Page 90 of King of Hearts

“He wanted to go to war…problem was, he chose to battle against my family.” Kyle crouched down, getting eye level with me. He shrugged, giving me a small grin before he stood up and walked off.

Decker crouched next, placing a solid hand on my back. Tears nearly blinded me as I gave him a watery smile. “You?”

He met my smile with a sad one of his own. “Mallory is my life, and she was two seconds from driving here herself to get you.” He shook his head back and forth. “My morals grew grey after that shit with Elias, and my hand…I guess this side of the law doesn’t really feel too foreign to me. My Uncle Scotty has been in this business for a long time too, so there’s that.”

Yes, his uncle had worked for my father. I ducked my head, trying to ignore that I had to share family with a man who was tied to my own personal monster. The man in question walked past me, giving me a completely stoic face, no emotion whatsoever. He was in his mid-thirties with dark hair that matched Kyle’s and Decker’s. I had to remember that my monster was dead now, and their family member had been on the right side of this war, defending me and my daughter.

The rain fell in angry spurts as the fires around the compound began to hiss and flicker. I went to stand up with Alex cradled to my chest, and warm hands landed on my arms, helping me.

Whiskey eyes, muted by the greying sky but no less warm, stared back at me. His black hair was getting soaked, forcing stray strands into his eyes. He smiled at me, pushing the pieces back.

I didn’t wait another second; I just walked into his arms and allowed his strong hands to pull me against his chest. He’d found a zip-up hoodie somewhere, and the fabric was wet under my face as I pressed into him. A second later, he was standing back and guiding me toward the hole in the massive wall.

“Come on, babe,” he murmured, kissing my hairline.

Tears flowed freely as I nodded and followed him to his car.

Chapter Thirty-Four

I hadour driver take us to Mallory and Decker’s place in the city. I knew she’d feel safer there than anywhere else right now, even with me. I knew she needed to see Mal and get a second to collect herself.

I had dialed my best friend letting her know we were on our way and then pocketed my phone so I didn’t have to answer a million questions from her.

Taylor had wanted to buckle Alex in the middle because it was the safest place in a car, so currently there was a baby between us. As I kept looking over at Taylor, it was getting more and more difficult not to touch her.

“Unbuckle, Taylor,” I said, voice low and commanding.

I didn’t dare take my eyes off her as she brought those ocean eyes up to meet my brown ones.

She must have understood what I needed because she didn’t question me or say anything. The sound of her restraint unclipping hit my ears, then she was moving. We were in a rather large SUV, so it was easy enough to move around in. She hunched her back and moved until she was close enough, then I pulled her into my lap.

She buried her face into my neck as her hand went up to grab my shoulder.

I rubbed her side, hating how close I’d come to losing her.

“I’m not sorry that I left,” she whispered in my ear, stroking my neck and dragging her finger along my collarbone.

“You left assuming I’d be better off without you. How would you feel if I had done that to you? Agreed to marry a different person, giving you no choice in the matter, because I thought it was best for you?”

She let out a small sob that seemed to get caught in her chest. “I couldn’t think that way, Juan. You were never mine to begin with…I was never going to be able to keep you.”

“I’ve always been yours. Yours and no one else’s,” I explained coldly. My anger began to rise, making me hold her tighter against me. “I love you…I can’t…” I snapped my mouth shut, trying to get my emotions under control. “I won’t live without you, Taylor. It’s not a life I want.”

Her finger moved down to my chest where the zipper to my hoodie latched. She slowly dragged it down until she could see my chest and the two hearts tattooed there. I winced when the material grazed the ink. I was an idiot for taking the wrap off early, but hopefully with caring for it at Mal’s it would be fine.

“You claimed us. For real this time.” Her eyes found mine, watery and red and yet still the most beautiful thing I’d ever seen.

My hand came up to cover hers. “For real and forever.”

She nodded and pressed a small kiss to my chest, which only made me want those lips on mine. I tipped her chin up until her mouth was accessible for me, and then I claimed it just like I did her life, her heart…her entire existence.

* * *

Taylor

My sister livedat the top of a thirty-story building, in the penthouse suite. She and Decker hated it and couldn’t wait to hand off the reins to the person they were currently in the process of training for the job.

I was at the window again in her guest bedroom, sipping decaf coffee, while I watched the city turn white under the December snow.

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