“Wait, I didn’t tell!” Mickey yelled right as Kyle got up and lunged at him, repeatedly pounding him with his fist. “Ahh! Stop you fucking bastard. Pop!”
Cesare muttered expletives in Italian and stormed over to his sons. “Enough of this!” he shouted.
Anastacia was surprised when they both stopped immediately.
Wow
.
“Get in the dining room,” he growled.
They both stood from the couch, glaring at each other, and did as their father had instructed.
Cesare began fixing the couch they’d messed up. “I apologize for their behavior in your home, Nathan.”
Nathan quickly stood to his feet. “No problem, Valente. They do that all of the time. Let me take care of that for you.”
Nathan hurried to take everything from him and place it back on the couch.
Cesare stood. “Are you sure, because I can—”
“No, man, we’re good. I’ve got it.”
Nodding, Cesare walked over to Anastacia and gripped her hand, escorting her to the dining room.
~*~
Anastacia couldn’t believe it … little Ky-ky was a daddy. She was sure that she was the only one at the table that was happy for him.
“So now that we know all about my failures as a man, what is it you two actually wanted to talk to me about?”
Anastacia hated that he spoke that way about himself. He was a good boy, but he had such sadness about him. She couldn’t help but blame herself a little. Had she not have left … It was too hard to think about.
She gently squeezed Cesare’s hand, urging him to say something encouraging to his son. Cesare looked up from their clasped fingers with a sigh and nodded, acknowledging that he understood her.
“You’re not a failure, son. You’re going to take responsibility, and that’s the right thing to do. It’s not going to be easy, but you have your family here to help you anytime you need us.”
“What’s her name?” Anastacia asked.
Kyle glanced over at her. “Sofia.”
Anastacia smiled. “Oh, Ky-ky, that’s darling. Isn’t it, Cesare?” When Cesare didn’t answer, she turned to him with a glare. “Cesare,” she whispered sharply.
Cesare sighed. “I’m adjusting, Anastacia.”
“To what? Little Ky-ky being a daddy, or you being an old grandpa …”
That got him to lighten up. Chuckling softly, he sat back in his seat. “So because I’m a grandfather I am now old?”
She shrugged. “Oh come on, grumpy. Be happy. You are a grandpa!” Her excitement made him smile. “Ky-ky, what is it that Italians call their grandfathers?”
He smiled faintly and answered, “
Nonno.
”
Anastacia clapped her hands. “
Nonno
, you are a
nonno
, Cesare!” Anastacia stood and walked over to Kyle. “I’m happy for you, Ky-ky.” Unable to contain her excitement, she hugged him tightly. She was incredible proud of the man he’d become. “You’re going to be great.” After she’d pulled back from the embrace, she gently cupped his face. “If you ever need anything—I don’t care what it is—call me, and I’ll be right there.”
Like I should have been when you were still a boy.
She lightly kissed his cheek. Then did what she used to do to him when he was just one years old … she tugged both of his ears then pinched his nose.
Right when she pulled back from his nose, Kyle reached forward and caught her hand. Anastacia gasped at the sudden movement, and looked at him to find him staring at his father with a pained expression and confusion in his eyes.
“Who is she?” he asked his father.
Cesare seemed shocked into silence, as was Anastacia.
Kyle shot up from his seat with her hand still in his. “I know you, I swear I know you.” His voice was shaking with emotion. “Ever since I saw you in the hospital after Carter was attacked I’ve felt it.”
Cesare stood from his seat. “Kyle—”
“I know her, Papa, I promise! Every time I see you, every time you call me that name, every time you do that thing when you tug my ears.” He gasped as if he’d just remembered something. “I even felt it when I first saw Carter in the bar. When I saw her it was like this insane nostalgic feeling and I loved her instantly. Every chance I got, I went back to Hope Beach just so I could be around her, I’d call her just so I could hear her voice and feel that … safe feeling again.” Abruptly, he cupped her face. “That feeling, of nostalgia, it’s stronger whenever I see you. You have to know …” He released her and began unbuttoning his shirt even as his brother and father began to protest against his doing so.
When he had it unbuttoned and opened, Anastacia gasped as her hand shot to her mouth. Tears immediately sprang to her eyes at the sight of the scars covering Kyle’s chest and side. “Oh my God,” she cried.
Kyle placed his hand on her shoulders gently. “You know her, don’t you? Do you know what she did to me? Do you know where she is? I can’t remember anything, Anastacia. If you know anything please tell me—”
“Kyle,” his father yelled.
“I’m sorry!” He raked his finger through his long, black hair. “I need to know something, anything! Do you know how it feels to wake up every morning with these fucking scars and no memory of how I got them? If you know something just tell me, please.”
Anastacia ran her hand down her face and nodded. “Yes. Kyle, honey, you know me.”
Kyle released a shaky relieved breath and closed his eyes. “I do?”
She touched his face gently. “You do, honey. I was there with you until you were fifteen months old. Me, you, and your father had a home together in Naples, Italy.”
“Italy …”
“Mmmhmm.”
“What happened? Where did you go?”
Anastacia didn’t want to say this part, but she knew she had to. “While your father and I were together I became pregnant.” She smiled. “You were so happy about becoming a big brother. Every night you and I would read a bedtime story to your sister and you even helped me clear space in your room for her. Our place was so small, but it was … perfect. Unfortunately, at around my thirtieth week of pregnancy, your sister … I couldn’t feel her moving anymore. And that night I had to deliver her stillborn. The doctors said I didn’t do anything wrong, but I was so broken and hurt. I felt like I failed myself, your father, and you. I left with every intention of killing myself. It was my twenty-first birthday and my father’s money had become available to me. I put everything in your name, so that you would inherit it in the event of my death. Even today, both yours and Carterina’s names are in my will. You two will inherit the Stone fortune when I die. Now Gabriel will be added.”
“But why would you leave it to me? Why not my father? You were with him.”
“Because I love you. I loved you then, and I love you still. I wanted to come back after I finally got myself together, but by then I had Silas on my tail. I wasn’t willing to put your life in danger. Once I started to build my army, I watched you grow, just like I watched my daughter. As my two heirs I needed you both protected.” She swallowed nervously. “The other reason why I chose you is because only Stones are eligible to inherit the Stone fortune.”
His brows furrowed in confusion.
“Kyle, Abrielle is my sister. I am your aunt, sweetheart.”
“That means—”
Anastacia nodded. “Yes, Kyle. That means Carterina is your cousin.”
~*~
Carter woke with a start, sensing something was off, and spotted a dark male figure sitting at the end of the bed.
She frowned as she tried to figure out who it was. “Kyle?”
“I know,” he said softly. “Your mother told me about us, that we are related.”
Carter sat up and crawled down to the end of the bed. She sat with her back facing the edge of the bed and wrapped her arms around his arm, resting her head on his shoulder. When he pressed a long kiss to her forehead, Carter closed her eyes, not opening them again until he pulled back from her. He rested his cheek against hers, and ran his fingers through the long strand of her hair resting against his shirt.
“It’s real, Carter,” he whispered. “I won’t let you take it away from me.”
Carter sighed sadly. “Kyle—”
“Quiet, woman,” he kissed her forehead again, “let me speak.” He sighed. “I fell for you because you are an amazing woman, Carterina. You know how you always tell me that I’m easy to love? Well, so are you. Don’t dampen the way I feel, don’t make my feelings seem as if they are merely figments of my imagination, or a crutch for me to use because I’m afraid of love. It’s insulting.”
“I’m sorry,” Carter whispered. “Trying to find a reason for it just made it easier. I’m sorry. I didn’t want to feel like a … horrible person.”
“For what, Carter? Falling in love? Baby, you did nothing wrong. You gave me chance after chance and I never took one. And it wasn’t because you aren’t worth it, Carter, because you are. I was an idiot. I was stuck in my ways and I missed out—which given the circumstances may be a good thing that I did—but all the same, I fucked up and let you get away from me.” He tucked her hair behind her ears. “Do you remember that night when you told me that you weren’t interested in casual sex with me? That you wanted something real, that you wanted more than that?”
“Yes, of course I remember.”
“When you were leaving that night, I saw you wiping your face. Were you crying?”
Carter nodded. “Yes,” she whispered.
“Because you—”
“Yes,” she replied quickly so he wouldn’t say the words. She had cried that night because she’d thought he wanted the same thing she did. They’d spent so much time together, and he’d called her so often that she’d been under the impression that he had feelings for her, too. After he’d turned her down that night, she’d played it off and joked with him, trying to hide the truth. He had broken her heart.
“But it was a good thing you turned me down, Kyle.” Though it had hurt her that night, Carter was genuinely glad that it hadn’t worked out between her and Kyle for multiple reasons. Nathan being the first. Carter would have ruined their friendship when she inevitably chose Nathan over Kyle. The attraction between them was just too strong. It was the type of attraction that had absolutely no regard for anyone else. They wouldn’t have been able to stay away from each other, and that would have destroyed everything. It was meant to happen the way it did, but she wouldn’t tell him all that. “It just would have made things more complicated. Because we are related.” It was the truth, just not the whole truth.
“Carter, I love you.”
“Kyle, stop it, would you.”
“I can’t stop because I do! I always have and I always will. You will always be the one that got away from me because I was too stupid, because I wasn’t ready. Fuck
being related, Carter, we didn’t get together because you belong with Nathan. It wouldn’t have been a good thing for any of us if I had interfered in what was meant to be. Nathan probably would have killed me.”
Carter laughed softly.
“It’s true, I know my brother,” Kyle laughed. “He’s always so sure of everything. You belonged to him the moment he saw you. He loves you so much, and you just you brought him back to life, Carterina. I’ve been so caught up in myself that I’ve never gotten a chance to thank you for reviving him in a way I never could.”
Carter smiled. “He’s done the same for me.”
Kyle nodded his head while gently tugging on a strand of her hair. “Nathan has been a good brother to me. I owe him an apology. I never would have made it through any of the shit I’ve been through without him. I get on Mickey for his hero-worship, but I’m just as bad. God knows I’d follow Nathan into hell if he needed me to. I’ve given him so much shit, and crossed so many lines, but he never gives up on me, and heaven knows I’ve pushed him to the limit. Especially when I spent the night before his wedding arguing with him about the love of his life, instead of celebrating with him. He was nervous about becoming a husband and I …” He shrugged, momentarily unable to speak.
Carter ran her hand up and down his back, giving him the strength to continue.
“I’m a shit brother.”
“No you’re not. I know Nathan, he would never hold a grudge against any of you guys. He loves all four of you.” Nathan’s loyalty came from his father. Carter had seen the guys cross the line with Nathan numerous time. He’d shout at them, and they’d argue, but even though Nathan had the power to punish them severely, he’d never done it … and Carter knew he never would. He wanted the relationships that he had with his brother’s to remain genuine. Nathan didn’t want to be the boss every second of the day, sometimes he just wanted to be Nathan. The family gave him that out, that realness. His brother’s didn’t fear him like other men in the underworld did, and Nathan always told Carter how refreshing it was to have them in his life. “He needs you four just as much as you need him.”
Kyle nodded. “I love him, too.” He looked over to Carter with a smile. “Nathan has always been smart. Marrying you is the smartest thing he’s ever done. You are his equal, Mrs. Salerno. And since my jealous ass didn’t tell you this the moment you told me you’d found love, I’ll tell you now.” He kissed her cheek gently. “Congratulations on becoming a wife, and a mother. I’m so happy for you. You deserve this happiness.”