Page 69 of Forgotten Vows

18

LACHLAN

I'm happier than I've ever been in my life.

The thought hits me as I watch Adriana tuck the blanket closer around Matteo's sleeping form. The setting sun slants through the floor-to-ceiling windows, turning her dark hair to bronze, and I can't stop staring at her. At them. At this family I thought I'd lost forever.

This is everything I wanted. Everything I fought for, killed for, built an empire for. My wife. My son. Both of them here, safe, under my protection. The day we just had—walking through Chicago together, watching Matteo's face light up at all the new sights and foods and experiences, seeing Adriana smile at something I said—it felt like a glimpse of the life we should have had ten years ago.

The life we're going to have now.

Adriana straightens, and when she turns to look at me, her expression is softer than I've seen it since those long-ago days when we were too young to know better. It makes my chest tight, makes me want to pull her against me and never let go.

"He's out cold," she says quietly, glancing back at Matteo. "Today wore him out."

"Good." I move closer, keeping my voice low so I don't wake him. "He needed it. You both did."

"Yeah." She looks up at me. "Thank you. For today. For showing us the city."

"You don't have to thank me." I reach out, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear, and she doesn't pull away. "I want to give you everything, Adriana. I want to show you what our life can be like here."

She's quiet for a moment, and I watch the emotions play across her face—fear and longing and uncertainty all tangled together. Then she nods slowly.

"I know," she whispers. "I'm trying to see it. I really am."

She's trying. That's all I can ask for right now. That's more than I had yesterday.

I glance at Matteo, making sure he's truly asleep, then look back at Adriana. "Come out with me tonight."

Her eyes widen slightly. "Out? Again?"

"Just down the street. There's a bar I like that's quiet and low-key. We can have a drink, talk without worrying about waking him up." I gesture toward Matteo. "Rian can stay here with him. He'll be safe." I pause. "I've brought in additional men for security. And Cormac is looking into hiring more until we've dealt with this. I'm doing everything I can, Adri. And as soon as I can, I—" I pause. I don't want to talk about my plans for Gio with her right now, and how I've been thinking, since the moment I took her from that estate, how I'm going to put an end to this for good.

Right now, I want this to feel like our future. I want her to see what could be, not all the danger following her still.

I reach for her hand, tangling my fingers with hers. "I've never gotten to take you out on a date."

Her teeth sink into her lower lip. "Wasn't that what today was?"

"That was a family outing." I brush a finger down her jaw, resisting the urge to kiss her. If I do, I'll take her upstairs, and we won't get out of bed until morning. As tempting as that is, I want to take her out. I want to feel what it's like to be out having a drink with the woman I love.

I haven't been on a date since just before I met Adriana. I've never bought a woman a drink. I was Adriana's from the moment I saw her, and I saved more than just myself for her. I saved every experience, everything I ever wanted us to do together.

I want this to be where it all begins.

I can see her hesitation, the way her gaze flicks back to our son with the protective instinct that's been honed over ten years of living under Gio's control.

"Adriana. He'll be fine. Rian is one of my best men. And we'll only be a few minutes away. If anything happens, we can be back here in seconds."

She bites her lip, and I watch the internal struggle play out on her face. Finally, she nods.

"Okay," she says. "Just for a little while."

—

The bar is exactlywhat I told her—a quiet kind of place where people mind their own business. It's nice and clean, not a dive, but small and cozy, with dark wood paneling, dim lighting, and a handful of patrons scattered at tables and along the bar. The bartender nods at me when we walk in. He knows who I am, and he knows I like to have a couple quiet beers in the corner, left alone.

But for once, tonight, I'm not alone.