Page 155 of Where the Wicked Reign

Nico was to his side a little ways behind him, watching warily.

“I thought this would happen after what that shithead did tonight,” Milo told Nico over his shoulder, before turning his attention back to me. “Breathe. Nice and easy. Focus. I’m here. We’re here. You’re safe. All the rest is long gone, in the past. You’re in the here and now, rooted to this place.”

I slowly nodded, letting his words roll over me.

“I’m okay,” I murmured, after a little while, steadying my breathing and managing to focus on the here and now and pull away from all the rest, all that bleakness and abuse that had been enveloping me.

He stroked my shoulder, then stepped back, and I pushed off the wall.

“Is everything—” I started to ask him and Nico.

“Everything is fine,” Nico assured me. “We’re all safe to be here. Cleanup is underway at the Leone Estate and that’s the focus right now, along with Marco and Santino sending out two dozen soldiers to track the Lone Gunners. They won’t find them, I already have my sources confirming that they’re disappearing, going to ground. No one has any idea that Bianca Leone is here, so we’re good there, too. And Santino agreed that it’s best that Caterina is here in the home of hernew husbandtonight, given what just went down.”

“Just like you planned.”

“Exactly.”

“A shit-ton of collateral damage, though.”

“No innocent collateral damage,” he pointed out.

“I didn’t like those fucking club guys being involved in the first place and—”

Milo stepped up to me. “It’s okay, Sunshine. I know. I know you’re worked up. How about we get you showered and dressed in something that’s not covered in dirt, blood, and grass stains, yeah?” he suggested, looking at my now ruined suit. “I’ll help you to get your mind far away from all that nastiness.”

The erotic nature of the suggestion wasn’t lost on me.

Yeah, if I took control of him like that, I’d be back on even steadier ground.

But it could also be a little dangerous when I was like this, when I’d just gone to that bad place.

“You’re sure?”

“Of course.”

“You’ll need a safe word.”

“My usual.Sprinkles.”

“And a signal too.”

He nodded, agreeing to my terms. “You’ve got it.”

“Where’s Caterina?” Nico asked me. “Bianca?”

“Bianca has crashed for the night a few doors down from Milo’s room. Caterina is upstairs in the room you assigned to her. She’s taking a shower, getting changed, and just generally taking a much-needed beat.”

“Okay,” he said, taking that in. “I’ll give her some time.”

“Plus, you can clean up too,” I said, gesturing at his bloodied state, just like Milo’s.

“Just a few scratches,” Milo assured me, before I could ask just that. “I promise. We took your words to heart, just like you asked.”

“Or demanded,” Nico said.

“It’s only because I love you two assholes so much.”

He grinned. “We know, J.”

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