Page 243 of The Devil's Fire

I stepped outside to see her arriving with two of my men. I had assigned security to everyone as an extra precaution.

“You could at least have put a shirt on.” Arianna grimaced, but her expression shifted when she saw my face.

“You have some fucking nerve.” I sneered at her. She crossed her arms in defense and frowned. “You had no business coming here and telling her to stay away.” I gritted my teeth. I didn’t want to raise my voice and wake up Althaia.

“I wasn’t about to have you keep suffering. You were hurting too, and she left you alone!” My sister snapped back.

I stepped closer, looming over her.

“You don’t know what the hell is going on. If you believe I was suffering, then imagine her pain. She physically suffered when it happened and now carries the burden of blaming herself for the loss of our baby, not to mention the loss of her mother. So, who gave you the right to stick your nose in our business?” I hissed.

Arianna looked away from me, keeping her arms crossed.

“Don’t think I will turn a blind eye to this because you’re my sister. Starting today, you will be trapping the streets.” I ordered her. Her head snapped towards me, and her eyes widened in disbelief.

“You can’t be serious?! Do you know how humiliating that is?”

“Good.” I retorted and looked over at my men. “Make sure she does her job.”

“Yes, Boss.”

I turned around and went inside, not sparing my sister another look when she protested.

I tossed my phone on the couch, returning to the sketchbook, and flipped the pages to see what Althaia had created. I loved taking a sneak peek into her creative mind, and she never ceased to impress me.

I flipped through colorful sunsets and drawings of her kitten playing with toys until I stopped at a drawing of me. A warm feeling washed over me as I flipped through the pages, a smile tugging at the corners of my lips at the sight of countless drawings of me.

I came across a small drawing, running my thumb over it as I looked at it; a tiny baby curled up in its angel wings. The loss was still painful, and my chest always tightened whenever I thought about it. I couldn’t imagine what it must have been for her. I should have reassured her from the beginning, making it clear that it was in no way her fault.

It could never have been.

I let out a sigh as I closed the sketchbook, thinking how it was possible to love something so fast, only to be gone in a blink of an eye.

“Damiano?” Althaia’s panicked voice reached me, and I quickly rose to my feet.

“What’s wrong, baby?” I took a quick scan around the room as I approached her.

“Oh, uh…” She suddenly looked embarrassed. “I thought I dreamt it and you weren’t really here.”

I smiled as I got in bed, pulling her close to me.

“I’m here.” I placed a kiss on top of her head, feeling her relax in my arms. “I was on the phone with Antonio, and I didn’t want to wake you. Go back to sleep.”

“Later. I want to watch the sunrise.” Althaia said as she rose from bed, calling after Kiara while getting dressed before heading out to the back porch.

The sun was slowly making its presence known on the horizon, and I found myself watching with amusement as Althaia briskly walked after her kitten on the beach. She was laughing as they played together, and then the roles reversed; the kitten darting as swiftly as its tiny paws could carry it, chasing after her. I laughed, well aware that Althaia would go to any length to avoid running.

My eyes lingered on her, a tender smile gracing my lips as I reveled in the sight of her carefree and blissful demeanor. In just one day, she had effortlessly swept away all the tension from my body.

Fucking hell, she has me whipped.

And I fucking loved it.

Althaia crouched down, showering Kiara with affectionate pets and scratches, who was purring in bliss. She rose when she saw me coming, gracing me with a loving smile as I wrapped my arms around her. The sun’s rays hit her face, and her eyes sparkled with a vibrant green hue, making her look even more breathtaking.

“Having a pet made me realize just how out of shape I am.” She said, a bit out of breath.

“You’re in better shape than you think.” I told her and she raised a brow.

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