Things are still far from being okay between my husband and me, but last night helped ease some of the tension. I can’t trust him not to change his mind again and decide I am too much of a liability to him and his empire. He’s changed his mind so many times before, and I would be a fool to trust him again so easily.
If he wants me, then he needs to earn me.
That is that.
After rinsing my mouth out, I step into the shower and let the warm water soak into my muscles, washing away the nightmares and pain of the past. Matthias is in for a surprise if he thinks we are just going to pick up where we left off.
It isn’t that easy.
Slowly, I begin to wash my body, careful of the still healing wounds. A smile forms on my lips as I take in the love bites he left all over my skin. One for each cut I suffered. Once I am done, I slip out of the shower and dry myself, making sure to apply the ointment Dr. Radick left for me.
I don’t see any clothes for me in the room, so I snag a pair of Matthias’s gray joggers and one of his T-shirts. The joggers are so large that I have to roll the legs up several times, as well as the waistband, to make them fit, but it is worth it.
These things are hella comfy.
Tying my hair up in a messy bun on the top of my head, I go in search of my family.
And coffee.
Lots of coffee.
It is pretty early in the morning, barely seven, so I know they won’t be down at the bar yet. I take the elevator down a floor to what I like to call the family floor, which just means that it houses the kitchen and living areas outside of the bedroom suites, which are on separate floors.
When I walk into the kitchen, Seamus and Kiernan are there to greet me with matching smiles.
“Milis Deirfiúr,”they murmur, hugging me tight between them.Sweet sister. I nearly bawl at those two words.
“Thank you for coming for me,” I whisper, my voice brimming with emotion. I’ve always had Libby and Kenzi, but this bond is different. Just as special but unique, and I wouldn’t trade it for anything.
“Always,” they murmur at the same time, making me laugh. The two of them release me as my father strides forward with a cup of coffee in his hands.
Oh, thank the gods.
“Thank you,” I mumble before taking a sip. The simple notes of caramel and spice wash over my tongue. A week and a half without coffee was the worst torture of all. My father kisses the top of my head and smiles down at me.
I look around for my husband, but I don’t see him.
“He had an errand to run with Vas and Andrei,” he tells me. “Leon is having trouble with his father, and he went to give him some backup.”
I nod and take another sip of my coffee.
Yep, heaven.
My gaze catches on someone sitting at the table, brown locks tied back in a braid, shoulders taut as she scrapes her fork along the plate in front of her. I’d know her anywhere, even with our time spent apart.
“What is she doing here?” I hiss, keeping my voice low so she won’t hear.
“Ava,” my father scolds gently. “She is here because she is your sister.”
I give an unladylike snort. “My sister is dead.”
“You can’t harbor anger about something that never happened,” he tells me. Except, to me, it did happen. I watched her shoot the man I love right in front of me and then taunt me about it. Saying that it should have been me. That she would make me pay. I had nightmares about that night for weeks. Still do.
“Did you invite her?” I ask.
My father shakes his head. “No,” he sighs. “She wanted to be here for you. Kenzi is one of the reasons the raid on theMcDonough mansion went so well. Without her, it would have been a lot harder.”
“Because she’s a killer,” I sneer.