"Go, Mommy!" Rebel's excited little voice echoes across the supermarket shop. She claps her hands and giggles as I laugh and give the cart another playful shove. Her honey-colored eyes sparkle with happiness, and her blonde locks bounce. She reminds me so much of the man I used to love, the one I can't quite bring myself to name.
She is entirely him, including his hair, nose, and even temper, aside from her lips and eyes. When she becomes older, please help me. "All right, little rebel," I say with a smile, "we're done shopping and heading to the park." Deal? She squeals once again and kicks her legs in agreement. I bend over, give her a little head kiss, and lead the way to the register. That familiar ache comes back as I load the goods into the car.
Three years have passed since my departure. It has been three years since everything I loved and knew was destroyed. In one act, the same individual who gave me a sense of vitality crushed me. He didn't even allow me to clarify. Lies were more important to him than love. And when I discovered that I was expecting... I bolted. After the humiliation, I was unable to confront him. I was also unable to confront my parents.
Don Moretti, my father, is in charge of an empire based on terror and power. The head of the DeNucci family, my mother, is equally vicious. They formed a coalition that rendered our family untouchable. I am the Mafia Princess, their sole daughter. Nathaniel, my twin brother, will succeed my father. Nico, my younger brother, will be in charge of the cartel. The DeNucci family was supposed to be led by me.
That was the strategy—until I ruined it all. I was scared, alone, and pregnant at twenty-one. Too embarrassed to tell anyone. Too shattered to seek assistance. So I walked away without turning around. I began again, changed my name, and vowed that no one would ever discover us. The initial months were terrible. I ate and slept very little. Every choice was one of survival.
However, I used my savings to purchase a modest home in a sleepy tourist town and put the remaining funds into a dilapidated bar. I was saved by that bar, The Eclipse. I eventually recruited workers, patched it up, and made it one of the busiest places in town. It's mine, even though it's not flashy. Although our house isn't as large as the Moretti mansion, it has everything I require.
A blue front door, a white picket fence, and a secure play area for Rebel. It's open and comfortable inside. There are three bedrooms, contemporary furnishings, and a coziness I never experienced as a child. I unpack the groceries, place Rebel and her toys in the living room, and grin as Boomer, our Cane Corso, rushes over to greet her. He is enormous, black as the night, and has a white spot on his chest.
He has been our guardian ever since I got him while I was pregnant. Rebel screams with laughter as I warn, "Boomer, gentle." Satisfied to be close to her, he drops down next to her, his tail pounding the ground. The image softens my heart. My phone buzzes after that. coral. Tonight is her scheduled workday. I already know what she's going to say. I drop onto the couch and say, "Hey, Coral."
"Hi, Angie... I apologize, but I don't have a babysitter, and Steve abandoned me once more. I massage my temple and moan. I would have a chain of bars by now if I had a dollar for each time Steve disappointed her. " All right, Coral. We need to discuss this, but I'll cover tonight. Remember that I also have Rebel." I am aware, I am aware. I swear I'll make it up to you.
After hanging up, I look at Rebel, who is currently attempting to place a brick on Boomer's head. "Okay, we have time to visit the park before Mommy goes to work." "Park!" She lets out a squeal. I yell, "Boomer, leash." With a proud wag of his tail, he trots out to retrieve it. I gather Rebel into my arms and prepare her. As usual, she fights the stroller and gets as rigid as a board to make me laugh.
I give her a cheek kiss and say, "Yes, sweetheart, we're going now." I wave to our babysitter, Mrs. Lawson, as we leave, but she insists that I refer to her as "Scar." "Hi, Angie! How are two of my favorite girls today?" Scar, we're doing OK. I regret having to make this last-minute announcement, but Coral canceled once more. "Stop talking," she says politely. "At seven, I'll be there. You leave for work, my love. I feel a wave of relief.
"You are a blessing. I really appreciate it." Nonsense, my love. You are aware of how much I adore Rebel. Rebel is exhausted after spending a few hours in the park. I give her a warm bath after we get home. Before I can continue the bedtime story, she goes to sleep. I give Rebel a forehead kiss, take my keys, and go to The Eclipse when Mrs. Lawson shows up. Tonight, the bar is vibrant.
Laughter fills the air, the lights glow a gentle amber, and music hums from the speakers. I greet the regulars after slipping behind the bar and tying my apron. Although it's hectic, I enjoy it that way. It helps me forget about the past. After several hours, the crowd begins to thin out. While I withdraw to the office to complete paperwork and arrange fresh orders, Max, one of my bartenders, manages the front.
I become disoriented until I hear Max's voice coming from the door. "Ang, I need you right now." I stretch and say, "Coming." I head back to the bar after locking the office. Now the laughter is deeper, louder, and more manly. My stomach constricts. There's something off with the sound. Then I notice them. Cuts of black leather. white embroidery. The devil patch with red wings. *Princes of Darkness MC. My breathing falters. My heart begins to pound. And there he is. Jackson, Ryder "Savage."
The man who broke me. The man who prioritized falsehoods over love. The father of my daughter, the man I fled. The world briefly stops spinning as his icy blue eyes meet mine. Anger, fear, and heartbreak are all buried emotions that suddenly hit me. He appears to be older. more difficult. Still him, though. "Angel." There is a wound and a whisper when he says my name. Suddenly, the history I've worked so hard to avoid has returned to me.