The temptation of my brother-in-law-Chapter 187 - One Hundred and Eighty-Seven

Chapter One Hundred and Eighty-Seven

Malachi’s POV

I arrived at the Moretti estate at exactly two PM.

Alone, as she’d requested. Maurice had argued about it. Said I was walking into a trap. That the Morettis could kill me and dump my body somewhere no one would find it.

I’d told him I didn’t care.

If Alicia wanted me dead, I’d give her that too.

The gates opened before I could announce myself. Someone had been watching. Waiting.

I drove up the long driveway. The estate looked different in daylight. Less like a fortress. More like a home.

Alessandro met me at the door. His face was carefully neutral.

"She’s in the garden. Follow me."

We walked through the house in silence. I noticed the damage from yesterday. Bullet holes in walls. Broken glass. Blood stains on marble floors.

My fault. I’d brought this to their door.

The garden was beautiful. Roses. Fountains. Stone pathways winding through carefully maintained greenery.

Alicia sat on a bench near a fountain. Her silver hair caught the sunlight. She wore simple clothes. Jeans. A loose sweater.

She looked up when she heard us approaching. Her face gave nothing away.

"I’ll be inside if you need me," Alessandro said to her.

She nodded. He left.

We were alone.

I stayed where I was. Gave her space. Let her make the first move.

"Sit down," she said finally. "You’re making me nervous standing there."

I sat. Not next to her. On a bench across from hers. Close enough to talk. Far enough to not crowd her.

"Thank you for coming," she said.

"You asked me to."

"You could have refused."

"No. I couldn’t."

She looked at me then. Really looked at me. Studying my face like she was searching for something.

"You look tired."

"I haven’t slept in three days."

"Because of me?"

"Because of everything. You. The baby. Zhao. Emily. The family falling apart. Take your pick."

"Emily?"

I’d forgotten she didn’t know. "She’s alive. Faked her death five years ago. Now she’s back and planning to destroy the Blackwoods."

Alicia’s eyes widened. "The woman Travis was involved with? The one who died giving birth?"

"Yes."

"How is that possible?"

"Long story. Not important right now." I leaned forward. "What matters is you. And the baby. And keeping you both safe."

"From Zhao."

"From everyone who wants to hurt you. Including me if that’s what you need."

She was quiet for a long moment. "I don’t think you want to hurt me, Malachi. I think you want to control me. Lock me away somewhere you think is safe. Make decisions for me. Take over my life."

"You’re not wrong."

The honesty seemed to surprise her. "At least you admit it."

"I’ve never lied to you, Alicia. Not about who I am. What I want." I met her eyes. "I want you with me. Want our child growing up in my house. Want to wake up next to you every morning for the rest of my life. That’s the truth."

"And what I want doesn’t matter?"

"It matters. It’s the only thing that matters. That’s why I’m here instead of dragging you back to Dark City."

"You couldn’t drag me anywhere. The Morettis wouldn’t let you."

"The Morettis couldn’t stop me if I really wanted to take you. Neither could their security. Neither could anyone." I said it as fact, not a threat. "But I’m not taking you anywhere. Because you asked me not to. And what you want matters more than what I want."

She looked away. "I don’t know if I believe that."

"Then let me prove it. Tell me what you want. What you need. I’ll do it."

"I want you to leave. To go back to Dark City and forget about me."

"I can’t do that. Zhao knows where you are. Knows about the baby. He won’t stop until he has you."

"Then I’ll deal with Zhao myself."

"How? You’re pregnant. Alone in a foreign country. He has money, resources, an army of people willing to die for him."

"I have the Morettis."

"Who are good people but not equipped to handle someone like Zhao Wei. He’s not a business rival. He’s a predator. And you’re his target."

Alicia’s hand went to her stomach. A protective gesture. "So what do you suggest?"

"Let me handle him. Let me make sure he can never threaten you again."

"By killing him."

"Yes."

"And then what? You just go away? Leave us alone?"

I wanted to say no. Wanted to tell her I’d never leave. That she was stuck with me whether she liked it or not.

But I’d promised.

"If that’s what you want. Yes."

"I don’t believe you."

"I know. But it’s true. I’ll give you whatever space you need. Whatever time you need. I won’t contact you. Won’t follow you. Won’t interfere in your life."

"What about the baby?"

The question hit me like a punch to the chest. "What about it?"

"You said you’re the father. Don’t you want to be involved? Don’t you want to know your child?"

Did I? God, yes. More than anything.

But I forced the words out anyway. "I want what’s best for our child. If that means staying away, I’ll stay away."

"Even though it’ll kill you."

"Even then."

She studied my face. Looking for the lie. The manipulation.

She wouldn’t find it. This was the truth. Raw and painful and completely honest.

"Why?" she asked quietly. "Why would you do that? Give up your child?"

"Because I love you. And loving you means putting your needs before mine. Before what I want. Before everything."

Tears filled her eyes. "That’s not fair."

"What’s not fair?"

"Saying things like that. Making it hard to hate you."

"I don’t want you to hate me. But I understand if you do. After everything I’ve done. Everything you know about me."

"I heard those recordings, Malachi. I heard you laughing while someone begged for their life."

"I know."

"How am I supposed to get past that? How am I supposed to trust you with our child when I know what you’re capable of?"

"I don’t know. Maybe you can’t. Maybe I’m too broken. Too dark. Maybe our child deserves better than me as a father."

"Don’t do that."

"Do what?"

"Make me feel sorry for you. Make me want to comfort you when I should be running as far away as possible."

"I’m not trying to manipulate you, Alicia. I’m just being honest. I am broken. I am dark. I’ve done terrible things and I’ll probably do more terrible things. But I’ve never pretended to be anything else. Not with you."

She wiped her eyes. "I need guarantees, Malachi. I need to know that if I let you help with Zhao, you’ll keep your word. That you’ll leave when this is over."

"I will."

"How do I know that?"

"You don’t. You have to trust me."

"Trust the man who tortures people for fun."

"Not for fun. Never for fun." I leaned forward. "Every person on those recordings betrayed the family. Stole from us. Tried to kill people I cared about. They earned what happened to them."

"That doesn’t make it right."

"No. It doesn’t. But it’s the world I live in. The world I was raised in. Violence is currency. Fear is power. That’s how the Blackwoods survive."

"And you want our child raised in that world?"

"No. I want our child raised somewhere safe. Somewhere far from the darkness. Which is why I’ll step aside if that’s what you need."

She stood up. Walked to the fountain. Stared at the water.

I stayed where I was. Waiting.

"If I agree to this," she said without turning around. "If I let you deal with Zhao. There are conditions."

"Name them."

"You don’t come near me unless it’s absolutely necessary for my safety. You don’t make decisions for me. You don’t try to control where I go or what I do. And when Zhao is dealt with, you leave. You go back to Dark City and you don’t contact me."

Each condition felt like a knife to the chest. But I’d expected this. Had known she’d draw hard lines.

"Agreed."

"What about the baby? When it’s born?"

"What about it?"

"Do you want to be involved?"

God, yes. I wanted everything. Wanted to be there when she gave birth. Wanted to hold my child. Wanted to watch them grow up. Wanted to be a father.

But I couldn’t say that. Couldn’t push.

"That’s your decision. If you want me involved, I’ll be there. If you don’t, I’ll respect that."

"You’d really stay away? Even though it’s your child?"

"If that’s what’s best. Yes."

She turned to face me. "I don’t understand you. You say you love me but you’re willing to give up everything."

"Because that’s what love is. Putting the other person first. Even when it destroys you."

"That’s not love. That’s martyrdom."

"Maybe. I don’t know the difference anymore."

She walked back to the bench. Sat down. Looked at me with those eyes that had haunted me since the moment I met her.

"I’m scared of you, Malachi."

The words gutted me. But I didn’t flinch. "I know."

"But I’m also scared of Zhao. And I’m scared of raising this baby alone. And I’m scared that my fear of you is making me make bad decisions."

"What kind of decisions?"

"Pushing you away when maybe I shouldn’t. Denying our child a father because I’m too afraid to trust you."

"Your fear is justified. I’ve given you every reason to be afraid."

"Have you though? You’ve never hurt me. Never forced me. You could have taken me yesterday. Could have thrown me over your shoulder and carried me out. But you didn’t. You left when I asked."

"Because you asked."

"Exactly. So maybe you’re not the monster I think you are. Or maybe you’re a monster who’s trying to be better. I don’t know."

I didn’t know either. Didn’t know if I was capable of being the man she needed.

But I wanted to try. God, I wanted to try.

"What do you want from me, Alicia? Tell me what you need and I’ll do it."

"I need time. I need space to think. To figure out what’s right for me and the baby."

"How much time?"

"I don’t know. However long it takes."

"And until then?"

"Until then, you deal with Zhao. You keep us safe. And you stay away unless absolutely necessary."

It wasn’t what I wanted. Wasn’t even close.

But it was better than nothing. Better than her telling me to leave and never come back.

"Okay. I can do that."

"Promise me, Malachi. Promise you’ll keep your word."

"I promise."

She searched my face one more time. Then nodded. "Okay. Then we have a deal."

"One more thing."

"What?" 𝐟𝗿𝐞𝚎𝚠𝐞𝚋𝕟𝐨𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝕔𝕠𝚖

"When’s the baby due?"

A small smile touched her lips. The first real smile I’d seen from her. "Early October. October eighth, according to the doctor."

October. Seven months away. Seven months to prove I could be trusted. Seven months to become someone worthy of being a father.

Seven months to win back the woman I loved.

"Thank you," I said. "For telling me."

"You’re the father. You have a right to know."

The father. Those words did something to me. Made me feel things I didn’t know I was capable of feeling.

Pride. Joy. Terror. All of it at once.

"I should go," I said. Standing up. "Let you rest."

"Malachi?"

I stopped. "Yes?"

"Be careful. With Zhao. He’s dangerous."

"So am I."

"I know. That’s what scares me."

I looked at her. At this woman who was carrying my child. Who was afraid of me but still warning me to be careful.

"I’ll be careful. For you. For the baby."

She nodded.

I walked away. Left her in the garden. Left her safe with her family.

But as I drove away from the estate, one thought consumed me.

Zhao Wei had threatened my child.

Had sent me that photo. That message.

Shame I’ll have to kill the bastard she’s carrying.

He’d signed his death warrant with those words.

And I was going to make sure he regretted every second of his miserable life before I ended it.

That was a promise too.

To Alicia. To our baby. To myself.

Zhao Wei was a dead man walking.