Page 49

Forty-Eight

Killian

The annual gala this year is being held in Romania since it’s their turn to hold the event. The one who’s in charge of the Romanian operations and empire is a guy named Daniel Titan. He recently took the role five years ago, so this is his first gala as boss.

My dad hasn’t held a gala in Italy in a long time, mostly because of my mom and because she isn’t doing well.

My dad wants to spend most of his time with her instead of working so he tries not to put too much on his plate.

But he does have to attend the gala, even though my mom can’t. He didn’t want to leave her side before we left for the jet. My mom basically had to force him out of the room.

But she’ll be okay. We have cameras all over the house so my dad can do his hourly stalking and we have mom’s friends there plus a nurse who is taking care of her if she needs help or anything.

My dad has been talking on the phone with her every other hour and on the phone with Layna and Emma, her best friends, to make sure she is good and still alive and breathing.

I do feel bad that he’s forced to come to this event when he wants to stay with mom and make sure she’s okay. I can see how stressed he is from being away from her.

Ever since my mom got diagnosed, he’s never spent more than a day without her.

“Your last event as an heir.” I look in the mirror and see my dad behind me looking at me.

Right now, we are getting ready in the hotel room with Leo, my dad’s underboss, Alexander, and his son Landon.

My sister and Jane are getting ready in another hotel room.

Jane’s husband, Rowan, was getting ready with us but he finished early and decided to go to her. He never likes being away from her.

momfucker is obsessed to a fault.

So are you.

“I know,” I deadpan.

“Do you know what your role is tonight?” he asks.

I run my hand through my hair and take a deep breath.

He’s fucking stressing me out again.

Since I've come back from the island with Reign, he’s been on my ass, constantly making my life harder.

He gives me constant anxiety whenever I’m around him.

And it’s all because I love a girl I’m not supposed to love.

I heard my mom scolding my dad in their room a few nights ago. My mom was yelling at my dad about how he’s stressing me out and how it’s not good for me. My dad can’t help it though, it’s his thing.

Especially since his wife is dying so he is trying to control something else.

Ace De Luca only cares about himself and what benefits him.

He’s always been like that.

The cold, heartless king everyone knows.

Only person who can tame him is fucking dying.

“Yes,” I mutter. My dad expects me to introduce myself as the new capo and the one who’ll be running things. “I thought you’d be too pissed to name me capo.”

“You are the rightful heir. Thalia won’t take it and you still want it, yes?” My dad raises an eyebrow at me and his jaw clenches.

My hands form a fist at my sides. “Yes.”

“Then you’ll do as I say tonight.” My dad looks away from me and instead looks at himself to make sure he looks decent. He shaved the scruff on his jaw and cut his hair making him look younger and not like his world is falling apart. “Have you spoken to that Pierce girl?”

Reign.

Of course, I have.

I call and text her every day and he knows that because he sees me on my phone or sometimes catches me talking to her. He isn’t stupid.

This past month has been hell without her in my arms.

“Yes. Why does it matter?”

My dad shakes his head lightly. “Because Killian, that is Malcolm's daughter. He is the enemy and you’re in love with the enemy. Don’t you see how wrong this is? What kind of issues this will cause?”

I laugh softly and turn around to look at him instead of in the mirror. “Last time I checked, you and mom were both from groups that hated one another. Then somehow you both fell in love, and everything ended up being okay. You aren’t being fair.”

My dad rolls his eyes. “Life isn’t fair, Killian. Get over it. Time to grow the fuck up.” He says, slowly getting frustrated.

Good.

“I never expected you to be like this. Mom would praise you, but I feel like she was just talking out of her ass.”

My dad’s eyes darken and his jaw clenches. His whole-body tenses and he takes a step closer to me. “Don’t talk about your mom like that.” He glares down at me, and I feel guilt rush through me. He looks physically and mentally hurt. Like he’ll do anything to protect her and her name. “I’ll be damned if you talk about her like that. Say something like that again, I swear to God Killian, no one will be able to save you from my fire.” He licks his bottom lip and sighs, finally calming down from his threat. “I expect you to be great, Killian.”

“I will be. But I’m not doing this your way.”

He narrows his eyes and looks disappointed. “You’re going to fail Killian if you keep becoming weak like this over some girl. She doesn’t even know about-”

I get in his face. “You don’t know shit,” I say in a low, almost deadly tone. “And if you see her, you’re going to keep your mouth shut. Don’t go up to her, don’t talk to her, don’t fucking breathe next to her.”

My dad laughs and shakes his head, backing up from me. “You’re stringing her along, son.”

He isn’t wrong.

My mom isn’t wrong.

I’m only hurting her right now and she doesn’t even know.

“You don’t care. Stop acting like you do,” I say.

“You’re so fucked.” My dad grins and throws his head back laughing.

“Landon!” I hear Alexander yell from the bathroom at the same time Landon runs out butt-naked, laughing. “Get your fucking ass over here, kid.”

I look away from my dad and walk out of the room. I run my hands through my hair as I walk towards my room, trying not to fucking stress out but my heart is racing, as if it knows something I don’t. I unlock my door and walk in. It’s dark so I turn on the lights and when I do I see Reign sitting on the bed.

She looks up from her hands and smiles when she sees me.

All that stress and anxiety washes away. She stands up and we walk towards one another.

I pull her towards me and press my lips on her.

I haven’t seen her in more than a month. My body craves hers.

My heart craves her in general.

I swear it’s like my heart is beating so hard, trying to rip itself out of my chest to go to her.

Everything is quiet and my heart stops racing from the stress. “You look so fucking perfect,” I say against her lips. “I’m going to try and be a gentleman and not ruin your beauty tonight.”

Reign laughs against my lips. “Such a gentleman.”

I trail my kisses down her neck as she leans her head to the side. “You won’t be saying that when I’m in between your legs and making you scream my name.”

She laughs again and swats my chest. “Perv.” I give her one last kiss before pulling away. She admires me, her eyes darkening. I love how she doesn’t hide her love or attraction with me. She’s not afraid to admire me. “You look nice.”

“Just nice?” I raise an eyebrow at her, squeezing her waist in my hands. Reign looks breathtaking as usual. She’s wearing a long white silk dress. My eyes can’t help but go to her breasts that look amazing in the dress, if anything they look bigger than the last time, I saw them. I push a strand of her hair behind her ear. “Be careful out there tonight, okay?”

She nods her head. “I’ll be okay.”

“I don’t trust my dad. I just-” I sigh and lick my lips. “I just can’t lose you.” I rest my head on hers.

“You won’t. We just have to get through this night, and we’ll be okay. We’ll be together forever.”

My heart burns from the comment.

Not forever.

But I can hide the truth and pretend everything is okay for a little while longer.

“I love you.” Ignoring the burning sensation in my chest.

“I love you, Killian.”