Page 106 of Vows of Blood

We pull up to the Langham, and Enzo kills the engine, exiting quickly to open the door for Mikhail, not out of respect, but so he has him in his sights at all times. Through the windshield, the hotel glitters with warm light, the guests there oblivious to the violence its guests are capable of.

"Before you go in." Luca reaches into his jacket to withdraw an envelope. "This is the man Sienna identified as the shooter."

Mikhail takes it, slides the photograph out and studies it, his reactions giving nothing away, but I see how his pupils narrow, and the veins in his neck bulge. Whoever that photo is of, he's a dead man.

"You're sure?" Mikhail asks quietly.

Both men look at me, and I pause to think about what I'm doing, the seriousness of it. This photograph is a death sentence.

"I'm sure," I say quietly. "I’ll never forget those eyes."

"It might be best to get visual confirmation before we complete the transaction." Mikhail tucks the photograph back into the envelope and slips it inside his jacket, while Luca nods, watching me cautiously. "But once we have that, consider it done."

He extends his hand to Luca, and they shake, a brief clasp between two dangerous men who understand each other in ways I never will. Then Mikhail's gone, limping toward the hotel at speed, thoughts of everything other than Kate forgotten for now.

"He's going to kill him," I state the obvious, watching Mikhail disappear through the revolving doors, the doorman staring as he enters but having the good sense not to stop him.

"He is." Luca lifts my hand to his lips, pressing a kiss to my knuckles. "But he tried to murder Kate. Whatever happens next isn't your doing, it's his own."

Movement in one of the upper windows catches my eye. A figure with red hair stands at the glass, looking down on the street, at us, and waves.

Kate.

She smiles, then mouths something, exaggerating the movements of her lips so I can understand, just two words. Thank you.

I nod, blinking back the sting of tears, scarcely able to comprehend how Luca orchestrated this and kept her hidden from everyone.

Then another figure appears beside her, Mikhail, and he wraps his arms around her from behind, burying his face in her hair. She melts into him, her hand coming up to cup the back of his head.

They look like two people very much in love, who've been given another chance. A bit like us.

The hotel doors open again, and Maeve O'Sullivan emerges, her silver hair gleaming under the streetlights as she crosses to us, and Luca steps out to meet her.

I climb out, watching across the roof of the car as she pulls him into a hug, her small frame dwarfed by his. They speak in hushed tones, too quiet for me to hear, but I see her glance toward me, see her smile, and nod. It seems at least on the Irish side, the objections to their union might be gone.

The drive back is quiet, both of us lost in thought, but it's a comfortable silence. His hand stays on my thigh the whole way, warm and grounding, while Nico and Enzo bicker in the front about why the other has no date for the wedding, which is coming around fast.

By the time we return, the blood is already gone from the floors, and the furniture has been righted or replaced. You’d never know that violence had touched these walls.

His brothers peel off as we enter, while Luca guides me with a sure hand past the workers scrubbing the floor boards where Tony was lying, steering me toward his study. Inside, he closes the door and crosses to his desk where a manila folder sits waiting beside a bottle of whiskey and two glasses.

"Bruno dropped these off while we were out, at my request." He pours us both a drink, then picks up the folder, turning it over in his hands. "I've been meaning to show you."

Not sure I can take any more surprises, my steps falter.

"What is it? A prenup?”

It has to be. I’m shocked he didn’t make me sign one earlier with the amount of money he has. It makes sense to formalize our arrangement.

“Sit, please.” Instead of answering, he pulls out his phone and dials, setting it in the middle of the table on speaker. "Bruno. I have Sienna here. Can you walk her through the paperwork?"

He hands me the folder, already open to the right page, before pressing a kiss to my temple and moving to the window, glass in hand, giving me space.

Bruno's voice fills the room, professional and friendly. "Ms. Fox. I’m glad to hear you’ve come through recent events unscathed.” He pauses, the sound of shuffling papers carrying down the line. “The documents in front of you are property transfer papers.”

I glance toward Luca, confused, but his back is still to me as he looks out at the gardens beyond.

“The first set relates to a residential property and adjoining commercial garage in your hometown that once belonged to your parents."