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  Finding her core, he slammed in deep, and she moaned.

  Her fingers sinking into his hair, kissing him back as he held her hips, pulling her down over and over again on his shaft.

  She felt so fucking good.

  He was always shocked by how tight she was.

  No matter how often he fucked her, she was always so damn tight.

  What he also loved was the way she was always so damn wet.

  It was sexy as fuck.

  She really was his perfect woman, and he loved her.

  Cade had tried to fight his feelings as he knew it was too soon, but he loved her more than anything else.

  He’d watched her for a long time, knew how perfect she felt to him, and there was no denying that he was the lucky bastard.

  Bringing her to orgasm, Cade moved her so that he was over her as he found his own, spilling his cum deep into her cunt, hoping that one day soon she’d be full with his child.

  With Patience, he wanted everything.

  Children, a family, the fucking world.

  Kissing her lips, he smiled into her eyes.

  “I think I’m starting to love lunch time for an entirely different reason,” she said.

  He laughed. “I actually make time for lunch. This time though, we’re not eating here.”

  “We’re not?”

  “Nope. I have a picnic ordered, and we’re leaving the apartment.” He’d taken her out a few times, but today was about having a romantic lunch.

  “Do I need to change?” she asked.

  “No. You look perfect.” He kissed her lips a final time.

  It didn’t take them long to be ready to leave his apartment.

  He had three guards with him as he left the apartment building.

  In one hand he held the picnic basket, and in the other, Patience’s hand.

  “It’s so weird having people follow us everywhere,” she said, leaning in close.

  “You’ll get used to them.” He kissed her head.

  Cade didn’t care if people saw the love he had for Patience. To him, the soldiers would work harder to keep her safe because they knew he’d be indebted to them.

  “Tell me what your parents did,” she said.

  He glanced toward her, surprised by her question.

  “You said that you had no choice but to kill them. I figured there had to be a reason?”

  “Want me to take out your parents?” he asked.

  “No. Have they … do they … have they asked about me?”

  Cade hated making her upset, but he wasn’t going to lie to her. “No, they haven’t.”

  “Oh, okay.”

  “My mother and father were employed by the Alfero family in one of their casinos. One of the men noticed a lot of money was going missing, and when footage came to life, it showed my parents stealing it. They were not keeping it for themselves, but giving it to the enemy in an attempt to break down the Alferos’ control. They did this in the hope of having their own turf, their own set of rules. I was embarrassed, humiliated, and if it wasn’t for my loyalty to Alfero, I could have been killed as well. I had no idea of what they were doing. To make amends, I killed my parents and delivered their cheating hands to the Alfero family. Once that happened, I went to the enemies and took out ten of their men, delivering their hands and weapons to Alfero. After I did that, I offered my gun and my life to Reeves Alfero. He wouldn’t take either, and so I was saved myself.”

  “Wow, I, erm, I had no idea.”

  “This life is a hard one and it is cruel. If you break their loyalty, and turn against them, that betrayal is death, Patience. Your parents were lucky. However, if you remain loyal, the Alferos will do everything in their power to keep you safe.”

  “It’s not a guarantee though?”

  “No, unfortunately, it’s not. There are people that wish to see the Alfero line exterminated. There are always threats, but I will do everything in my power to keep you safe, and so will the men who are loyal to the Alferos.”

  She squeezed his hand. “I won’t betray you, Cade. I promise. I know you have no reason to believe me, but I’m not like that.”

  “I know you’re not like that, babe.” He brushed his lips across hers just before they entered the park.

  Setting out the picnic, Cade ignored the men watching over them, and just basked being in her company.

  She was so beautiful, charming, and so easy to love.

  Patience didn’t make demands on him.

  He couldn’t believe that her parents had so easily given her up.

  Cade would have done everything to protect her, and he would.

  Chapter Six

  Was there a suitable time limit for falling in love?

  Patience took the chocolate-dipped strawberry and moaned as the flavor burst on her lips. It was so good.

  Smiling at Cade, her sexy husband, she knew without a doubt that she loved him. She’d fallen for him so hard, and so easily, she couldn’t deny it.

  Even though he killed for the mafia, and she had even helped to clean the blood from him, she couldn’t help her feelings for him.

  He was always kind to her.

  In fact, Cade treated her like a queen.

  Whenever she was in his arms, she felt safe in the world, loved, cared for.

  All of her life that was all she ever wanted from her parents. They always had an excuse though.

  The only good thing her parents had done was become indebted to the Alfero family.

  Putting her life with Cade’s wasn’t what she thought she wanted, but it was indeed perfect.

  She didn’t want to be anywhere else but with him.

  “What are you thinking right now?” he asked.

  “That I love being here. That I love being with you, and there’s nowhere else in the world I want to be.”

  Silence fell on her words, and Patience found the courage to look up at him. She would always remember that smile, along with the gunshot. The pain exploding in her shoulder, and then the sound of shouts filling the air.

  Screams as people tried to run. Cade pushing himself over her body.

  The shouting.

  The pain.

  “It’s okay, Patience. I’ve got you. It’s okay.”

  She reached toward her shoulder and pulled her hand away. There was blood.

  Someone had shot her.

  “Shit, let’s move,” Cade said.

  Patience was pulled to her feet, and they rushed back to the car. Cade had his gun out and kept on shooting toward the main road.

  She couldn’t believe that she’d been shot.

  The pain was unbelievable.

  He pushed her into the car, stood, firing for several moments before climbing into the car.

  “Shit! Didn’t you fuckers see them?”

  “We’re sorry, boss. It was a drive-by. There was no time to react.”

  “Fuck!” Cade stared at her shoulder, and she was sweating. “I’m so sorry, baby. This wasn’t supposed to end this way.”

  “It’s okay. I’ll be fine. I’m made of a lot stronger stuff. You’ll see.”

  He slowly removed her cardigan, and she hated that a whimper escaped her.

  “Take us to Alfero now. Make sure the doctor meets us.”

  “Can’t we go home?” she asked.

  “No. There’s more protection there, baby. Don’t worry. I’ll take care of everything.”

  Patience didn’t pass out, but everything happened so fast. Her body went numb to everything. Within minutes it felt like they were pulling up outside of a mansion, and then Alfero, the man who had given her to Cade, came out.

  She noticed he no longer had a smirk or smile on his face.

  “How bad is it?” Alfero asked while Cade helped her out of the car.

  “Shoulder wound. But we’ve got damage control. I took her out for a picnic, Reeves.”

  It was the first time she had ever heard the man’s name. She saw the relationship between the two men. They were
indeed close.

  She had been hit, and since she belonged to Cade, he was worried.

  “The doctor is already waiting.”

  Within seconds they had her sat at a table inside a room that looked like a hospital room. There was an older man there, waiting.

  Every time she whimpered, gasped, or cried out, Cade had his gun pointed at the doctor’s head.

  “Cade, wait outside,” Alfero said.

  “I’m not leaving her.”

  “Right now, you’re causing my very good doctor, one who has stitched us up a time or two, to be very nervous. We don’t want him to hurt your woman any more than he already has.” Alfero stared at Cade, and she knew he couldn’t argue.

  “I’ll be fine,” Patience said. “Honestly, I’m just being a really big girl.”

  She forced the tears down and smiled at her husband.

  He took her hand, pressing a kiss to her knuckles. “We will talk about what you said at the park.”

  Cade left the room, and she could finally lose any pretense of the pain. Grabbing a pillow, she pressed her face against it, and screamed as the doctor finally got the bullet out of her arm.

  She didn’t care that they saw her, and the pain she was in, and that she wasn’t trying very hard to hide it.

  “You know, I thought you were handling it well,” Alfero said. “Now I see it was just a show.”

  “He doesn’t like seeing me in pain. It hurts him and I don’t like to be the one hurting him.” She looked at him and saw the shock on his face.

  “You love him?”

  “Is that so hard to imagine?” she asked.

  “No. I figured you’d be all stubborn about it and make him work for it.”

  “He doesn’t need to work at something. He’s a great man, and I love him.” The doctor finished bandaging up her arm.

  “You know he watched you for months,” Alfero said.

  “What?”

  “Cade first saw you months ago. He’d spend hours just sitting, waiting for you to arrive, or watching you. He’d even walk home several feet behind you just to make sure you got there safely. He’s been obsessed with you. Your love for him isn’t one way, Patience. It’s why I was more than willing to allow your parents to live. To give you to him. He’s a good man. A great one in fact. He’s been my best friend for as long as I can remember. He’s sacrificed everything to prove himself, and there’s no greater ally to have in the world.”

  Tears filled her eyes.

  “I would never betray him,” she said.

  “It’s not you I fear has caused this. What I’m wondering is if you can so freely give up everything you’ve ever known for him.”

  ****

  Cade paced the hall, the tension building inside him with every single passing minute. Seeing Patience’s pain, he’d wanted to murder everyone and everything. To kill without remorse.

  How dare they interrupt his picnic, especially as she’d been about to tell him that she was in love with him.

  He was so fucking pissed.

  Whoever had a hit out against them would know his wrath, and would pray that they didn’t mess with him. He would totally slaughter every single little fucker who thought they could take him on and win.

  The door opened and Alfero came out.

  “How is she?” he asked.

  “She’s doing fine. The doctor is just checking a few things that are not related to her wound.”

  His friend folded his arms, and kept staring at him.

  “Do you know who did this?”

  “Yes, I do, and I also know who negotiated it.”

  Cade paused. “What is it?

  “Patience’s parents were doing more than stealing money. They were finding out our secrets, and have been trading them for protection.”

  “Patience wouldn’t do that,” Cade said.

  “I know it’s not her,” Alfero said. “They’ve not had any contact with her since I gave her to you. This has been going on a lot longer. I suspected as much.”

  “How could her parents get information? There was none to be had.”

  “Because I suspected something, one of my men has been leaving little breadcrumbs of information.” Cade saw the shame on Alfero’s face. “Including your intended picnic today.”

  Rage filled Cade, and he grabbed Alfero, slamming him up against the wall. “You put my woman’s life in danger.”

  “As long as her parents are alive she is in danger, Cade. I didn’t want to harm you or your woman, but I needed to know if my suspicions were right, and guess what, they were.”

  The sound of footsteps could be heard, and he stepped back, smoothing out the wrinkles in his jacket.

  No one ever saw them cross words, ever.

  It was one of their rules.

  “Her parents are the leak?”

  “Yes. Our enemies have been trying to find a leak for some time. Her parents are just another unlucky couple.”

  Cade glanced over at the door.

  “I’ve told her,” Alfero said. “I’ve told her that her parents need to be made an example of while we finish off whoever started this mess. It’s time, Cade.”

  He ran a hand down his face.

  There was no question for him that he would do it. Cade always did what needed to be done.

  “Can I go in and see her?”

  “Yes. The sooner we get this done though, the better.” Alfero slapped his shoulder and walked away.

  Entering the room, he saw the doctor putting away a few of his instruments as he handed over some pills for Patience.

  “Don’t forget to make an appointment with me again,” he said.

  “Is something wrong?” Cade asked.

  “It’s okay.” She smiled at the doctor, and Cade apologized as the man left the room.

  Patience looked really pale with her shoulder bandaged up.

  He moved toward her, and took hold of her chin, tilting her head this way and that.

  “I’m fine, Cade.”

  “You look pale. I don’t like it.”

  “I’ve been shot … told two different kinds of news, and right now, I’m processing everything.” She cupped his hand with her own. “Alfero told me what you need me to do.”

  He nodded. “I’m so sorry.”

  “You know all my life I just wanted them to care about me. I’d get good grades, or I’d make something at school, and they were never interested. They only ever cared about themselves.”

  He saw the tears in her eyes, and he pressed his head against hers.

  “I love you,” Cade said.

  She jerked her head up and he laughed at the shock in them.

  “Surprised? I’ve loved you for a long time. Being married to you has been a dream come true. I care about you more than anything else in this world.” He curled her hair behind her ear. “You’re so beautiful. So charming. So loving. I want to give you everything your heart desires.”

  “I’m pregnant.”

  Now it was Cade’s turn to be surprised. “Pregnant?”

  “Yes. The doctor asked a couple of questions before prescribing me pain medication, and we took a quick test, and it says I’m pregnant. He asked a bunch of other questions, and he gave me these pills that all pregnant women need to take. I’m to make an appointment to get it completely confirmed, but I’m pregnant.”

  He slammed his lips down on hers, silencing any other words. Only one of her hands moved to his shoulder.

  Finally, after several minutes, he broke away from the kiss.

  “You’re happy?”

  He nodded. “All I ever wanted was to have a family of my own. I’m finally going to get that.” He held her face, stroking her cheeks.

  The reality was that while he’d given her a new family, he was about to take her old one away from her.

  “You’re going to hate me.”

  She shook her head. “No. I don’t hate you. Alfero told me what was going on. What they did and how they’re putting everyone’s
life in danger. He told me that I’ve got to stop trying to protect them.”

  “You’re their daughter, Patience,” he said.

  “And you were a son to your parents, Cade. Still, you had to make that decision, and I’m making mine. I want to be with you. No matter what. I won’t judge you. I won’t turn on you.” She took his hand, locking their fingers together. “I’m yours, forever.”

  Chapter Seven

  A couple weeks later

  Patience sat on their sofa. She had been to the doctor and confirmed her pregnancy. Cade would be home any minute. It had been a very crazy couple of weeks since she’d been shot. This was the first time she’d been allowed back at the apartment as she’d spent every single day in the Alfero family mansion that had so much security it was scary.

  Her parents were already dead.

  She knew this as Cade came home and held her.

  There were no tears to fall, though. Her parents had finally pushed her love for them too far. Maybe she sounded cold, but their actions had given her to Cade, and she promised to love, honor, and cherish him for the rest of her life. She would do that.

  Against all odds, she’d fallen in love with the man who killed for a living. They were now going to have a baby, share a family, and for once in her life, she actually looked forward to living it.

  No matter how many guards had to follow her around, or that she was terrified in case Cade never came home, she would do whatever it took because she totally, one hundred percent loved him, and that wouldn’t ever change.

  At around eight at night Cade finally arrived home. She waited for him in a pair of pajamas. He carried Chinese food in his arms, and she went toward him, about to relieve him of the food in his arms.

  “Don’t even think about it, babe. You’re carrying my child, and all I’m going to allow you to do is rest, relax, and take a breather.”

  She rolled her eyes, but went and took a seat down on the sofa.

  He put the large box on the coffee table and handed her a carton. Opening it up, she discovered lo mein inside, and her mouth watered. “You know what I like?”

  “Of course. I know every single thing there is about you. My obsession may have gone a little far,” he said.

  She smiled. “I’m not going to complain.”

  They’d not had a moment like this since she’d been shot. Her arm was healing, and the stitches had already come out. It ached every now and again, but the doctor told her that was normal.