Page 57 of Innocent Union
“I’m sorry,” I tell her, standing beside Killian. “This is my place now.”
Mom sniffs “So be it. But I’m going to do everything in my power to make sure you’re ok. I won’t let Killian ruin you.” She gets into her car, and her driver starts the car, taking her back home.
I turn to Killian and rest my head on his chest. “This is a mess, isn’t it?”
He just holds me closer.
The dayof my dad’s funeral, I remember standing in my room in my black dress, trying to clip a bracelet around my wrist, and it just wasn’t working. I was only eight. The emotion of knowing my dad was gone was too much.
I screamed and threw the bracelet on the ground. It was made of beads, and they shattered upon impact.
My mom came running into the room. “What happened?”
I took one look at her and started crying. Mom’s eyes softened as she pulled me into a hug.
“I can’t do this,” I whispered. “I can’t look at him.” We were having an open casket ceremony for him.
“You can, and you will,” Mom said. “You’ll have me. And you’ll have your siblings you can lean on.”
I believed her.
When we got to the church and my siblings and I had to look down at our dead father, I felt more scared than I ever had been before. Emilia helped take care of me as Mom cried, inconsolable.
Through the ceremony and reception, I was surrounded by my family. Even though I’d just lost my father, I felt love. I felt comfort. I felt support.
But now, seeing my mom’s car drive away and knowing how upset Antonio is, I don’t feel like I have my family.
The only person I have now is Killian.
And I can only hope he will be enough.
CHAPTER 15
Mia
Itry to talk sense into my mom by going over to her house the next day.
“I can’t believe Killian put you in this position,” she says the moment she opens the door and lets me inside.
“What position is that, Mom?”
“He’s put you in danger! By killing Antonio’s men, he’s at odds with Antonio, which only hurts your reputation even more. If this gets out, people will talk. Others will think they can to do to you what those men did.”
I grab her arms to get her to stop pacing the room. “Mom. Killian saved me. If this gets out, it will only serve as a warning to other men. You don’t mess with Killian Brennan. Hopefully, it makes other men back off when it comes to me.”
She sighs. “You know that’s not how this works, Mia. Not in our world. In our world, men will find every excuse to blame women. I know that. I’ve faced that myself. That’s why the last thing I want is news about who the twins’ real father is coming out. Men would find a way to blame me, and it would hurt Lucia and Luca’s reputation. I’m worried Killian is only hurting your reputation more.”
“How? Men already think I’m some harlot because of what Cecilia did. Now, they’ll just think I’m a harlot with a murderous husband.”
To Mom’s credit, she smiles a little at that. “I just don’t like any of this.”
“But what other choice do we have? You didn’t want Killian for me, but he’s proven to be a good husband. Mom, he saved me from those men. Can’t you understand that?”
“I do!” she snapes. “I do understand. I’m just so protective over you. You were my baby for the longest time. I don’t want you getting hurt.”
I pull her into a hug. “And I appreciate that. But Killian can protect me now. You’ve done your job. You protected me from Uncle Franco. You protected all of us. You don’t have to worry, Mom. Killian will handle this. Everything will be all right.”
“How are you so calm? Last I knew, you were upset.”
