”

I knew my face was hard as stone and part of me wished I had more comfort to offer. Instead, I turned on the shower and lifted her to her feet. She stood still as I peeled her clothes from her body until she was naked. Her body was unhurt except for her nails being torn from two fingers and a pale bruise on her thigh.

“May I examine you?” I asked quietly.

“Why?”

I swallowed. “I want to make sure you weren’t harmed.”

This was delicate ground. She’d been sexually assaulted once before and it killed me to think that someone might have done that again. But I also knew how it hurt her to talk about what had happened. I had to be careful not to traumatize her further.

She bit her lip, worrying it hard. “I wasn’t raped, Lucien.”

The weight of my failure to protect her settled over my shoulders. I pressed my forehead to her bare, lower stomach. “Forgive me. I failed you, Liv.”

Her hands wove through my hair and I felt the tremor of her sob. “No, none of this is your fault.”

“Let me protect you now,” I said. “Trust me, like you’ve never trusted me before. I swear on my life that I’ll protect you through this even if it kills me.”

“Yes,” she whispered.

“Yes?”

“Yes, I trust you,” she said. “I’ll go with you, wherever you take us.”