Chapter Forty-five: Converging Paths

Lillianna’s Point of View

Despite the seething rage and heartache consuming me, I made the difficult choice to keep my distance from my former crew. I couldn’t let them hurt Xavier. Hurting Rei would accomplish that, and that was enough for me.

I did dump Alex, and it was oddly gratifying. He was hurt, but the man was gorgeous. Alex would bounce back quickly. I was sure of it. He was a means to an end and nothing more. It was wise to end it when I did because Alex looked like he would tell me he loved me the last time we saw each other. I didn’t need that on my conscience.

I knew that Xavier had made reservations at Ristorante Fiore. I had called to confirm the time, pretending that I was Rei. The owners didn’t recognize my voice thankfully. As I admired my reflection in the mirror, my smile wavered as I remembered how Xavier never failed to compliment me when I wore this dress. It usually led to us ending up back at his place and in his bed afterwards.

With a swipe of blood-red lipstick, I touched up my makeup once last time and then grabbed my purse and keys. I had the larger bag so that it could discreetly hold my silencer. I didn’t need the car because I wouldn’t be bringing Rei’s body back with me. I would simply leave her body in the washroom to be found like the trash she was.

I would leave this small town and start over when this was done. I had enough connections that I could manage to evade the Brzezinski family and their associates without too much trouble. A fresh start would be good. No lingering memories of Xavier or Grace. New friends, new lovers, new life. I earned it. Fuck, I deserved it after the last decade of my life had been wasted.

Don Brzezinski’s Point of View

Finally, my grandson had reconciled with the woman he had been in love with for over ten years. Despite everyone's efforts to get him to move on, he never gave up on her. The fact that she was best friends with my granddaughter was not lost on me. This would make it easier for us to introduce Rei and her children to our way of life.

Aamon had moved Grace into his home, and she was with Rei now. Our plans were set to keep a close eye on Lillianna as well. As I sat there, contemplating who would be the first to catch her in a mistake - Ethan or myself - my fingers twitched with anticipation. We were both determined to eliminate the conniving psycho who had caused endless trouble for our respective organizations. Lillianna had lost control and wreaked havoc countless times, but we were ready for her inevitable downfall this time. We could practically taste the satisfaction of watching Lillianna crash and burn before our eyes.

I was torn between wanting to bring Grace and the children to live with me and knowing it would be better for them to stay with my grandson. It seemed like the best choice to keep them where they were familiar. There were already enough changes happening, and I didn't want to add more stress for them.

If things progressed with Xavier Woods as I predicted, he would eventually need to relocate to be with my granddaughter. We could determine where Rei would reside permanently when that happened. Regardless, my granddaughter and her children would always be kept safe. They were Brzezinski heirs, and that meant something in our world. I would need to determine a role for Xavier in our organization—one that would be lucrative but not too dangerous or one that would put a further target on him or my granddaughter and her children.

I had faith that Rei would eventually come to terms with her new life. This was where she belonged; it was time for her to return home.

Xavier’s Point of View

I couldn't resist stealing a final glance at my bed before heading out. The black silk sheets lay invitingly, tempting me with their smooth, cool, and luxurious touch. I couldn't help but imagine Rei's body entwined with mine on them, writhing in pleasure as I took my time worshipping her luscious body. I wouldn’t pressure Rei by any means, but I would never turn her down if she were so inclined. I really hoped that she wanted to have sex tonight.

The food was cooked and sitting in the oven, staying warm until it was time to eat. The wine and tiramisu were safely stored in the fridge to keep them chilled for the meal. My apartment was the cleanest it had ever been. I was rather impressed with how it looked. I strategically placed candles throughout the apartment, obviously not lighting them yet, but I would when we returned.

I gently lifted the bouquet of red roses I had purchased while running errands for our dinner later. I hoped that Rei would appreciate the gesture. After securing the flowers and an extra helmet for my bike, I rode over to pick her up. As a surprise, I also picked up a Lego set for the boys and a gift card for Shiloh to buy herself a new book. I wasn't sure if I was supposed to get something for Grace, so I decided not to. It felt like it would be going overboard if I did.

I was more nervous than I thought I would be walking up the steps to ring the doorbell to Rei’s home. As soon as the door swung open, Onyx and Salem greeted me with adoring eyes. Shiloh's voice could be heard in the background, scolding the boys for their boisterous welcome. Their excitement made my nerves evaporate, though. It meant a lot that these kids were happy to see me and didn’t mind that I was taking their mother out on a date.

“Kids, I need to talk to Xavier for a minute. Can you wait for me in the living room?” Grace asked.

I stopped the kids as they turned away and handed each their gifts. Their eyes widened in surprise, not expecting me to have anything for them. Grace raised an eyebrow and gestured to herself, questioning if the flowers were for her. I chuckled and shook my head, explaining they were for Rei. Grace's face lit up with a grin in response.

Grace expertly directed the children, giving out instructions without any hesitation. "Shiloh, can you take the flowers and place them in water for your mother? Boys, I can see you opening that box of Lego! Remember to keep all the pieces on the table while playing your video game. We'll work on building the set after," she said smoothly.

As soon as the children were out of earshot, Grace glanced up the stairs to see if Rei was about to appear. She let out a relieved sigh when Grace saw we still had some time before her arrival.

Grace pleaded with me to wait until tomorrow to reveal that I've known Rei longer than she thinks. She emphasized the significance of this date for her best friend and even mentioned that Rei had a bag prepared for the occasion, wiggling her eyebrows suggestively.

Well, then. I was definitely waiting until tomorrow for that conversation. As I tried to adjust myself discreetly, Grace roared with laughter.