Page 39 of With This Ring

I stare at him as he tosses the hand he just chopped off to Manuel so he can deliver the package to his wife. When we encounter thieves, we leave their hands for their next of kin so they know why they died. And so they can have something to bury since we torch the corpses.

We’ve been married for close to three months at this point. Why invite me to dinner now? What is their angle? Did Dominicput Carter up to this? Maybe he wants to get close to his enemy’s son.

I’m not sure what Dominic would expect to pull out of me about Pop. Even if Pop isn’t a good father, I’m loyal to my family.

I want to know what their angle is, so I nod. “Yeah, we’ll join you. I’m sure Nico won’t mind tagging along.” I drag my eyes up and down his body, taking in his dark jeans tight shirt and those heavy boots. He looks good. But a suit on him makes him fucking edible. “Wear a suit tonight for me, yeah?”

He bends down and plants his lips on mine, stealing a kiss. “Okay.”

“I feellike the sky is falling, seeing you in a suit twice in one week,” Dominic says to Carter as we step inside. “Looks like your husband is rubbing off on you.” He winks at me, then brings Carter in for a hug. “You look nice.”

“They make me itch, Dad,” Carter grumbles like a petulant child and it makes me laugh against my better judgment.

Dominic looks me over, taking in the faint bruising still on my face. “Kaison. How are you feeling, son?”

The word slips out of his mouth so effortlessly, but it makes my chest constrict. This man, from a family that’s supposed to loathe mine, has no problem claiming me as his son. Not for the first time, I wonder what my life would be like if I’d had a father like Dominic. Carter and Declan are still hard asses, not taking any shit and will shoot someone at the slightest sign of disrespect. And they grew up in a house where love was freely given.

Clearing the lump in my throat, I hold my hand out to shake his. “I’m good. Better now.”

“That’s good.” Dominic holds his hand out to Nico. “Nice to see you again, boss. Come on in. Let’s get some grub and talk.”

We all follow Dominic to a large dining room. Declan and his right-hand man are already seated. When he sees Nico, Declan’s face sets in a hard mask. He’s probably still pissed at his snarky remark on the way back from the hospital.

His eyes flick over to me, and he huffs. “Really wish you had let him die like I suggested,” Declan says to Carter.

Carter beats me to a reply. “Declan. Let me say this one time and one time only. I will fuck you up if you suggest you want my husband dead again. You got me?”

My heart flutters in my chest. Holy fuck. Carter is taking up for me against Declan? He and Declan are close, usually on the same wavelength about everything. Something about his easy defense of me has everything coming into focus. Carter really is all in.

What’s holding me back? Fear? Holding on to our rivalry, a rivalry that doesn’t matter anymore?

Declan opens his mouth as if to test him, but he thinks better of it and closes it, shaking his head with a scoff. “Whatever. Where’s dinner?”

“Why don’t you go check,” Dominic says with a glare, “instead of pissing everybody off before we even sit down? Christ, Declan. Me and ya Ma raised you with more manners than that.” Dominic face flashes with pain and Carter lays his hand on his shoulder and squeezes gently.

I heard about Carter’s mother being killed when they were kids. That’s when the streets were filled with bodies and the FBI came to our little slice of Jersey, trying to get to the bottom of why so many bodies were piled in the morgue. Dominic killed everyone that was involved with his assassination attempt andhis wife’s death himself. No one was allowed to pull the trigger. From that time period alone, Dominic was responsible for eighteen bodies.

It’s hard for me to wrap my head around loving someone that much. That kind of love is unfathomable. Would I ever lose my mind and kill a fucking baseball team of people for someone? I glance over at Carter. I don’t think so, but my feelings for him are blurring. So, I’m not so sure. I’m not sure I want a love that deep either.

Declan doesn’t say anything, just leaves the dining room with a huff. His right-hand man, Hendrix I think his name is, follows behind him, a smirk on his face. He must be used to this behavior.

Carter sits down and motions for me to take the seat beside him. “Declan won’t start more shit. He’s pissy because he’s not getting attention anymore.”

“Your brother has been a pain in my ass for years. I’m sure it’s not going to stop now,” I say to Carter. He grunts.

Shortly after, Declan and Hendrix come back out carrying a few platters, followed by the staff of the house. They set everything down and Dominic declares, “Dig in everyone.”

Having dinner at the Whitlock house is unlike anything I’ve ever experienced. There’s conversation, jokes, fuckinglaughter. When I had dinner with Pop, we’d sit in silence until he told me what I needed to do and how I was making the family look bad. This dinner is nothing like those awful experiences.

About thirty minutes later, the table is cleared, and dessert is set out in front of us. Cheesecake and ice cream.

Dominic picks up his spoon and eats a bite of cake. “So, Kai,” he says before he swallows his food. “How’s married life treating you?”

“You’re son is an overbearing pain in my ass,” I answer honestly, though I can’t help the smile on my face.

Dominic barks a laugh. “Yeah, his Ma said the same about me. He gets that from his old man.” His chest puffs out with pride as he looks at Carter. Then his smile drops. “Look, I know this situation ain’t ideal and this is the last place you wanna be. But we’re family now. You’ll always be family. No matter what.”

There’s that damn lump in my throat again. I don’t think I can clear it without drawing attention to the fact that I’m choked up, so I just nod and shove some ice cream in my mouth.

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