Chapter 119

But there’s no time to think on it because Christian heaves a sigh and swings his feet away from me, off the couch, planting them on the floor as he looks seriously between Nico and Frankie. “All right,” he says, nodding like he’s made a decision. “We move forward then, but…with some changes. The first being that Tony and Lucy? They are not yet inner circle.”

Christian twirls a finger around between us, including the four of us in its loop.

“As far as they know,” Christian continues, “we are not taking dad out – we are just starting a new family with me at the head. Six families in the city, not five. And no further details beyond that – the pair of them will understand that they have to go a bit on faith for a while until they’ve proved their loyalties.”

The three of us nod, agreeing to the plan.

“The second part is harder,” Christian says with a sigh, looking again between us. “We have to do some…patching up, as it were.”

“Patching up?” I ask, confused.

He nods to me. “Now that my dad could possibly know where I am,” he sends Nico a little glare here, and Nico rolls his eyes, “we have to give him reasons to not come and kill me. Come and kill all of us. So, we have to go make nice. Kiss some rings. Rebuild bridges, assure him everything is fine. At least, until we can make our actual move.”

“Um,” I say, biting my lip, anxious about this. Honestly, I was excited to have those bridges burned. “Why can’t we just run…more? Go somewhere else?”

Frankie flicks his eyes to me as I ask this, but I keep my eyes on Christian.

Christian shakes his head. “I was an idiot for only getting one safe house off the books,” he murmurs, his eyes a little far-off. “But nowhere else is safe enough to run to. He’ll find me. So,” he sighs and meets my eyes again. “We lick some boots. For now.”

Nico and Frankie nod like they understand and think it’s the wise choice.

But something about Christian’s words is sticking with me.

“We?” I whisper, sitting up straight. “You mean…me? Me too?” I point a finger at my chest, my eyes wide.

But Christian just gives me a clever little smirk. “Don’t worry, Iris,” he says. “Yours won’t be so bad – you’ll just have to deal with the women.”

My eyes go even wider at this, though – and Christian laughs just a little at my reaction.

Because men? Men, usually, I can handle.

Women are far, far worse.

“Um…” I whisper, my voice revealing all of my hesitations about all of this. “Today?”

“No, not today,” Christian says with an easy sigh, smiling at me. “I have other plans for today. Tomorrow, maybe. Today we can relax.”

I exhale slowly and then push myself up from the couch. “Okay, well if we can relax, then I’m going to go take a shower,” I say, smiling at him softly.

“Take your time,” he murmurs, reaching a hand out for me. I walk to him and place my hand in his, and he tugs me down to give me a sweet kiss on the cheek.

I blush a little, glancing between Nico and Frankie, not yet used to this more public display of affection between us. Honestly, not even really used to the affection yet.

Nico looks stonily at me, but Frankie gives me a sad sort of smile that I don’t really understand. Quickly, I turn away, not wanting to think about it. Not too hard, not right now.

And so I squeeze Christian’s hand before I move swiftly into the bedroom and then the bathroom beyond, wanting a fresh start to the day.

A few minutes after Christian hears the shower start in the bathroom, Tony and Lucy walk back in the front door, their hair freshly windblown from the sea air. A little shiver passes through Tony’s shoulders. “God damn, it’s cold out there,” he murmurs, chafing his arms as he steps into the room and eyes the fireplace eagerly, clearly hoping for a fire.

“Should have dressed for the weather,” Lucy says breezily, stretching her arms above her head with a wicked grin, clearly showing off the gigantic sweatshirt that looks more like a dress on her.

“Yeah, yeah,” Tony mutters, though he can’t help the fond little smirk that pulls at his lips as he flaps a dismissive hand at her. He flops back onto the couch across from Christian, where he sat before his beach walk with his fiancé.

“Do you mind, Luce?” Christian asks quietly, calmly, nodding his head towards the bedroom door. “Iris is taking a shower. I’m sure she’d love your opinion on what to wear today once she gets out.”

Lucy wrinkles her nose at him for a second. “Iris is perfectly capable of…” But then her mouth purses as she starts to understand.

Christian raises an eyebrow, but also gives her a friendly smile.

“Sure!” Lucy says, beaming around and then skipping towards the bedroom. “Boy time it is! Us ladies will ensconce ourselves quite safely, no worries.”

Christian nods his thanks to the pretty brunette as she pulls the bedroom door shut behind her, and then turns back to the other three young men.

“What the fuck, man,” Tony says, stretching his arms out over the back of the couch. “Your girl gets to stay for the important talk but mine gets banished?”

“Lucy was there for that too,” Christian murmurs, quirking an eyebrow at his brother this time.

“You’re making a mistake with that girl,” Tony says, moving on from this valid point and shaking his head slowly at his older brother.

“I’m glad I’m not the only one who sees it,” Nico says, sharply nodding his agreement.

“What, and Lucy is so perfect? Not exactly a paragon of faithfulness, is she?” With this, Christian flicks his eyes over towards Frankie, who is again hanging his head, looking down at the floor on which he sits.

“She’s made, Chis,” Tony growls. “Born to this world, raised in it. She knows how to operate. Your girl is a little newborn calf, big eyes and all.”

Nico laughs at this description but Christian just shakes his head. “I trust Iris more than anyone in this world,” he says, dead serious, and Tony sits straight when he realizes that he’s included in that sum. “She might not know this world, but she has my back.”

Tony scoffs, disbelieving. “That’s such shit, Chris, she hasn’t even been tried –“

“She endured torture for me, never spilled my secrets.”

“Overnight,” Tony says, exhasperated, like that’s no big deal. “And honestly, does she even have any secrets worth keeping?”

Christian just tilts his head as he stares Tony down, inviting him to use his imagination. Tony rolls his eyes. “Seriously, Chris? That’s all she had to do, just…grow up next door? Show up a decade later in a g-string and six-inch heels and she’s your capo?”

Christian smirks. “It’s more complicated than that,” he says, shrugging. “But sure, if that’s how you want to phrase it. Then yes. That’s all she had to do.”

“He’s not wrong, Tony,” Frankie says, lifting his eyes just a little to look at Tony for the first time since the conversation started. “Bambi is true blue and she’s smart. A little skittish at first, yes, but she’s steel beneath it all. She’d rather die than betray Christian, and there’s no temptation large enough to convince her to do it. Which puts her in a very, very small club.”

“You guys are so full of shit,” Nico sighs, exasperated. “Pretty and loyal isn’t enough to be a donna in this world.”

“She’ll learn,” Christian snaps, flicking his eyes to Nico, the level of censure in them causing his number one to snap his jaw shut, even if he clenches it.

“So, this is…this is real?” Tony asks, his face falling a little as he realizes it. “Iris. Not just…a bedwarmer for you? Not just someone to keep you company while you build your empire?”

“No,” Christian says, his voice low and serious. “She’s much, much more than that.”

“How much more?” Tony whispers, leaning forward, narrowing his eyes at his brother.

“I’m going to marry her, Tony,” Christian says, his words definitive, staring hard at his brother, willing him to believe. “As soon as can be arranged.”

“Fuck,” Tony whispers, leaning back against the couch, completely stunned.