Page 48 of Sweet Madness
“And that’s more like it.”
We all laugh after that.
But she’s right. Raiza can’t do anything wrong in her big brother’s eyes. My cousin, Azariel, is nine years older than Raiza and since she was born, he has taken the role of brother more than seriously. He would do anything for her and his family.
That is who he is.
Nothing is off the table. Murder included.
“He does love you, sweet girl,” I agree, matching her smile. “What surprises me is that Uncle Vitali agreed to it.”
Uncle Vitali is fiercely protective of his kids, but he’s especially protective of his baby girl. Last I heard, he was adamant about not getting his little girl a wild beast, as he calls it. What’s hilarious to me is that he swears he abhors animals, yet his most loyal companion lately is my aunt’s cat, Greta.
That cat has as many lives as my uncle, I swear.
“Mommy convinced him,” Raiza says with a knowing grin on her lovely face. A face that is an exact replica of her mother’s.
No wonder Uncle Vitali can’t tell her no.
“I’m sure she did.” We all smile, then continue chatting about Narcizo and Azariel for a few more minutes while I occasionally glance at the lecture slides to keep up with the class discussion.
“What about you, Low? How’s your day going?” I ask Willow.
Willow’s animated signing vividly portrays the gripping details of a true crime show about a kidnapped girl in Montana, capturing my attention with its intense and gory storyline. It turns out the girl tells her parents she’s going to the mall with her friends, but she never returns. Eventually, she ends up in the basement of a psychopathic married father of three.
Her fascination with crime and murder shows is concerning. I have no doubt that if Willow ever murdered someone, she would get away with it—not only because her father is a crime boss but also because she enjoys those shows as much as I enjoy romcom movies.
“How well do you know that man? He might have demons,” Willow signs with a worried expression.
My first reaction is a cringe, triggered by the sudden shift from bloody entertainment to questions about my bodyguard. “Cool it with the crazy people shows,” I sign, while teasing her gently.
Willow frowns. “Says the girl who is being stalked.”
“Technically, her entire family is being stalked by a creep,” Raiza points out, still playing with her panther. “And don’t we all have demons?”
“I guess we do,” I whisper, a rush of sadness creeping in as I look at my little cousins. I know better than to think problems come only with age. Despite their loving homes and financial stability, they aren’t spared from the harsh realities of growing up.
I lean forward in my seat. “You both know that you can always confide in me. I’ll never judge you, and I’ll always do my best to help and bring a smile to your faces.”
There is a moment of silence. Willow nods, smiling but with sadness in her eyes, while Raiza initially looks angry before masking it with a smile of her own.
How did we all become so good at masking what troubles us that fake smiles now come so naturally?
“We know,” Raiza says aloud, while Willow signs the words simultaneously.
“Good,” I smile sadly at them both. “And trust me. Shaw won’t let anything happen to me.”
It’s true.
Time has passed, but one thing remains certain: Shaw Banning doesn’t play when it comes to his job. Right now, I am a job.
My Uncle Benji trusts him with my life, and so do I.
Willow nods, still not looking all that convinced. “Okay, okay,” she signs with a grin. “But if he fails you, trust that Dad will handle him.”
“Mom and Dad too,” Raiza chimes in, signing as well so Willow won’t feel left out. “Although I don’t think there’ll be much left of the hot bodyguard after Auntie Arianna and Uncle Bastian are through with him.”
I chuckle softly and sign in agreement. “Oh, I know.” I grimace. “But trust me, guys. Shaw is…” I want to say a million things, yet I think it best to just say what first comes to mind. “Shaw is unlike anyone I have ever known. He won’t let anything happen to me. Besides, I think he’s…” I pause and then say: “He’s made of steel.”