Page 12 of Consequences
“I’ll pass it along, thank you. Goodnight.”
Taking the dismissal for what it is, I thread my arm through Carter’s and tug him out of the suite.
We walk slowly through the halls, back to our side of the house, not in a hurry to get to our bedroom, despite the heavy weight of exhaustion bearing down on me.
As proud as I am of Roman, and how he held his ground against me and Allesandro, I wish we would have had time together. He was right, the vengeance we’re owed will come in due time, but at the moment, reconnecting with those we love is important.
“How’d you get on babysitting duty?” I ask Carter.
He huffs a small laugh and I look over to find his navy eyes bright and shining as a small smile plays on his lips. “Being injured as I am,” he says, lifting his casted arm and shrugging a shoulder, “it meant I wasn’t able to do all the hands-on things. But, I could keep up with an almost four-year-old, so I helped out where I could.”
Seeing the evidence of Carter’s injuries, and discovering everything we were told while gone was true, is a hard pillow to swallow. I hate knowing I wasn’t there to protect my husband. “Do you know who attacked De Luca?”
“How much do you already know about what’s gone on?” he asks instead of answering.
“Not nearly enough. No one has been forthcoming with information. What is going on, Carter?”
He sighs and doesn’t say anything until we’re in our suite. “Roman’s done an excellent job of taking charge and leading the Family,” he says once the door is shut behind us.
“I know that.”
Carter wanders over to sit down on the couch and pats the cushion next to him. Dread fills me as I sit beside him, but I trust my husband more than anything, so whatever he has to say, as much as I don’t want to hear it, I’ll listen.
“Roman and Lio… they’ve been up to their eyeballs in shit, but have managed well. Ten’s arrest…” He grimaces. “It was rough on us all, but Roman and Hollis especially.”
“What aren’t you telling me, Caro?”
He shakes his head. “It’s not for me to say.”
“Carter…”
“No, Cris. Some things are better heard from the source. I won’t betray their confidences by telling you. Anyway, do you want to know how the cops knew when and where to pick Ten and Joel up?”
“Roman said something about people we shouldn’t have had an issue with betraying us?”
Carter grimaces and nods. “Omar Campbell’s group sold us out. You remember how we had a scheduled exchange with them? Well, that got moved, as we just needed a moment to breathe. It was only by a few days—not enough time for them to make a deal with the police. No, this was planned in advance.
“They’re also the ones who attacked Georgio, and ultimately killed him.” He gestures to his cast, and then rolls up his sleeve. “I got burned on my arm and shoulder, a slight concussion, and a broken fucking wrist from the explosion. Someone pulled me out of the way just in time. Georgio wasn’t so lucky.”
There’s bitterness in my husband’s tone, not because he lost his father, but because he didn’t get to be the one to deliver the final blow. “You’ll get what you’re owed, Caro.”
“Damn right I will. They’ll pay for messing with what’s mine.” The fire in his eyes and fervor in his voice indicates he’s talking about more than just getting retribution for taking his kill away from him, and it makes me hot seeing him like that.
“Enough work talk,” I tell him. “I’ve missed you, Caro. Having only Allesandro for company got quite boring. He didn’t appreciate my singing as much as you do.”
Carter laughs, and a spark enters his navy eyes. “I’ve missed you, too, Cris. Il mio cuore soffre per te.”
“Just your heart, Caro?” Sliding closer, I place a hand on his thigh, close to where we both want me to be the most, but where I won’t touch until we’re both burning for it. “Do you not want me anywhere else?”
He grips my chin and pulls my face to his. “I want to fuck you, Cris. I want to erase whoever might have touched you while you were out of my sight.”
I moan and press our lips together. The feel of my husband against me is a head rush, and I groan when he deepens the kiss.
“Bedroom,” I say against his mouth. “I need you to fuck me, Caro.”
We strip as we go, uncovering each other in pieces, skin on skin, mouths and hands unable to stop touching.
This is what I needed. My husband, bare in front of me. Even scarred, healing from an injury I couldn’t protect him from, and aching for me, it’s everything I’ve always wanted.
