Page 54 of Damned By His Angel

“I may have kind of told them I was the mom so I could stay with her and Nos.” I shoot London a wide eyed stare, she doesn’t look remorseful and I can’t blame her. I push away my annoyance and smile at my niece.

“Thank you for staying with them,” I say to her before turning to the nurse. “I’m the mother, where is my daughter?”

“Angel?” I spin around at the sound of Cronos’s voice. He looks at me like he’s seen a ghost, which has me cocking my head to the side in confusion. He shakes his head and blinks twice. “You’re alive?” he mutters. I recoil as he steps out of the room in the corner and eats up the space between us. Much like me, his arm is in a sling and he even looks like he has showered as well. With his free hand he reaches out and shakily places it against my cheek. When he feels my skin beneath his palm, he deflates and leans his forehead against mine, closing his eyes as he breathes me in. “You're here,” he whispers.

“I’m right here, Grizz,” I answer as I clutch his shirt with my good hand. “I need to see her now.” He pulls back and smiles wide, the look of unreserved love in his eyes steals my breath.

“She’s perfect, angel. God, she is fucking beautiful.” The love and awe in his tone has a watery smile stretching across my own face. “Come on, come meet the owner of both our hearts.” He interlocks his fingers with mine and leads me toward the room, but at the last second I pull him to a stop and look over my shoulder to see my dad standing there with his head down. I know he is torn up inside, wanting to be here for me but always needing to be back home with my mom.

“Dad?” he snaps his head up.

“Yeah?”

“Want to meet your granddaughter?” I ask.

He swallows and blinks his eyes a couple of times to rid himself of those pesky tears. “More than anything.” I flick my head motioning for him to follow us. The moment Cronos pushes the door open, my heart skips a beat. He gently tugs me inside the room where I see an incubator resting in the middle of it. I freeze. I just stand here staring at the bundle of pink blankets. I can see a pink beanie on her head but I'm scared to get any closer. Nos pivots and stands in front of me with a look of concern on his handsome face.

“What’s wrong, angel?” he asks gently. I step back and look at both him and my dad, they both look worried.

“Promise me, no one will ever harm her. Whatever it takes, we all keep her safe and never allow the horrors of this world to taint her or tarnish her innocence.” They both nod firmly with looks of pure dominance in their gazes.

“I swear to you, she will come to no harm as long as I live,” Dad vows.

“I accepted my position as Artemis’s underboss so I would have the power to keep you both safe.” My face falls at Nos’s admission.

“Why would you do that? You were happy being an undertaker,” I say.

“You make me happy, she makes me happy,” he says, pointing behind him. “I will do whatever I have to in order to protect you both?—”

“What if I can give you your wish of staying out of the mafia and still protecting your daughter?” my dad asks as he faces Nos.

“How?”

“We need an undertaker. I’ll fund everything if you come to New York and work with us. Not in a capacity that would require you to work for us in the way you think.”

“What does that mean?” Nos pushes.

“We need an undertaker for when our men fall. Rather than paying everyone off, it would be easier if we had someone of our own running it.” Nos turns and looks to me as if seeking my reaction. I smile encouragingly. Being in New York means I get to be close to my family who will help protect Kingsley, but it also means Nos gets his dream of continuing to work with the dead and not having to return to Greece. “Think about it, my offer stands until you give me an answer.” Nos nods his head, he looks utterly speechless. I leave him with his thoughts and step around them both as I move toward my baby. The closer I get, the more I begin to feel tingles down my spine.

Warmth spreads throughout my entire body the moment I lay my eyes on her beautiful face for the first time. Tears instantly blur my vision. I try to blink them away but it’s no use, they fall regardless of my efforts.

“She’s perfect,” I whisper.

“She looks exactly like you,” Dad breathes out.

“She has a hint of the Devil in her eyes and that’s all me,” Cronos adds. I look over at him to see him smiling down at our little girl, my love for him growing daily. I’ll never have to wonder my worth where he is concerned. I know he will always do what is right by me and Kingsley. They say that every person has someone out there for them and I found mine. I found the happy ending I was always searching for within him. He says I am his redemption but the truth is, he was the shot of adrenaline I needed to wake me up and force me to see the world as it is instead of through rose colored glasses.

Cronos

One week later…

Today is the day we can finally transport Kingsley back to the States. King tried to fast track things but even he wouldn’t put his own kin’s life at risk when Meelz explained the complications. Many tests have been run to check the development of her lungs. We have to fly back with a team of nurses who will keep her stable and make sure she is fine until we arrive at the hospital in New York. I know King was happy that Knight and Rook were still here with us, they will fly back today alongside us as well. Artemis and London refused to leave until we did, it’s been great having them both here and I know Amelia has loved it as well. Her and London seem to be getting along better, but Lon still refuses to touch Kingsley.

When she first saw her, she scrunched her face up and looked my brother dead in the eyes and said, “I will never push one of those aliens out of my vagina for you.” Needless to say, I don’t think London plans to become a mother anytime soon or if ever.

“Okay, we’re set,” Knight says from the doorway. I nod and move to Meelz, who is standing by Kingsley’s travel incubator. I hate that the moment we land and get Kingsley settled that I have to leave. I promised Beth I would be the one to organize everything for Bill and I plan to keep my word. Artemis is flying back to Minnesota with me, the plan to be gone three days tops.

“Angel, it’s time to go.” She nods and steps aside to allow the nurses to do what they have to do. We follow them out of the room and remain beside our daughter the entire way. We’re all nervous about this trip but I would be lying if I said I wasn’t happy to get the fuck out of Switzerland and never step foot back in this place again.

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