Page 51 of Wicked Rivals

“But me not keeping my son away from your family legacy, seeing him become part of it, that will be my fault. I have to make sure blood never stains his future the way it has yours.”

When she stopped, it took her a minute to catch her breath.

Good. My turn.

“If you don't let me protect our son, he won't have a future at all. I won't claim him as my heir if that’s what you want, but that doesn't mean I'm going to abandon him. Or you.”

Her eyes filled with tears again, and she paced the room.

“You just don’t get it, do you? Just being your son is enough to put him in danger, even though he’s a bastard, as your people so kindly call him. I tried. I tried so hard, but I don't know how to protect him from your life.

“And even if you aren’t the danger, even if you loved him, especially if you loved him, your rivals would keep trying to hurt him. You all play by the rules only when it suits you. A monster in a three-piece designer suit is still a monster, no matter what he pretends to be. At his core… he’s always that monster.”

I had the strangest feeling in that moment that Val could see into the depths of my heart to pull out exactly the right words that hurt me the deepest.

What the hell did she know about the beast living inside me?

It had nothing to do with her or the boy. Yes, it was part of me. A piece of me I would keep away from them, locked up where it belonged.

But her words.

She’d used her own metaphor without realizing how closely it hit home for me, without knowing I often thought of myself that way.

So yes, I got it. I understood what she meant about my life inside La Cosa Nostra.

At one time, I’d felt the same way. And that was why I had tried notto father any children. Hell, I still felt that way.

But what was done was done. Enzo was here. He was ours.

I couldn’t change the fact that he was my son, and I would never turn my back on him.

Val stopped pacing, crossed her arms, lifted her chin. She didn’t have to say anything. I could read the words on her face.

I told you so.

Fuck.

I’d run out of ways to tell her I would protect them both. And judging by the tired look in her eyes now, she probably didn’t have it in her to listen to anything else until she rested.

I had to come up with a plan that would convince her.

“We can talk about our son’s future later,” I said. “First, I’ll handle this threat. Once I deal with whoever’s behind it, I’ll make it clear to all the families that no one will ever use him against me again. This will not happen again, Val.”

She met my gaze. A tear trickled down her cheek.

“I don't know what I would do without him.”

Seeing her like that, scared, hurt, vulnerable, it unlocked something inside me that I didn’t know existed.

And I couldn’t handle it.

I pulled her to me, slid my hands into her hair, and kissed her. Softer this time, sweeter. This one not meant to control her or own her but to show her that she wasn’t alone.

Not anymore.

She pressed her palms against my chest, her heat burning me right through my undershirt. She didn't pull away. She opened herself to me, let me kiss her the way I chose to, with want, need, holding nothing back, and holding everything back.

When she stepped back, I thought we were done, that the night had come to a close.

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