Page 69 of Their Reckless Thief (The Below #1)

They barreled toward me. “Uncle Dorian!”

I barely had time to react before they leapt into my arms. I caught one under each arm and twirled them around while they shrieked with joy.

Celeste watched, her arms crossed, a rare smile tugging at her lips. “You never told me you were good with kids.”

“Eh.” I grinned, setting the kids down. “I have my moments.”

She stood there, observing the scene like it was something completely foreign. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen children in The Below before.”

I nodded, motioning to the pack around us.

“This place is different from other territories. Packs are family-oriented. We take care of our own, especially the young ones. Vincenzo ensures we’re safe here.

It’s one of the few places in The Below where kids can run around without looking over their shoulder. ”

Celeste’s expression softened as she took it all in. “This is so much different from what I expected.”

I could tell by her tone that she meant it. The harshness of The Below, the mafia life, was hard to shake. But here? This was life before the darkness crept in.

“Come on,” I said, holding out my hand. “Let me introduce you to my family.”

She took my hand, and I led her toward the cabin.

The aroma of cooking meat wafted toward us, rich and hearty.

My mother was known for her cooking. We walked through the front door, and there they were: my mom, standing in the kitchen, apron tied around her waist; my dad, leaning against the counter, looking proud as ever; my sister, gorgeous as usual, with her husband standing behind her, smiling warmly at us.

“Well, well, well,” my mom called out, her eyes immediately lighting up when she saw Celeste. “And who’s this lovely young woman?”

I grinned. “This is Celeste Callahan.”

Celeste blushed under my mother’s intense scrutiny, and before she could protest, my mom rushed over and enveloped her in a hug.

“Dorian never brings girls home,” she whispered to Celeste, loud enough for everyone to hear. “You must be a very special girl.”

Celeste laughed awkwardly and glanced at me.

I shrugged, grinning like a fool.

“Come, come.” My mom ushered us to the table. “We’re about to have lunch. You must join us.”

As we sat down, the conversation flowed easily.

The kids, now settled, regaled us with tales of their latest adventures in the woods.

My dad talked about how things had been going with the pack.

My sister teased me mercilessly about bringing Celeste here, though there was a warmth to her teasing that I knew came from a good place.

Celeste fit in surprisingly well. She laughed, she listened, she even shared a few stories of her own, carefully avoiding the more dangerous parts of her life. It was light, easy... and a world away from the tension we’d grown accustomed to.

I couldn’t stop glancing at her as the meal went on. The way she smiled. The way she listened to my family like she was genuinely interested. There was something different about this moment. Something good. Something real.

After lunch, I helped her stand, knowing she was still a bit sore. Outside, she gave me a soft smile. “Thank you, Dorian. I needed this.”

I nodded, even though my chest was tight. “Anytime, love.”

As we made our way back to the car, the kids ran after us, waving wildly. “Come back soon, Uncle Dorian! And bring Celeste!”

Laughing, I waved back at them. I couldn’t help noticing the warmth in Celeste’s gaze as she watched them.

Maybe, just maybe, we were finding a little piece of normal amid all the chaos.

As I held the SUV door for Celeste, she asked, “What made you want to leave all of this to work for Vincenzo?”

I shrugged. “I don’t know whether you’ve realized this or not, but Vincenzo is a very powerful man.

This place, my people, needs protecting.

I can’t do that hiding away in the woods from all danger.

Working for Vincenzo gives me control… a way to assert power and have a hand in the decisions that, ultimately, might affect my family. ”

I shut the door and went around to the driver’s side. As soon as I sat behind the wheel, Celeste took my hand. “That’s really noble of you, stepping outside an area of comfort to ensure the safety of your loved ones. I admire that.”

I squeezed her hand. “That’s why I wanted to bring you here. To show you that there’s another side of The Below. There are families and people who depend on people like Vincenzo and me to keep things in balance.”

Before I drove us back to Vincenzo’s mansion, I pulled over on the side of the road. Celeste raised an eyebrow. “Is this the part where you drag me into the woods, murder me, and bury my body where no one will ever find it?”

I laughed and kissed the back of her hand. “Not quite. I want to show you something.”

The woods were quiet except for the soft crunch of leaves under our feet.

I led Celeste along the familiar path, making sure to take it slow.

She winced from time to time, and I didn’t want to rush her when she wasn’t fully healed.

She didn’t complain, though. She never did, not even when she was hurting.

That was part of what I admired about her.

She was strong, sometimes too strong for her own good.

I glanced over at her, the sunlight filtering through the canopy and casting a soft glow on her face. “You’ve been to my special spot in the human world,” I said, giving her hand a squeeze, “but there’s another place I want to show you. My childhood hideout.”

She raised an eyebrow, a little smile tugging at her lips. “You had a hideout?”

“Damn right I did.” I grinned back at her. “You didn’t think I always spent my time charming my way through life, did you? There once was a time when I, Dorian Voss, spent hours upon hours keeping myself entertained.”

She chuckled softly, and in that moment, I was completely content.

The path wound deeper into the forest, and I could feel her relax with each step we took away from the chaos of The Below.

This place had always been a sanctuary for me growing up.

Even now, I found peace here in a way I didn’t anywhere else.

Finally, we reached the cave. It wasn’t much from the outside, just a small opening in the rock, but it meant something. It was my place, my escape. And now, I was sharing it with her.

“This is it,” I said, stopping at the entrance. “Home away from home.”

She gave me a curious look as I led her inside, her hand still in mine.

The cave opened up into a larger space that was cool and dim.

The walls were covered in carvings I’d made over the years—my name, symbols, and stupid little drawings from when I was just a kid, trying to make sense of the world.

A hammock hung on one side, slung between two rocks.

“This is where I came when I needed to be alone. No one else knew about it.”

She walked over to one of the carvings, tracing her fingers over the lines. “You did all this?”

I leaned back against the wall. “Yeah. It’s not much, but it kept me grounded when things got tough.”

A quiet understanding passed between us. I threw myself into the hammock, making a show of getting comfortable.

“Come here,” I said, holding my hand out to her. “There’s plenty of room.”

She hesitated for a second, but then smiled and joined me. I pulled her gently on top of me, her body fitting against mine like she’d always been meant to be there.

I couldn’t help but marvel at how perfectly she fit me. The warmth of her skin, the way her body molded to mine… it was intoxicating. And in that moment, everything else faded away. It was only her and me, here in this hidden part of the world.

“You know,” I said softly, trailing my hand up her back. “I get that you have your boundaries. And I know I’m not the only guy in your life. But…” I hesitated, then let out a heavy sigh. “I love you, Celeste. You deserve to know that.”

Her breath hitched, and she looked down at me, surprise flashing across her face. She didn’t say anything, and honestly, I didn’t expect her to. It was too soon, too complicated. But I’d needed to say it. I needed her to know.

She leaned forward, her face inches from mine.

My pulse raced, and I braced myself, not knowing what she was going to do.

Kissing was her line, her rule. No kissing on the lips.

But, fuck, I wanted it. I wanted to feel her lips on mine, even if only for a second.

She looked down at my lips like she wanted to, but she was holding back.

At the last moment, she curled up against my body instead, nuzzling into the crook of my neck and letting out a soft, contented sigh.

It was enough. More than enough. I would wait an eternity for her if that’s what it took.

I wrapped my arms around her, holding her close as we swayed gently in the hammock. This right here was everything I needed.

My phone buzzed in my pocket, yanking me back to reality. I reached for it with a sigh, already knowing who it was.

Vincenzo. Bastard.

Vincenzo: Get your ass back to the mansion. NOW. There’s a situation with Luca.

I clenched my jaw, my arms tightening around Celeste briefly. I didn’t want to leave. I didn’t want to face whatever bullshit was waiting for us back at the mansion.

I had no choice, though. Duty called.

“We have to go,” I murmured into her hair, my heart heavy with the weight of unspoken things. “Vincenzo needs me.”

She pulled back slightly, her brow furrowed with concern. “What’s wrong?”

I shook my head. “I don’t know yet. Something with Luca.”

Her lips pressed into a thin line, and she nodded. I helped her out of the hammock, and for a moment, I simply stood there, watching her, memorizing the way she looked against the backdrop of the cave.

“Let’s go,” I said quietly, reaching for her hand once more. “We’ll deal with it. Together.”