Page 40 of His to Keep
“Yeah.” That is exactly what I’m afraid of. I can kill and maim for my wife, but I’m not sure I can vanquish her inner demons.
“Are you man enough to see her through it?” Alexander turns on a big brother voice I’m not sure he’s entitled to use considering his long absence from Eilidh’s life. “Can you catch her when she falls?”
“Yes, I can.” My firm response leaves absolutely no room for doubt. I push to my feet. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to check on my wife. I suggest you give her some time to adjust. If she wants to speak to you, I’ll call.”
Leaving Damiano to show our guests out, I head upstairs to see Eilidh.
CHAPTER 14
Eilidh
For the past few years, I’ve clung to the hope that I wasn’t the only member of my family to survive the massacre at Blackfold House. I prayed to deities I don’t believe in for Alexander to have somehow made it out safely. Recently, I’d begun to accept the most likely scenario, that he was dead. Now, suddenly, he shows up just after I marry Gio. The timing makes me suspicious.
I don’t know what to think or feel about my brother’s unexpected appearance. Happiness should be the dominant emotion I experience, but it’s being pushed down by anger, confusion, and something I can’t put a name to. It might be dread. As crazy as it sounds, since I was reluctant to marry Gio in the first place, I’m worried Alexander is here to take me away from my husband.
So many questions swirl in my head, but I can’t bring myself to go back downstairs to get the answers. I have no idea how to be in the same room as my brother right now. How do I act around him? It’s perplexing because on one hand he’s familiar, and onthe other a stranger. Four years is a long time to have been apart. I’ve changed and he must have too. What if I don’t like the man he’s become? I used to worship my older brother. I couldn’t bear it if he’s now a complete asshole.
Rosalia sits and watches me from where she’s perched on the wide, low windowsill. We haven’t spoken since she came into the room and asked me if I was okay. My curtnomade her retreat. Despite the silence, I’m glad the other woman is here. Rosalia has a calming presence. She’s not trying to crowd me, to get answers to why I’m upset. She simply sits there, quietly offering support.
“My brother showed up,” I say eventually. “After the ceremony.”
Rosalia’s eyebrow arches. “You didn’t want him here?”
“It’s not that. I thought he was dead.”
“Oh.” Rosalia seems lost for words, which I completely understand. My situation is not something many people come across.
“My family was murdered and he…” I can’t get any more words out.
The enormity of what’s happened suddenly overwhelms me. A maelstrom of emotion swirls inside me and I break down crying. Rosalia is by my side in an instant. She sits on the bed beside me and wraps an arm around my shoulder.
“I’m sorry.” Burdening people with my tumultuous feelings has never been something I’ve enjoyed.
“Let it out,” Rosalia advises. “It will do you good.”
“I don’t even know why I’m crying,” I sob. “I’m glad he’s alive.”
“Of course you are, but you’ve had a shock. Once it’s sunk in properly, everything will be better.”
I’m sure she’s right. Usually, I would cope with this turn of events just fine. Over the years, I’ve learned to roll with the punches. I just need time to get used to Alexander being back.
Moving out of Rosalia’s embrace, I wipe the tears from my face.
“Could you go and ask Gio to come up?” I’m surprised he didn’t follow me straight up here. He probably wanted to speak to Alexander first.
“Of course.” As she gets up, the door opens and Gio walks in.
“Signore.” Rosalia bobs her head and squeezes past him to leave the room.
“Did you know?” I ask before he can speak. “When you agreed to marry me, did you know Alexander was alive?”
Gio meets my gaze head on. “No, kitten, I didn’t. I promise you if I’d known I would have said something.”
It’s clear he’s telling the truth.
“So, where was he all this time?” The breath catches at the back of my throat. Tears fill my eyes once more. “Why didn’t he come for me?”
As heaving sobs rack my body, Gio strides across the room to scoop me up into his arms. He sits on the bed, settling me on his lap.
