Chapter 201

My breath stops in my throat as I stare, wide eyed, at the man standing at the door, his hands sunk deep in his pockets, his face cold. That dark, slightly tousled hair - those piercing grey-blue eyes…

Christian.

Christian.

He…he found me. Found us.

Terror runs through me like a wild animal.

Christian glances down at Daisy, who goes still, looking between us, sensing the tension. “Iris,” Christian says slowly, his voice low and steady. “Take a moment to pack your things. You’re coming with me.”

Panic rises within me, my heart racing. I continue to just stare at him, the damp dishrag still clutched in my hand. “W-what?” I whisper.

“You heard me,” Christian says, his eyes drifting over me from head to foot. “Pack. I’m here to take you home.” He takes a small step into my tiny house, softly closing the door behind him as if sealing our fate.

“Mama,” Daisy whispers, afraid, and I got to one knee on instinct, opening my arms to her. My baby runs to me, wrapping her arms around my neck and pulling herself close, peering over her shoulder at the terrifying mafia don who has come to ruin our lives.

“I am home,” I whisper, holding my child close, keeping my eyes on Christian. “This is my home now. With my family.” My home with Frankie and our children – our Children, no matter what genetic claim Christian has on our son.

Christian’s expression darkens. “You’re my wife, Iris. You belong with me, not here in this…” he looks around with a sneer. “this shack. It’s time for you to come home.”

My heart thunders in my chest. “No,” I whisper, vehemently shaking my head, standing with my daughter in my arms. “I’m not going back. Not to you. Not to that…life.”

Briefly I close my eyes, memories flashing back to me – shots ringing out in that tiny room at the back of the restaurant and bodies falling to the floor. That man in the kitchen, coming for me – lascivious and dark. Waking up covered in blood –

I shiver, a little whine creeping up my throat as I turn my head harshly to the side, wanting to wipe it all away. Memories I haven’t thought of in years.

“Iris.”

I keep my eyes shut, holding my daughter tight.

“Iris!” More forceful this time. I exhale slowly and open my eyes, my shoulders beginning to tremble as I look back at my husband – at the man I once loved so dearly and hoped to never, ever see again.

Christian’s jaw clenches and he steps closer. “This is not an option, Iris. I’ve spent five years searching for you, and now I’ve found you. You’re my wife, no matter what you’ve been telling yourself for five years, and you will take that place again.”

I shake my head, looking up into his eyes. “My life is here. Leo and Daisy live here their life is here -”

A muscle flickers in Chrisitan’s jaw as he hears his son’s name for the first time, as he looks down at the daughter in my arms who he knows is not his – but who he clearly thinks should be. Especially…especially with that name.

“They will adjust.” He says, his voice solid, incontrovertible. “Besides, I can give them a better life than whatever…” he hesitates, again looking around my little cottage with a bit of a sneer, “whatever peasant upbringing you were giving them –“

“Daisy and Leo are perfectly happy and healthy –“

“Enough!” Christian snaps, slicing a hand through the air, ending the debate. “It’s done, Iris. Go. Pack. If you don’t, I’ll take you as you are – it doesn’t matter to me.”

Anger surges within me, hot and fierce. “Frankie won’t let you take us,” I whisper, bolstered by the anger pulsing through my veins. Anxiety races along with it – because where is he? When is he coming back? Frankie – he’ll fix this – he has a gun, after all –

My eyes flick over Christian, looking for a holstered weapon. I don’t see anything, but that doesn’t mean that nothing’s there. And – well, he’s much bigger than Frankie, and Christian has long proved that he’s a weapon unto himself.

But Frankie…it would be a mistake to understand my man, wouldn’t it?

I raise my chin in the air, newly confident even alongside my anxiety. Because Frankie won’t let this happen.

Christian just laughs slightly, shaking his head and turning away from me, putting his hands on his hips. “Don’t be naïve, Iris.”

“He loves me, Christian,” I growl, fierce and loyal. “I –“

“Oh, I don’t doubt that he loves you,” Christian says, turning back to me slightly and looking at me over his shoulder. “Why wouldn’t he? You’re still gorgeous, Iris, even after five years and two kids. You’ve always been far, far above his league. He’d be an idiot to let you go.”

I narrow my eyes, not understanding this. If Christian, too, admits that Frankie’s going to put up a fight…

Then what…

Still, I push the thought aside.

“Love doesn’t matter in this world, Iris.” Christian says on a sigh, looking away from me. “Loyalty does, honor. And might. You are mine. You will always be mine, and I won’t let you go again.”

My hands tremble and I grip my daughter tighter to me, but I stand my ground. “You may think you own me, but I am not a possession. I have built a life here, and I refuse to let you destroy it.”

His expression shifts, his mouth turning down at the corners through the cold facade. “You think I wanted this? I did everything for us, Iris. I did everything you wanted -”

“Which is why I woke up alone and covered in blood in that room -” I scoff, the bitterness tasting sharp on my tongue.

“I was downstairs fixing everything –“

“And beyond being safe?” I spit back, “You were betraying me, Christian! Keeping Lucy down the hall -”

“I never -” he snarls, taking a huge step towards me –

Daisy cries out in fear, clinging closer to me, and Christian stops in his tracks, guilt crossing his face. He stops himself, and straightens, and clears his throat as he straightens his suit jacket, looking away. I watch him, realizing that…that there’s a great deal of emotion running through Christian right now, even if he’s pretending to be cold.

“This isn’t about Frankie or Lucy,” Christian says, not looking at me. “We can leave that history behind. This is about you and me – husband and wife. A promise we made before god. We’re meant to be together, Iris. I’m not letting you out of that commitment.”

“Meant to be?” I whisper, disbelief coursing through me. “What we had was a fairy tale built on lies. You don’t understand what love is, Christian. Love isn’t control; it’s support. It’s trust. It’s something you trampled on.”

He runs a hand through his hair, the frustration evident on his face. “It doesn’t matter. It’s done.”

Cold runs through me as he says that again.

Why…why does he keep saying that? What does that mean?

Suddenly I go cold with shock when I realize that…Christian never travels alone.

So where…

My head suddenly whips for the window. “Christian,” I whisper, hoisting Daisy higher in my arms as she sniffs and gives a little wail. “What…what did you do?”

“Just…go pack your things, Iris,” Christian says, dipping his head slightly to rest his forehead in his hand.

Just then, a sudden crack splits the air—a gunshot, echoing through the vineyard – and not the soft, simple shot of my son’s air rifle. My heart drops into my stomach, and I gasp, panic rising like bile as more shots fill the air.

“Frank!” I scream, the name escaping my lips before I can think. Daisy breaks out in a little scream, reacting to my panic, and I bolt for the door. Christian catches me easily, an arm around my waist, pulling me back against him.

“Stop, Iris,” he growls, his voice low with anger traced with grief. “Stop! It’s done!”

My entire body shakes as I stare at the door, waiting for it to open. Waiting – waiting for the love of my life to come back through it – with my son, bright smiles on their faces –

The seconds pass and my heart physically aches, clenching – because I know…

I know.

A sob breaks from my mouth and my head hangs as tears start to streak down my cheeks, uncontrollable. My arms go loose and I struggle to hold Daisy, who also cries. Christian curses, trying to hold us together, hold us to him, not let us go – not let us run –

The result is a mess, with the mafia King crouching on the floor of my cottage, one arm clenched around my back as I sob with my daughter in my arms. Daisy cries too, confused and frightened, but I hold her tight, not letting her go.

I cry so hard that I barely notice when the door opens.