“I’ll have a dedication,” she teased. “To my gangster husband.” I couldn’t help but chuckle. Somehow I didn’t think she was joking. “And if we have kids, I want them to be part of that school. Both boys and girls.”
“You got it,” I agreed. “Maybe I should have taught Wynter and Juliette more about this world, instead of shielding them.”
“You did what you thought best.” Then she met me with a stern look on her face. “But our kids won’t be pampered and sheltered to the point of being vulnerable.”
I grinned like a teenager, and for the first time in my life, I looked forward to a long life. With a woman I loved by my side.
“Are you sure you want children with me?” Her happiness mattered to me, and I wanted her to be sure.
“Yes, I’m sure. We don’t need to rush it, right?” She pressed a kiss on my chest. “I want to get a business plan put together and things like that.”
I love how she made plans for our future. For us and our children.
“We have time. I’ll teach our kids everything. I should have taught Wynter and Juliette those skills too,” I admitted begrudgingly.
“You didn’t know.” Davina’s voice was soft. “Juliette loves you. Wynter too. They both admire you so much. I think secrets don’t do them any favors, though.”
It was on the tip of my tongue to ask her what all Juliette and Wynter think and know, but that’d put my wife in an unfair position. She was their friend and my wife. I would get our issues ironed out directly with them.
“So what are your plans for tomorrow?” I asked her. “Now that there is no more heist planning.”
She chuckled.
“I’m recording Wynter ice skating in the morning. Then I thought you and I could go visit my grandfather together.” Her voice faltered and hesitancy laced her voice. “If you want.”
“Yes. We’ll visit him and tell him about our marriage.”
“Yes,” she agreed softly.
“Now that everyone knows,” I told her, “... nobody and nothing will keep me away from you.”
She chuckled softly. “So demanding.”
“Always, Céile,” I growled.
“But you don’t want strangers here, right?” she questioned.
“It’s your home as much as mine,” I told her. There was nothing more I wanted than to see her happy and in our home always. “You can invite whoever you want. But keep it to people we know. I do have enemies, my love.”
Silence followed and I wondered if me calling her love silenced her or the admission that I had enemies.
“Do you have a lot of enemies?” she asked.
“I try not to make enemies,” I admitted softly. “Unfortunately in my line of work, they pile up.”
She exhaled heavily. “But they’d never come for my grandfather, right?”
“Two men are watching your grandfather at all times.”
She scoffed. “Why am I not surprised?” Then her eyebrows furrowed. “I don’t like the idea of being stalked, Liam. You won’t do it again.”
Somehow it didn’t surprise me she’d demand that. No wonder she got along with Wynter and Juliette.
“There is shit happening, and there’ll be even more coming,” I told her. She tensed lightly and I took her chin between my fingers. “I’m going to protect my family. But I need you and the girls to stop being reckless.”
“My control freak husband,” she murmured, but her eyes told me she took my words seriously.
I wanted her to understand this was serious. “If something happens to you, I won’t be able to live on.” She blinked her eyes and I watched her neck bob as she swallowed hard. “You’re everything I want and need, Davina. My wife. My family. My home.”