Where? Where the hell was there anywhere on earth we'd be able to live above the surface, without looking over our shoulder every stupid second?
Anton just looked at me and smiled. “Come on, babe. You're a smart girl. You already know.”
Early the next morning, we left for Lake Michigan. I watched Anton bid his brothers goodbye. The three men exchanged big manly hugs while I looked on.
When they were finished, the sophisticated Daniel came strutting over to me. “You're a lucky girl. Never thought I'd see the day when Anton's ready to run off and settle down. Listen, I'm sorry things had to start out so fucked up between us.”
You and me both. I chewed on what he'd said for awhile, trying to decide whether he was being sincere or just diplomatic.
Grudgingly, I took his hand, and gave it one hard shake. Anton's brothers had good reason for mistrusting me after everything Uncle Gioulio had done. Of course, they'd been complete assholes and only made things worse.
But when had anything between our families been easy? If someone had told me I'd be standing in this house after a prison break and a near death experience, lovestruck by a man who'd scared my panties off the first time I met him, I would've made them bite their tongues.
“Chicago's in your hands now,” I reminded him. “It'll be good to put some distance between us for awhile. Someday, when we come back...we'll see how I feel.”
An arrogant smirk pulled at his lips. “You'll love us one day. Me and Lev both. I'm sure of it. One big, happy family. Whatever the hell I thought about you before, consider it gone. Clean slate. Take care of him for us, baby. You're good for him, and that's all that fucking matters at the end of the day.”
He hugged me. A dozen emotions tangled in my belly. Clean slate resonated, and so did his tacit acceptance. When he let me go, the chauffeur was waiting impatiently.
Another servant carried down our luggage while Anton and Lev exchanged a few more words. I overheard them while I descended, taking the steps to the car, wondering if this dacha overseas he'd picked out had high stone steps too.
“By the time you get back, bro, we're all gonna have another eight figures to split between us. We're gonna make some crazy fucking bank without the Italians in the way.” Lev looked past his older brother like he was waiting for gold coins to start raining from the sky.
“Whatever. You know I don't care about that shit. We're all in one piece. Blood before money. I want my family to prosper, but I'm outta the business for a good, long while. It's in your hands now. You make our old man proud filling up the bank, and I'll do it building this family.”
Anton turned, looked at me. He seriously loved me.
Those lights in his royal blue eyes were as bright as the stars that first night we'd had sex. It was insane how fast I'd let his whirlwind pick me up and carry me away, but love and hate were always rocket fuel in huge quantities.
Part of me hoped we'd never fully settle down. This man made me feel like nobody else, even when I hated his guts and wanted him dead. He'd pulled me from my depths, saved my life, saved me ten times over. He delivered the lone bastard who reminded me I didn't deserve to crawl into a hole and die for what I'd done.
Killing Gioulio with him by my side drove a stake through the darkest parts of my heart.
I was finally free to experience everything. Free to live. Free to love.
“Shit, dude, at least put a ring on her finger before you try to breed her. You know cousin Strelkov did that much when he married his Italian princess out in Jersey.” Lev grinned.
Anton gave him a dirty look. “Come on. This shit's not half as sloppy as that sideshow with the extended family. You saying I'm a bigger fool than David fucking Strelkov?”
“No, just a hornier one. You know I'm just busting your balls. Seriously, it'll be cool to have a nephew or niece talking Russian. Papa would've been proud.” Lev gave him one last slap.
“Whatever. I'm gonna do it all right. Everything has its time and place. There'll be plenty of time to finally learn the ancestral tongue myself.” He paused. “Take care of yourself, brother. You're the brawn now. Don't let D's brains cause any more goddamned trouble.”
They both laughed, but I could tell it was bittersweet. Anton would be a wanted man with active investigators on him for a long time. It might be more than a decade before we ever set foot on US soil again, let alone returned to the only city I'd ever known.
I looked across the flat plains towards Chicago. The city was impossible to see from here. I wanted one last look, and I was still straining on my tip-toes when Anton crept up behind me. He grabbed me, pulled me toward him, wrapping both his big arms around my waist.
“What're you looking at, babe? It's time to go. Got a boat expecting us at ten o'clock sharp.”
I turned, pressing my cheek to his chest. God, I'd never get tired of this rock hard contrast against my soft skin.