“I want her to see all this,” she said. “And I want her to meet you. I think that if she saw that the Valentinos aren’t just a bunch of blood-thirsty monsters, then maybe she’ll come around.”
“Too bad we actually are monsters,” I said with a sigh.
“You can behave for one day.” She glanced at me, smiling. “I’m serious though. If I can turn Nessa, maybe she can convince some more people. And if we get everyone on board…” She trailed off.
I reached out and caught her hand mid-stride, tugging her against my hip. She stumbled, but I steadied her with an arm around her shoulder. She looked up at me, chewing on her lip, and I looked back, feeling a surge of shocking pride.
“That’s very smart,” I said honestly. “If we can convince some of your family that Colm’s actually working against their interests, it might split up their power base enough to go after Colm himself.”
“That’s what I’m thinking,” she said. “Is it a little too evil though? I mean, I don’t want to hurt anyone or start some kind of civil war.”
“We won’t let it get that far,” I said. “We only need Colm.”
“And maybe Shaun.” She whispered the words, staring straight ahead.
I tightened my grip around her shoulders. “If it comes to that,” I said.
“Why are you being like this?” she asked.
“What do you mean?”
“You’re trying to save my family, but you’ve been at war with them for so long. Shouldn’t you be trying to kill them?”
I blinked up toward the trees and the leaves, watching the light sparkle through the gaps in the branches, and let out a long breath. That was something I’d been asking myself ever since this started, and the answer felt strange, like it was coming from someone else.
“There’s been enough dying,” I said finally. “On my side and your side. If we can do something to slow it down at least, then I think we have to.”
“I agree. That’s why I married you.”
I stopped before we stepped into the woods, right at the edge of the scrubby bushes and the undergrowth. She looked back at me, a coy smile on her lips. She looked radiant, wreathed in sunlight from the trees, right on the edge of shadow, and I wanted her to come back to me, to step away from the darkness beneath the canopy and stand close against me.
“Can I admit something?” I asked.
“Anything you want, husband.”
It was strange, how that word twisted my guts in a good way. “Before you, I thought of the Healy family as disposable. Like each and every one of you was my enemy, and it was my job to kill you all. I wouldn’t let myself see you as people.”
“And I burst that bubble.”
“You did.” I stepped closer and pulled her to me. “It wasn’t just the baby, though. It was that night.”
“If I hadn’t gotten pregnant, would any of this be happening?”
I shook my head and brushed my lips through her hair, then stooped down to kiss her gently. “No, it wouldn’t have, but I think you planted that seed of doubt. And maybe it would’ve grown on its own, but you made sure it blossomed.”
“Good for me. Got one more killer off the street.”
I touched her cheek and moved my hand back to her hair. I slid my fingers down along her braid, feeling the knots and the loops. “I wouldn’t go that far,” I said. “Maybe I see the Healy people as human beings, but I’m still loyal to my family. If the Don told me to murder all of them, I’d try to follow his orders.”
“Then let’s hope he doesn’t order that.” She pushed herself away from me. “Come on, let’s go inside and get something to eat. I bet Bea’s waiting.”
She walked off toward the house and I wanted to pull her back against me. I wanted to hold her there and never let her go, the urge so intense that it made my hands curl into fists. I’d never felt like this before, and I didn’t understand how I dropped into it so quickly—but now I saw why they called it “falling” for someone.
I caught up with her, with my wife. She took my hand and we headed inside together.
14
Sam
I watched Nessa step out of the Uber and stare up at the mansion with wide, shocked eyes before I got to my feet and waved from the front porch. She blinked at me, her mouth hanging open, and I had to gesture for her to come up the stoop before she’d start moving. The Uber drove off, kicking up dust behind it.
“Holy crap,” Nessa said. She crossed her arms over her chest like she was trying to hold herself together. “Holy crap, Sam.”
“I know.” I grinned huge. “Amazing, right?”