“And the guns?” I tilt my head back to his shoulder, staring up at the sharp, square angle of his jaw.
“All mine,” Killian purrs. My lips find his jaw, a gentle press until the bartender arrives to take our order. Two mocktails, no alcohol for either of us now.
Drink in hand, I turn in Killian’s hold and stare out over the crowd of happy, mingling family members before us. Irish, Russian, Italian, it doesn’t matter here and out in the world? It won’t carry the fear it once did, not for us.
This isn’t the life I pictured for myself but now that I’m here? My gorgeous husband, a darling baby on the way, and Irish and Italian power at my fingertips? I like it.
I like it a lot.
“Cara!”
“I know that squeal,” I murmur. I turn to my left just in time for Sadie and Kimmy to crash into me, bundling me up in a group hug that Killian thankfully has time to step away from before he’s sucked in aswell.
“Sadie! Kimmy! I didn’t expect to see you here!” I cry, managing to set my drink down before I gather my girls in my arms.
“Killian told us it was some sort of business function and he didn’t want you to be bored,” Kimmy explains breathlessly, “so he had Archer pick us up, and here we are!”
“This place is huge!” Sadie exclaims as the hug breaks.
“I’m so glad you’re both here!” The laughter can’t be helped and at seeing my girls again, it hits me like a brick how much I’ve missed them over the past couple of weeks.
“Look at you!” Sadie screeches as she steps back and grasps my waist. “You’re glowing!”
“You better be answering all her cravings!” Kimmy barks suddenly, turning to Killian whose brow shoots up in surprise at being spoken to in such a way. My heart swells and laughter flows easily.
My God, if they knew they were in the middle of the highest-ranking Mafia families right now.
“Anything Cara desires, she gets,” Killian answers easily and Kimmy prods him right in the middle of his chest. My heart stops. Killian is accepting but already I can detect his levels reaching their limit.
“Just like the house, huh?” she grins.
Killian’s mouth opens and for a moment I expect something biting to escape but before he can speak, Archer appears at his elbow.
“Need your help with something, Boss,” Archer says, drawing Killian’s attention away from Kimmy. I shoot Archer a thankful glance but his attention is on Kimmy, giving her the once-over before he pulls Killian out of harm's way.
“Business on a night like this?” Kimmy remarks, turning back to me. “How boring!”
“Some things never rest,” I grin easily, “fuck, I’m so happy to see you both!”
Just as that warmth settles in my heart, my gut clenches faintly and I can’t help the groan in my throat.
“Hold on girls, I gotta go pee for like the hundredth time today,” I grumble. Sadie kisses my cheek and Kimmy smacks my ass as I turn to leave, chuckling as they both dissolve into giggles and chatter completely oblivious to the world around them.
I find the bathroom quickly, relieving myself and heading back out to the party. I only make it a few steps before I bump into Sienna, whose face lights up the moment she sees me.
“Cara! Oh, it’s lovely to see you!” she grins, pulling me into a gentle hug. “How are you? How’s the baby? I wish we could have stayed longer for dinner last week but, well, Emilia has her way.”
“Oh don’t you worry,” I assure her quickly, catching her hands, “I’m just glad you were all able to make it. And I’m doing okay. Though tonight the baby has decided to rest on my bladder.”
“Oh, I don’t miss that,” Sienna scoffs. She grips my hands tightly, her eyes sparkling in the lights above us and once again I’m struck in awe by how powerful and glamorous she is. Something I will be one day.
“Thank you for the package though! For the books and the clothes and all the help you’ve been giving me for the baby,” I say and Sienna’s face lights up once more before she pulls me into another hug.
“I know it’s hard and I don’t ever want you to feel like you’re alone,” she says, the sweetness of her perfume tickling my nose. “Anything you need, I’m here for you.”
“Some tips on how to stay strong within the mafia would be good,” I murmur with a soft chuckle. “Already it’s like people see the bump first and forget me second. I know they don’t mean it but…” Trailing off, my mind drifts to Owen and other members of the Irish who spend more time talking to me about the bump than the actual workings of our family. They prefer Killian for that.
“Oh yes,” Sienna nods knowingly, “the men that see a pregnant woman and immediately defer to her husband? As strange as it may be, your husband is the one that can help with that.”