Page 80 of The Mafia's Bride

I laugh, peering over the edge. The entire room is a mess, soaked and dripping, much like us.

“Come on.” Lex pulls me from the cold water, letting me lean against him as he dries me with a thick, fluffy towel. “You should get some rest. It’s been a long day.”

I stifle the yawn, watching as he wraps me, then himself. He doesn’t let me move without him, hand holding firm as we go into our bedroom, room quiet and warm.

“No.” I shake my head, body lighter than it’s been in a while. “If you’re leaving tonight, I want to go with you.”

Lex stumbles, turning to look at me, confused. “No, Sloane. Where I’m going you can’t come.”

“Because it’s business?” I roll my eyes. “My father always kept business from me. I thought with you, as your equal, I wouldn’t be forced to sit in the corner or be left in the dark. I deserve to know what this organization is about if you truly want me as your partner.”

I have no reason to ask. I just had a gun shoved in my face and a mental breakdown in his office. He has no reason to let me into anything even remotely dangerous.

Instead, he tucks a curl behind my ear, bare thumb tracing my jaw.

“You’re right. I want you to know everything. But,” he says, tapping my cheek affectionately and my heart stutters. “You follow my orders, Sloane. No mouthing off. No jumping in. You want to see what this world is about, and you should, but you’ll listen to me. And if you do?” His lips lower to my ear. “You’ll be such a good girl for me. I’ll have to reward you.”

Just like before, I want to follow his orders, I want his praise.

32

SLOANE

The harbor is deserted, silent with the hum of cars in the background dying behind angry, crashing waves.

I didn’t expect to actually be standing on the docks of Boston Harbor, watching a large ship coast through the dark waters toward us. When Lex explained what we were doing, I didn’t think he meant these docks. I thought he meant the strip clubThe Dockin the back alley of Little Italy, between the Polish bakery and laundromat.

In the cool air, saltwater spray hits my makeup-free face as a plastic bag floats by on the dark water. Lex’s hand grips mine firmly, grounding me.

The way he comforted me, took care of me, admitted to loving me, sits like a burning coal in my chest but it doesn’t hurt. It warms me, practically making me glow in the night.

He didn’t ask me if I loved him, because he won’t push. But I know, in my heart, that I do.

I just don’t know if I’m ready to voice it. By admitting I love Alessio De Luca, it makes this marriage real. It means never running away again. It means having someone here, through the good and bad times. That someone, Lex, will always be in my corner.

It terrifies me to know he won’t leave. Even after the chaos, themess, the fights. Lex is still here, wanting me. No one has ever done that before.

If I’m being truly honest with myself, I’m scared to screw this up. If I admit to loving him, this all becomes very real, and I have a very bad habit of screwing up good things in my life. Or running from them before they can get good. I don’t want to run from Lex anymore.

“You’re looking better,” a deep voice says to my right.

The man who was in Lex’s office earlier, who I’ve seen haunting my family’s home the last few weeks stands to my side.

Recognition lights my face. He looks different. Older. More calculating.

Also not wearing the alternative rock band tees, he was so fond of in our youth.

“Killian?”

Lex starts, wrapping me into his arms. His protectiveness shields me from the hitman.

It won’t work, given who Killian is.

“So you do remember me.”

“Hard to forget someone like you.” I laugh, hearing the growl of displeasure from my husband.

Killian Linwood has been a permanent fixture in my family’s home since he was a boy. A kid my father found on the streets, he’s been in and out of our lives for almost two decades. My father adored him, revered him even.