Page 54 of Psycho Saints

Isettled into life with the Silvestri brothers like a ship finding harbor after a storm. The mansion became our sanctuary, a place where love and danger intertwined in ways I never thought possible.

Even Ray and Naomi had visited the place, wowed by my new home. Things were still tense with Ray and my men, but he was coming round, now talking with me on the phone again. He was excited to meet my baby despite its father, whomever it was of the three, and Noms was over the moon. She was preparing to be the best Auntie on the planet, promising to load them up with sweets whenever she visited and then laughing evilly about it. As for Steve, Noms had worked out some kind of arrangement with him, where she lived with him and still worked part-time, something he had accepted. I had a feeling he’d continue working his ass off to make her give up her job completely.

Cristian threw himself into preparing the nursery with a fervor that surprised me. Gone was the man who'd terrorized me; in his place stood someone determined to build a future for our child. We spent hours poring over color swatches and furniture catalogs, his enthusiasm infectious.

"What do you think of this crib, kitten?" Cristian held up a picture of an ornate wooden piece.

I ran my fingers over the image. "It's beautiful, but isn't it a bit... much?"

He grinned, pulling me close. "Nothing's too much for our little one."

The nursery took shape under our hands, a testament to the strange new life we'd built. Soft pastels covered the walls, and plush toys lined shelves that Cristian insisted on installing himself.

One afternoon, as I folded tiny onesies, Cristian burst through the door, his shirt spattered with blood. My heart leapt into my throat, old fears rising.

"Cris, what-"

He crossed the room in two strides, crushing his lips to mine. The metallic tang of blood mixed with his familiar taste as he lifted me onto the changing table.

"Please, I want to be inside you," he growled, tearing at my clothes. "I need to be reminded of the good things."

I should have been repulsed, should have pushed him away. Instead, I found myself wrapping my legs around him, craving his touch as much as he craved mine. We came together in a frenzy of lust and desperation, the nursery bearing silent witness to our twisted union.

Afterward, Cristian cradled me in his arms, his hand splayed protectively over my growing belly. "I'm sorry, sweetheart. I didn't mean to scare you."

I traced the lines of his face, seeing the conflict in his eyes. "I'm not scared of you anymore, Cris. I understand... well, maybe not everything, but enough."

He kissed me softly, then led me to the bathroom. As he bathed me, his touch gentle and reverent, I marveled at the duality of the man before me. Killer and protector, monster and lover.

Tyrone and Julian were no less attentive, each showing their care in their own ways. Tyrone insisted on accompanying me to every doctor's appointment, his fierce protectiveness both comforting and overwhelming.

"No one's going to hurt you or the baby," he'd growl, glaring at anyone who dared look our way.

Julian, ever the peacemaker, would often step in to smooth things over. He'd bring me books on pregnancy and child-rearing, always ready with a shoulder to lean on when the hormones got the best of me.

I'd grown accustomed to Tyrone's stress relief methods. When the weight of the family business bore down on him, he'd seek me out, his eyes dark with need. He'd pin me against walls, bend me over furniture, taking what he needed with a desperate intensity that left me breathless.

Today, he cornered me in the kitchen, his large hands gripping my hips as he pushed me against the counter. "I need you, Scarlet," he growled, his voice rough and hungry. "You're mine. Forever."

I didn't resist, letting him hike up my dress and have his way with me right there. The marble was cold against my skin, a stark contrast to Tyrone's burning touch.

He drove into me ruthlessly, taking care with my now protruding belly as I leaned back. There was a wild look in his eye, but I squirmed as his lips claimed mine, swallowing up my moans as my own release neared.

His hand fisted in my hair, pulling back so that he could dive his tongue deeper into my mouth, fucking me with a passion that eased his frustrations.

It didn't take long before I was whimpering and clenching around him, drawing a deep rumble from him as he joined me in climax.

Afterward, he cradled me gently, pressing soft kisses to my neck. "Sorry, sweetheart. I needed you. You okay?"

I nodded, leaning into his embrace. "I'm fine, Ty. You know I can handle it."

He chuckled, reaching into his pocket. "I got you something." A delicate gold bracelet dangled from his fingers, tiny charms catching the light.

I smiled, knowing it was his way of reminding me of his adoration in the moments when he took what he wanted.

"It's beautiful," I breathed as he helped me put it on.

"Just like you," he said as he did up the clasp and pressed his lips to my forehead.