The Tyrant (Banker #3)(54)

He lifted me into his arms and carried me to the bed. “Good answer.”





All of Bates’s things were packed into the car, and he was ready to leave. “So, I guess this is goodbye.” Bates walked up to his brother and clapped him on the shoulder. “We’ve lived through some pretty crazy shit, huh?”

“Hopefully, this is as crazy as it’s going to get,” Cato said.

Bates shrugged. “It would be boring if it was. So, are you going to miss me?”

“Not at all.” Cato clapped him back. “Giovanni won’t miss cleaning up after you and doing your laundry either.”

“I don’t believe him,” Bates said. “It gives him purpose. Well, I’ll miss you. It was nice spending that time with you.” He didn’t look at his brother as he said those tender words.

Cato’s eyes softened. “Alright…I’ll miss you a little.”

Bates grinned. “You’ll miss me a lot. I know you will.” He came to me next. “I’ve got your back for the rest of time, Siena. Regardless of what happens between you and my brother…I’ll always be there for you.” His eyes looked down at Martina in my arms, and he smiled.

“I know you do, Bates. I’ll miss you.”

His eyes flicked up to mine. “You will?”

“Of course. Water under the bridge, Bates.”

He gave me a slight smile before he turned away.

“Wait, aren’t you going to say goodbye to your niece?” I placed her in his arms and stepped back so he could hold her.

Bates flinched on the spot, overwhelmed by the gesture. He looked down into Martina’s face and wore a subdued look of joy. “Hey, sweetheart. I know we don’t spend a lot of one-on-one time together, but I’m your uncle. We have the same eyes.”

Cato looked at me, a hint of a smile on his lips.

Bates kissed her on the forehead before he handed her back. “She’s beautiful—just like you.” He got into his car and drove away.

Cato came to my side and wrapped his arm around my waist. “That was gracious of you.”

“He’s family…you forgive family.”

He brushed his lips against my hairline. “You’re a great role model for Martina. She has the best person to look up to.”

I looked into my daughter’s face and thought of my mother, the woman who had always been my role model. “Thanks…that means a lot to me.”





I fed Martina as Cato got ready in the morning.

He put on all the pieces of his suit then tied the laces of his shoes.

“Where are you going?” I sat in the armchair while Martina breastfed. My nipples were so raw I could barely feel her sucking lips anymore.

“Work. Where I go every morning.”

“Oh…” After everything that had happened, I guess I expected Cato to stop working. All of the horrible things that had happened to us were because of his business. Damien and Micah wanted to overthrow him. That was why we’d experienced this nightmare in the first place.

“Why?” He rose to his full height then smoothed out his navy blue suit.

“Why what?”

“Why would you think I wouldn’t go to work? The doctor said I’m fine.”

That wasn’t why. “I just… I guess I thought you would take more time off.”

“All I’ve done is take time off for the last six weeks. Now that I’ve recovered, I’ve got a lot of stuff to do. I’ve got to manage the new cigar business, and I’ve been inundated new clients since I executed Micah.”

So, it never stopped. It would never stop. This would be our lives until one of us was killed.

He caught the look in my eyes. “Baby, what’s wrong?”

Once the dust had settled, I’d had this daydream that he was going to walk away from the business and we would have the quiet life I always wanted. After almost losing his life and nearly losing me, I’d thought his attitude would change. But it was exactly the same. “Nothing.”





19





Cato





Bates fell into the chair facing my desk. He pulled out a cigar as he started to ramble on. “Since the Skull Kings didn’t participate, I was able to restore our original agreement—”

“Don’t smoke around me.” I pointed at his cigar then the ashtray. “Siena doesn’t want me to smoke, and I don’t want that shit to get in my hair and clothes.”

“She’s that anal?”

“No. I just don’t want to bring it around Martina.”

Bates would normally call me a pussy or just do it anyway, but now, he listened to me. He slipped the cigar back into his pocket. “Alright.”

“Thank you.”

“That means I’m going to have to smoke less…which means I’m going to be healthier…which means I’m going to live longer. And that’s entirely your fault.” He eyed my liquor cabinet before he grabbed the decanter and a glass. He sat down again and helped himself. “Or maybe my liver will go bad, and I’ll die anyway.”

“My fingers are crossed.”

“As I was saying…the Skull Kings will repay their full debt.”