Page 90 of When Sinners Fear
He nods and waves his hand. “Go. I’ll see you when you’re back.” Yeah.
I sit again and let the crew know we need to get on with getting me to her. From there, we’re on our own for two weeks without this jet or anyone tracking us.
~
Cutting through the masses at the Los Angeles airport is not my preferred location to find her, but it was the best place to fly first-class from and I’m late. By the time I get checked through and into the private lounge she should have been escorted to, I’m happy as fuck to see her waiting for me. She stands and rushes towards me, arms outstretched and a smile worthy of the angel she is. My hold around her is fiercely protective, and the fact that she takes my hand straight to her stomach only strengthens that hold.
“God, I’ve missed you,” she says.
I look at her face, her body, our joined hands on our growing son. “That was a long fucking month.”
“Yeah.” She blows out a breath and moves away a little. “And now you’re here, can we please eat something? I’m literally starving.”
I chuckle and walk us over towards the private boarding gates and through. “Not yet. You should’ve just eaten. You’ve been here an hour.”
“I would have done, but then I got nervous about where we were going, and you were late and–”
“This is not the airport for private jets. And there’s another reason I’m late. Abel knows.”
She stops as we enter the plane. “Knows what? About the baby?” Her voice goes soft.
“Yeah.” I put my hand on her back and push her on, guided by the crew taking us to our seats in first-class.
“But how?”
“I told him.” Her ass falls into the seat.
“Why? I thought you were hiding us.”
“I can hide pretty much anything from anyone, but not him. Never really could. He knows when something’s off, and he’s always ten steps ahead of everything. I’ve done well keeping him out of it this long.”
“Sir, ma’am? Can I get you both a drink? Appetisers?”
“Appetisers,” Peyton says, sharply. “Lots of appetisers. Please.”
I look up at the woman and chuckle. “Bring food. Bring a lot of food.”
~
There's a car waiting for us when we arrive in Milan. I don’t want to drive. I want all my attention on her and nothing else. We’ll be busy capturing every moment we can, just like she wants. I don’t know why she needs them really. She’s got a long life in front of her regardless of having a baby, and there will be nannies and times where we’re just us two. We’ll travel wherever she wants to then, just as soon as life’s path gets settled enough for that. And if it doesn’t settle as it needs to, I’ll make it settle for the three of us. If there’s one thing our time together has taught me well, it’s that chances are fleeting and those threats around every corner come fast and hard when you least expect them. I won’t ever be caught out by them again. She certainly won't, and a son of mine? He’s going nowhere near the crossfire.
“I never said anything about wanting to see Italy,” she says, as we pass through old streets aged with blackened stone. No, but we’re here now and I’ve got no threats in this part of Europe that I know of.
“It’s safer here,” murmurs from me. “Milan for three days, then Rome, then Paris, then finally London.” The fact that it’s cold helps. Less tourists means less people to scan, and less people to scan means more chance of seeing threats.
“We’re on vacation, Knox. I hardly think we’ve got any of your enemies coming for us over here.” I’ve got enemies everywhere. All our family has. People hate us for being successful, and they despise the way we achieve that success. “Besides, can we not think like that? It's hard for me. I just want us together and enjoying whatever this time together brings. Our future?” I nod and take her hand in mine, linking our fingers tightly. She’s right. This is all about her – her wants, her needs. Neither of those principles are anything to do with what I do. She’s separate from that, and this time together should be as separate as it can be.
Our suite at the Principe di Savoia is as expected. Stylish, elegant and large. She leaves me the moment we enter to head for the bathroom, and I’m left to look out over the view of the city. Long breaths heave in and out of me, as I try to get in the same headspace as she’s in. I’m not calm and excited for the time we’ve got. I’m on edge and continuously looking for threats and problems. I guess I always have been, but since our time in those cages, and now with the reality of our child coming and the shit I’m going to have to navigate with Logan, I’m twice as bad.
Sighing, I lean on the balcony rail. It’s only her that brings me any peace, and, to this day, I don’t know what that love is based in or why it came. It came with a force I couldn’t ignore, and it’s now so deeply embedded in me, I’ll never let it go. It’s a shame this view and her smiles don’t diminish the memories of the bruises I put on her. And while she might forget, forgive, or move through those memories, I never will. I can't. I don't forget a damn thing because of this gift I've been given. Everything stays in my head – crystal clear. Forever.
I spin sharply at the feel of something touching my back. She rears back in my eyeline instantly, hand hovering until she puts it back on my chest and moves in closer.
“Still jumpy?” she asks. A long, drained fucking breath eases out of me again. Yes always. “It’s only me.” She smiles and takes my hand to her stomach. “And him. It’s just us, Knox. The doors are locked, and the security you’ve paid for is standing outside. We’re okay.” Her lips come to mine, soft and sweet and full of that innocence I took from her. I pull her in closer, wrapping her up until she’s all I can feel for a while.
She giggles at some point and pulls back, almost pushing me away so she can get around me and look at the view. She never once let’s go of my hand, though, and pulls it around her so we’re both staring out at the city’s skyline.
“What do you want to see first?” I ask.