Page 73 of Between Control and Chaos
She falls into my embrace, her body melding with mine as I envelop her in a hug. “You are the strongest person I know,” I whisper, my hands firm on her back, and I mean every word. Not everyone could endure what she went through and come out tougher.
Harper pulls back slightly, her glassy eyes staring up at me. “You hate me for not wanting this pregnancy.”
Exhaling, I pull her closer, tighter. “I could never hate you.”
Her face grazes my neck, her tears silent but moistening my skin as I hold her in my arms. My heart shatters for what she went through because of them. Those monsters, the DeLucas.
I’d murder all of them if they weren’t already dead, if we hadn’t already destroyed their organization and home. That’s the only light I see right now, that and Harper, she’s alive. She’s home, with me.
I’d blame my father, but I’m as much responsible as he is. And while I’m certain Livia and her posse are dead, who is to say someone else won’t rise up and claim her throne?
“I’ll talk to my father in the morning,” I whisper.
Slowly, she pulls back, wipes the stray tears with the back of her hand and sniffles, glancing up at me.
Seeing the tears breaks my heart all over again.
I’d kill to protect my wife and my family.
“What?” she asks, her brow furrowing with concern. “We just spent the past hour with him. Did you forget to tell him something?”
My fingers graze her cheek, and then I push a strand of her blonde tresses behind her ear as she leans into my touch. “Yes, that you’re no longer going to be working for him.”
Harper remains silent, staring at me, perhaps wondering what that means.
“You’ll work for me.”
She pulls back, her brow pinches, and takes a physical step away from me, like I hit a nerve. “I thought we were equals.”
“We are, that isn’t how I meant it.”
“That’s what you said. I’ll work for you,” she says, repeating my own words, and I grimace. She folds her arms across her chest, tilting her head slightly as she glares at me.
“You shouldn’t have to shoulder the responsibility of working for my father or being part of the mafia. You’ve done enough.”
Slowly, I reach for Harper, my hands grazing her arms, untangling her hold around herself as I pull her to me. Her body is slack, she’s not entirely fighting me, but she’s not ready to embrace me yet, either.
I guide my thumb to her chin, tilting her head up slightly, forcing her to look at me. “This isn’t your fight.”
“But it is,” she says, glaring at me. “Why can’t you see that if you’re involved, so am I? I don’t want to be your mother, on the sidelines, not involved in Dante’s business dealings.”
Smirking, I nuzzle her nose, my breath teasing her as I kiss her cheek. “Babe, my mom knows everything that goes on with the business. She might pretend not to know, but they share everything. She even offers input, the guys just don’t see her as one of them.”
“Precisely!” Her eyes light up. “I should be equal, it’s our enterprise.”
Harper pulls back and I tighten my hold, keeping her hips pressed against mine. I refuse to let her go, ever. She’s mine.
“Technically, the business belongs to my father,” I remind her. Dante runs the mafia, he’s not handing over the reins just yet. One day, he will, either when he dies or retires. I’m not sure which it’ll be, but given the amount of violence, death seems more likely.
“I’m not working for you.” Harper stares me dead in the eyes, her jaw tightens.
“Fine,” I say and smirk, laughing under my breath. “I’d have convinced him to let you go, not force you to work for the family at all, but I get the feeling that won’t make you happy either.”
“We’re a team. A partnership. If you’re involved, then so am I.” She’s filled with tenacity and there’s a fire behind her dark gaze. “We do this together, Luca.”
My jaw ticks. I had fully intended to tell my father that Harper is out. I was ready to give up my dream of playing professional hockey to protect my wife.
Leaning in, I kiss her and then pull away, glancing at the floor, my mind a million other places right now. I had it all figured out. I’d go on to run the family business. Harper would take care of Zeke, finish college, graduate, and get a job outside the business.
