Page 63 of Forgotten Vows
“And then Daddy was there.” At the sound of someone striding into the room, we all looked up. “Daddy!” He jumped off my lap and ran to Ivan as he came into the room.
Just the sight of him walking unharmed calmed me down. I couldfinallybreathe easier. And I finally had the truth bared before my eyes.
I did love him.
I’d never stopped. Despite how mad I was and how deeply he’d hurt me, I loved this man. I wouldn’t be this much of an emotional wreck at seeing he was okay if I didn’t love him like this.
But I couldn’t bring myself to admit it. Not out loud. I shoved the thought down in my head.
Gabriella left us, patting him on the back as she moved out of the room. He nodded once at her, but he didn’t stray from approaching me. Lev ran up to hug him, tightening his little arms around his waist. But instead of stopping to hold our son, he scooped him into his arms and carried him the rest of the way to me.
Like a warrior, a crusader who would never quit, he marched up to me. A stern, ruthlessly sober expression covered his handsome face. He was a man on a mission, a killer ready to be unleashed. Just because I’d never seen his eyes darken withthat much malice and his jaw so rigid with tension, I was taken aback.
He was a Mafia man. I knew this. I’d always been aware of who he was. But until this moment, it never truly sank into my psyche that he was a lethal and furious man when provoked.
“Are you okay?” I asked, hating how quiet I sounded.
He didn’t reply. Not verbally. He kissed the top of Lev’s head as he lowered him to the sofa Gabriella had led me to. Then once our son was on the cushion, Ivan knelt on one knee. Dropping to my level, he framed my face and kissed me hard.
Right on the lips, he claimed me in such a deep and sound kiss that showed me how badly he needed to see thatIwas safe and unharmed, despite never being at the scene of violence. With his lips brushing over mine possessively, he proved thatnow, he was okay. He was back to me, and that restored him.
But it was also the first time we’d kissed in front of Lev. As he pulled back, looking me over and staring into my eyes, I glanced over at Lev. He sat there, smiling wide.
A smile.
After witnessing his tutor being shot and then risking it all to fight back the gunman, he wassmiling.
“Thank you.” That was all I could tell Ivan. I meant it from the bottom of my heart. I would forever be grateful that he protected our son and also ensured he wasn’t so traumatized that he wouldn’t smile at the sight of his mom and dad kissing.
Sighing heavily, he slanted forward to rest his forehead against mine. The sure stroke of his fingers on my cheek soothed my soul. And with his presence grounding me, I clutched the front of his shirt and closed my eyes. Breathing in deeply, I willed myself to stop this fight. To give up my grudge and forgive him so that the next time he was in danger and I worried about him or our son, they wouldbothknow how much I loved them.
All too soon, he pulled back. Holding my cheek in his palm and gazing at me intensely, he seemed to war between what to say.
“I’ll be back.”
I blinked, surprised. I hadn’t counted on him sayingthat.
“I’ll be back soon, okay?”
“Wait. Hold on.” I stood as he rose and stepped back. “Hold on. You’re just leaving?”
“I need to.”
“But why? Where are you going? I don’t want to—” Dammit. He’d left me once when I was so vulnerable and now he was taking off when I needed him again. Lev would need him too. The boy needed his father after such a scare.
I refused to let him walk away ever again!
Safety was implied. It was what I rushed here to secure for Lev. I was safe in this house, but I didn’t want to suffer through the worry thathewouldn’t be safe away from us.
“I vow to protect you. Both of you. And that means dealing with these loose threads.” He was talking in a riddle, probably to spare Lev more gruesome terminology. But I followed. I understood.
He got intel about who tried to take or hurt Lev, and he was prepared to share those details with his uncle, with Luka.
Not me.
I wasn’t privy to this intel aboutmyson.
Being excluded had never aggravated me more.
