Page 100 of Their Dark Rose

He appointed a CEO to handle our business and left it at that.

It’s a fucking wonder the CEO they appointed to handle shit didn’t milk our company dry. Scratch that, not a wonder.

It couldn’t be deemed a wonder when real people were responsible for it. To be exact, three young men in their late twenties had put themselves in charge of scaring the shit out of our CEO, threatening him to stay in line, or else.

Only this month my godfathers finally told me how they kept our company intact.

Every so often they’d drop in his office, reminding him his life would become expendable should he do shady shit.

That is until they assumed his position themselves.

I won’t be like him. I have every intention of being hands-on with Nightingale Construction. To be independent as I run the company with my men.

A slow smile creeps up my lips. Thinking of them gets me all tingly and crazy happy. My painful memories are just that—memories.

Mason, Falk, and Finn bring so much happiness to my life.

They, and the snow that’s started to fall.

My foot is on the first step when I notice the fresh snowflakes falling past the glass windows.

My heart lurches at how beautiful the sight is. How magical and wonderful and exactly what I need to make this day perfect.

Dancing in the snow will change this day from wonderful to one I’ll never forget.

I take the steps two at a time, fueled by my decision to enjoy the snow.

The three Abbot brothers warned me about leaving our home. Mallie’s and Thorn’s whereabouts are still unknown. People my godfathers threatened could use me to harm them.

I’m in perpetual danger…

If I leave the house. Which, technically, I won’t. I’ll be in our driveway.

As I’m pulling my thick, pink socks on, I reason with myself that I’m not putting myself in any real danger.

Brent and his detectives are on vacation, but honestly, I should be safe.

Nothing can happen when we have our wrought iron gates separating us and the outside world.

Who would climb over our high wrought iron gate to get to me?

No one, my family included.

Neither Mallie nor Thorn have worked out a day in their lives, as far as I know. In case they’d be out there waiting for me to make a mistake, I’d have minutes to sprint back inside.

The police officer on our payroll would be here in a second.

As long as I stay within the limits of our driveway, I should be perfectly safe.

I’ll be out there, holding my palms up and letting snow kiss my fingers. I can already see myself spinning in place, laughing and enjoying myself as I’m being covered by the white flakes.

I haven’t done it in forever. Simply be myself, be young and careless.

Soon I’ll be running my own company with my three men. We’ll have our babies, many of them, I hope. Mason, Falk, and Finn’s babies. At least one of each, as we discussed.

We’ll have our family.

Responsibility upon responsibility will pile up on us.

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