“Who? Who did it?” Rosa asks between sobs.
“Who knows.” I shrug defeatedly. “After uncail brought Patrick and me stateside, he put out feelers to find out who could have sent the order to kill his brother and his family. Soon word came back that both the Bratva and The Firm learned of a rumor that Uncle Niall’s son was spending his summer in Ireland. It seems they were under the impression it had been Tiernan with us instead of Patrick. Killing the heir apparent to the Kelly dynasty would have been a great achievement for any of our enemies. We never really knew for sure if it had been Vadim Volkov or Trevor Butcher who gave the green light on the attack. Not that it ever mattered. By then, we Kellys had as much blood of the innocent on our hands as any of our enemies did. The names of my parents and sisters were just added to the long list of casualties of a war I had been thirsting to be a part of. Safe to say my first taste of it was less than bittersweet.”
I wipe Rosa’s tears away with my thumbs as I watch her heart break for me.
“It’s all in the past, sweet rose. Your tears cannot bring back what I lost any more than mine can.”
“Our world is so ugly, Colin. So ugly. How can we even look at ourselves in the mirror after all the depravities and monstrosities our families have committed in the name of preserving our way of life?”
“Aye. It’s not an easy thing to do, but as you reminded me not a few minutes ago, those days are long over. Thanks to you, and women like you, there won’t be another child or innocent soul taken before their time. And as the decades pass, and peace reigns, any recollection of the years we suffered during the Mafia Wars will be forgotten. As will the names of my parents and sisters. As will ours, sweet rose.” Another stray tear falls down her cheek, and this time I kiss it away. “Best spend our time appreciating the beauty this world still holds, than waste it reminiscing on sad events we can’t change.”
“Is there still beauty in such a world?”
“Aye. I’m looking right at it.”
She raises her head, her eyes colliding with mine.
“You’re beautiful, too. I see you, Colin. And you’re just as beautiful as any painting hanging on these walls. Both inside and out.”
My heart squeezes in my chest at her words.
“No one has ever called me that,” I croak out, emotion taking its toll on me.
“Then everyone is a fool. I see you. The real you. And you are beautiful.”
Damnú.
I push her against the wall and grip her chin, turning her my way.
“You have to stop saying things like that to me, sweet rose. You don’t know how starved I am to hear them come out of your mouth.”
“Then I’ll keep saying them. I’ll keep saying them until you believe me.”
I scan her beautiful face in search of the lie I expect to see and find none. All that exists is sweet adoration, and fuck me, if it doesn’t look a lot like love, too.
I spin her around, gaining a small shriek from her when I raise her skirt up to her waist and press her face against the wall.
“Colin, what are you doing?”
“Putting a fucking baby in you, that’s what I’m doing,” I growl, pushing her panties to the side.
“Someone might catch us,” she says, her voice already thick with lust.
“Let them.”
I couldn’t give two fucks right now. As long as my cock is deep inside her pussy, stretching it out until she cums around it, I couldn’t care less who sees.
Tiernan included.
“No. Wait, wait,” she insists, earning a low grunt of disapproval from me.
“Why? Isn’t this what you want?”
She shakes her head and slowly pulls herself off the wall, until we are yet again facing each other.
“I want to see you make love to me more. I want to see your face, Colin. Please.”
My brows pinch together as she runs the pad of her finger over my scars.
“Every time we’re together, you always take me from behind. I want to see you, Colin. Memorize your face as you cum inside me. Can you give me that?”
Can I give her that?
I don’t think there is anything I wouldn’t give this woman if she asked.
And that’s the problem.
I stand still, my whole body quivering with need yet waiting for her instructions.
“Kiss me,” she commands on bated breath.
I bend down and offer her my kiss, which she takes with greedy abandon. She tastes like the sweetest wine that ever touched my lips, and all too soon I am submitting to her tongue’s every command. My fingers go to her core, her wet slit proof of her desire for me. Her body has always been welcoming, but a part of me was convinced that her invitation had only been extended to me because Shay had coaxed it out of her. Or worse, because her husband demanded so. It’s only at this very moment that I realize my feelings aren’t unrequited. My hold on her is just as strong as the one Rosa has on me.