Page 102 of Mercy (The Sins Trilogy 3)
TJ makes a choking noise, then starts coughing, his massive, boulder-like shoulders shaking.
I give him a glare. Why doesn’t he stick to grunting Visigoth mode?
But Tony looks a little aghast as well. “I wouldn’t wish that even on some of my enemies.”
“Why not?”
“Because Salazar used to be an incorrigible womanizer, and it wasn’t a secret that Ceinlys had a few lovers of her own—discreetly, of course.”
“But…but…” I gesture helplessly. How can they look so happy together if they’ve been cheating on each other? Is it some kind of open marriage thing?
“And they’re divorced,” Tony adds.
“But they look so happy together!”
“Now that they’re divorced, they’re happier. Who knows why? It’s weird, though, because for the longest time, everyone called them The Eternal Couple. People thought they’d never divorce. They have five children between them, and they make a handsome pair.”
“Wow,” I say. “There must be some crazy story behind it all. Stuff that nobody knows.”
“Undoubtedly. But I can promise we won’t have a marriage like theirs. You’re the only one for me. I will never disrespect you or myself by cheating on you.”
“I know.” He told me all the beautiful women he was seen with in the last several years meant nothing to him, and he couldn’t even bring himself to sleep with any of them because they left him cold. And I believe him, because it was the same for me with the suave men I met in Europe. With or without my memory, my heart knew.
Then something else Tony brought up reminds me of our previously unfinished discussion. I should ease into it slowly before he gets weird or tense. “Five kids, huh?”
“Mmm-hmm.” He massages my hand.
“How many should we have?” I toss it out casually.
The gentle strokes of his fingers stay steady and even. “If the timing’s right and if we’re both ready, we can discuss and decide.”
He sounds calm and rational. And what he’s saying makes sense. I’m not in any rush to have babies yet. I’m greedy—and want him to myself for a while.
But my instinct says something’s off. No man should be this placid and cool about having a child with the woman he loves. If he doesn’t want any, he should just say so outright and explain why.
At the same time, am I overreacting? It could just be that Tony has no real preferences one way or the other. Maybe the talk about children by Margot and Mrs. Min is getting to me. I haven’t given having kids too much thought, and it makes sense that Tony wants to wait until the time’s right. Why have them while the killer’s out there?
Sighing, I sidle closer. Our relationship is like music. We need to take care of it one beat at a time.
