Page 103 of Silent Betrayal

“We need a group picture first! I need a framed photo of you guys in these shirts!” she says with a huge smile.

I knew the matching shirts were going to be a big success. I had expected some arguments from some of the others, but when I presented them each with a different colored shirt that all said‘hers’on the front, they stripped off right there to put them on. Of course I got her one that says‘theirs’and she squealed when she saw us all dressed in ours.

Ben grabs a random woman to take a photo for us. Atlas holds Mina in the middle, and I kneel in front as the others all move around them. The woman gives us a funny look as she passes Ben his phone back, but the look on Mina’s face when she’s see’s the photo makes me quickly forget. Who cares what anybody else thinks of our relationship? As long as my girl is happy, so am I.

As we resume our walk to the SUV, someone’s phone rings, but when nobody reaches to answer it, we stop, pulling out our phones, trying to figure out whose is ringing.

“Malishka, I think it’s yours,” Atlas says, gently setting her on her feet.

“Oh! It must be my dad,” she says, pulling her phone from her pocket and answering it.

They’ve been talking every day, and I was glad she was able to connect with him again. Although he was becoming really good at becoming the classic overprotective father. He has to go back to California soon for his job and keeps trying to get Mina to move there. He then suggested he stays here, to be closer to her, but when she explained our job would have us moving around, he conceded.

“Tomorrow? Let me ask, hold on—” She frowns before speaking again. “No. Dad, no, of course not. I just need to see if we have any plans.” She turns her back to us and takes a step away, listening to what he saysbefore responding. “That’s not what’s going on, dad. He’s the head of our family and—” Her shoulders drop and she sighs. “Yeah, I know.”

“Enough of this,” Dom grumbles as he walks over and stands in front of her, holding his hand out, palm up. Mina doesn’t hesitate to give him her phone.

“Hello, Paul. What seems to be the problem?” His eyes never leave Mina’s face as he listens to whatever it is her dad has to say. “I can assure you we have not been keeping her from you, and I don’t appreciate you accusing us of that. If she wants to see you tomorrow, we will make it happen, but we are not going to push her into it before she’s ready.” He nods his head before responding. “I will. Have a good evening, Paul.”

He hangs up the phone and passes it to her, before putting an arm around her shoulder and pulling into his side as we continue across the parking lot.

“He wants to see you tomorrow, and I told him you would let him know. If he gets pushy again, you tell me, okay?”

“It’s okay, Dom. I think he just wants to make up for lost time.”

“It doesn’t matter, he has no right to push you before you’re ready.”

“He has fifteen years of overprotective dad to make up for, I guess. And besides, I think I’m ready. To see him, I mean.”

“If you’re sure?” Dom asks, looking down at her.

She nods her head, a determined look on her face. “Yes. He killed Simon to save me, the least I can do is have a coffee with him.”

“Well, we have to go in for the debrief with the police chief tomorrow. There is a coffee shop right across the street, so you can grab that drink while we do that.”

“Okay! I’ll text him now,” she says excitedly.

I haven’t seen her smile as much in the past two months as she’s done today. The same goes for all my brothers. Every time they look at her, it seems to ease something in them, just as it does in me. Like our missing piece has finally come home, and now, our puzzles complete.

Chapter forty-six

Istraighten my tie, roll my shoulders back, and knock on her door. My heart pounds heavily in my chest as I wait for her to answer. I don’t know why I have the nerves of a schoolboy about to go on his first date, but something about Mina sets my nerves on edge. As if any wrong movement by me could scare her off. We’ve spent plenty of time together recently, but most of it has been in group settings. I’ve spent a few nights cuddling her in bed between one of my brothers, but this is our first real date.

The door creaks open and she stands there wearing an understated little black dress that looks perfect on her, showing off her gorgeous curves. Since living with us she’s filled out to a much more healthy size, no longer looking on the brink of starvation.

She’s wearing a thick pair of tights underneath and her brown hair is flowing softly around her shoulders.

“Wow. You look gorgeous, Love,” I say, eyeing her up and down. “These are for you.” I pass over the bouquet of pink and purple tulips.

“Tulips?” she asks, her eyes happily surprised as they meet mine. “You remembered.”

“Of course I did, Love. I remember everything you tell me.”

A small blush tints her cheeks pink and she bites her lip before turning to place the flowers in a vase on her dresser.

She turns back towards me and licks her lips.Is she as nervous as I am?I reach for her hand, which she offers me easily, and take a step towards her. She has to tilt her head to keep eye contact with me, and when I get close enough, I ease my arm around her waist, pulling us close together.

“Gideon?”

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