I understood her being unable to sleep. I hadn’t been able to rest since we’d found them in that cabin. Every time I closed my eyes, all I could see was Nova on that table. The blood, so stark against her pretty white romper. My necklace around her neck…

Bain lovingly wrapped Ciana in his embrace, pressing his lips to her temple and whispering to her that it was okay now. That there was nothing left to fear, and she actually clung to him.

“You want to stay here?” I demanded in disbelief. “Ciana, he’s just as bad as Sheena. He—”

“Ryan, please.” Ciana’s voice quavered as she focused on me. “I want to be here. It’s better for everyone.”

“Who is it better for?” I yelled, losing control of my frustration. I took a step toward her, wanting to grab her and shake some sense into her, but the two guards who had accompanied me each grabbed one of my arms, locking me in place.

“For me,” she said and shuddered. “And for the babies.”

“My babies,” Bain cut in, pride and possession dripping from his voice. There was some other emotion mixed in, but I was too pissed off to give it a name. “Ciana and I will raise our children here. Where they will be safe.”

I tried to shrug off the guards, but they only tightened their holds. “How the fuck do you think any of them will be safe here? Sheena won’t allow anyone I care about to have a moment of peace. She won’t rest until she’s driven me just as crazy as she is.”

“I doubt she will bother you or my Ciana ever again,” Bain said with confidence. Tucking her closer, he gave a nod to someone off to his right, and a man came out of the house, a large box in his hands. It was a simple black hatbox with a red ribbon tied around it. “This is my gift to you, Vitucci. One I hope will give you some of the peace our great-grandmother stole from you. Consider it an olive branch, if you will.”

“I don’t want shit from you,” I snarled. “Let Ciana go. Allow her to come with me, and there won’t be a war.”

“Ryan, please,” Ciana begged. “Take the gift and go home.”

“Not without you.” I couldn’t go back without her. If I walked through that gate alone, blood would be shed.

“You have to.” I frowned at the way her voice broke, but she went on before I could question it. “I’m where I want to be. I-I love Bain. He’s the father of my babies, and we’re going to get married. I know my parents won’t understand, but I hoped you would. Even though Nova…is gone.” Fresh tears spilled down her beautiful face. “You still loved her more than anything or anyone else. Well, that’s how I feel about Bain.”

I tried not to flinch at the sound of Nova’s name, at the memories of loving her for the majority of my life, at the horrific way I’d lost her. I couldn’t think about any of that, not when Ciana was standing in front of me with my enemy at her side. “None of this makes sense, Ciana. For fuck’s sake, how did you even meet him?”