Chapter 34

Amelia

"Meelz!" I whimper and blink my eyes open at the sound of my dad's voice. I slam my eyes closed as pain vibrates throughout my body. "Thank fuck. Stay still, baby, you've been shot and have lost a lot of blood already."

"Kingsley?" I croak out. Dad's face falls and a sob claws out of me. "No!" I cry out.

"Cronos went after her, we have cars coming to move us all. Rook needs to get seen to ASAP, he's not in a good way," he says somberly. Guilt over putting my entire family in this position fills me.

"Dad, I'm so sorry?—"

"Shhhh, we'll worry about everything else later. I need to get you out of here and to a hospital?—"

"Mom?" I rush to ask.

His face fills with pain. "I need to get back to her as well, I had her airlifted to New York and I haven't… heard anything since." I swallow and nod my head, we'll deal with that later as well I guess. When cars begin to pull up, Dad helps me to my feet and I stagger. Uncle Knight and Uncle Gage each help Uncle Rook to the first SUV that takes off the instant he is inside with Uncle Knight. "We're next," Dad says as we both limp toward the second car. Before he can help me in, I pull back and shake my head. "Meelz?—"

"I can't just leave my daughter, Dad. I need to find her?—"

"You've been shot!" he argues.

"I don't care, I need to find her and Cronos?—"

"He's already on his way to the local hospital with your daughter, Meelz." I spin around and stumble back, but Dad is there to catch me before I slip in my own blood. "London is with him, Artemis will be there as well."

Tears prick my eyes at Royal's words. "They're both okay?"

He nods. "You guys get out of here, we'll clean up and meet you all back at Dad's." Before he can leave I ask.

"Where is he ?" He doesn't have to ask which he I am referring to, he can tell from the hatred in my tone.

"Him and his bitch of a sister have been patched up so they don't die on their flight back to New York. We'll deal with them when we?—"

"No." Royal frowns and looks to my dad. Before either of them can say a word I cut in. "No one touches them but me. The human body can survive three days without water, give them enough water to keep them alive and food every six days until I get there. I want them to suffer from the moment they land until I can deal with them."

"Meelz—" I look at my dad and whatever he sees in my eyes has him clamping his mouth closed.

"It's my decision. You wanted me to embrace who I am, this is me doing that." I turn back to my cousin. "No one is to touch them. Keep them separated. Find some recordings of a woman screaming and play it to him every so often so he thinks his sister is being tortured. Do the same to her, I want their minds broken before I break their bodies."

"Jesus, you sound exactly like my fucking daughter," Royal says with a shudder as I turn away from him and climb into the car.

I'm about to rip my nurse's throat out if she doesn't hurry the fuck up. We were taken to a private hospital and they refused to allow me to see Kingsley until I was cleaned and checked out. I went to reach for my dad's sidearm and shoot the bitch, but when they reminded me of the risk of spreading infection to my preemie baby, I resisted.

Artemis, Dad, Uncle Knight and Uncle Rook are all in the ER with me, it's no surprise that my family had the local hospital locked down so only our people can be treated. I make no comment because a part of me is extremely grateful for that, it means my daughter is safe. The only reason I have been able to remain this calm is because I know Cronos is with her and he won't let anything happen to our daughter.

"I have some clean clothes, pads and some toiletries in the shower for you. I can assist if you need?" Given the fact I'm in a fucking sling, I have no choice but to accept her offer. She helps me off the bed. I see my dad begin to panic across from me but I reassure him I am just showering, then I'll return. I'm way past caring about who the fuck sees my body, I'm a doctor and know how desensitized these nurses are to seeing a naked body. The woman is careful in helping me remove my sling and removes the shower head from the wall and holds it at stomach level, so I don't wet my bandages.

By the time I have changed and exit the bathroom in a fresh set of clothes and my hair in a messy bun, I feel ten times better but exhaustion is weighing on me now. Dad and Artemis wait at the edge of the bed I was occupying. I raise a brow at him.

"We'll come with you. Knight will stay with Rook, he needs surgery. When he is well enough to travel we'll have him flown back home." I nod my head in understanding, I know my family hates being separated, which is why they all live together pretty much. Artemis looks like he is about to jump out of his skin if he doesn't set eyes on London soon. I can't blame him, my own skin is crawling with the need to see my daughter and Nos.

"Follow me." The three of us follow behind the nurse, nerves wracking my body the entire way. I can't seem to control the urge to tell her to hurry the hell up, but I know what it's like being in her position so I refrain. As we draw near to where we see the signs for the NICU, my dad grips my hand in his and gives it a squeeze. I relax at the feeling of his comfort.

When she swipes her badge and the large doors open automatically, my breath hitches. As we enter the NICU, I immediately dart my gaze around and spot London across the large room. Artemis practically runs to her, and at the sight of him, she smiles and stands as he embraces her. Dad and I stand back and give them a minute, I'm fighting not to tap my fucking foot.

"Excuse me?" a new nurse asks from beside us.

"What?" I snap and cringe, I shoot her an apologetic smile that she ignores.

"It's parents only allowed in here."

‘What?" I snap.

"I may have kind of told them I was the mom so I could stay with her and Nos." I shoot London a wide eyed stare, she doesn't look remorseful and I can't blame her. I push away my annoyance and smile at my niece.

"Thank you for staying with them," I say to her before turning to the nurse. "I'm the mother, where is my daughter?"

"Angel?" I spin around at the sound of Cronos's voice. He looks at me like he's seen a ghost, which has me cocking my head to the side in confusion. He shakes his head and blinks twice. "You're alive?" he mutters. I recoil as he steps out of the room in the corner and eats up the space between us. Much like me, his arm is in a sling and he even looks like he has showered as well. With his free hand he reaches out and shakily places it against my cheek. When he feels my skin beneath his palm, he deflates and leans his forehead against mine, closing his eyes as he breathes me in. "You're here," he whispers.

"I'm right here, Grizz," I answer as I clutch his shirt with my good hand. "I need to see her now." He pulls back and smiles wide, the look of unreserved love in his eyes steals my breath.

"She's perfect, angel. God, she is fucking beautiful." The love and awe in his tone has a watery smile stretching across my own face. "Come on, come meet the owner of both our hearts." He interlocks his fingers with mine and leads me toward the room, but at the last second I pull him to a stop and look over my shoulder to see my dad standing there with his head down. I know he is torn up inside, wanting to be here for me but always needing to be back home with my mom.

"Dad?" he snaps his head up.

"Yeah?"

"Want to meet your granddaughter?" I ask.

He swallows and blinks his eyes a couple of times to rid himself of those pesky tears. "More than anything." I flick my head motioning for him to follow us. The moment Cronos pushes the door open, my heart skips a beat. He gently tugs me inside the room where I see an incubator resting in the middle of it. I freeze. I just stand here staring at the bundle of pink blankets. I can see a pink beanie on her head but I'm scared to get any closer. Nos pivots and stands in front of me with a look of concern on his handsome face.

"What's wrong, angel?" he asks gently. I step back and look at both him and my dad, they both look worried.

"Promise me, no one will ever harm her. Whatever it takes, we all keep her safe and never allow the horrors of this world to taint her or tarnish her innocence." They both nod firmly with looks of pure dominance in their gazes.

"I swear to you, she will come to no harm as long as I live," Dad vows.

"I accepted my position as Artemis's underboss so I would have the power to keep you both safe." My face falls at Nos's admission.

"Why would you do that? You were happy being an undertaker," I say.

"You make me happy, she makes me happy," he says, pointing behind him. "I will do whatever I have to in order to protect you both?—"

"What if I can give you your wish of staying out of the mafia and still protecting your daughter?" my dad asks as he faces Nos.

"How?"

"We need an undertaker. I'll fund everything if you come to New York and work with us. Not in a capacity that would require you to work for us in the way you think."

"What does that mean?" Nos pushes.

"We need an undertaker for when our men fall. Rather than paying everyone off, it would be easier if we had someone of our own running it." Nos turns and looks to me as if seeking my reaction. I smile encouragingly. Being in New York means I get to be close to my family who will help protect Kingsley, but it also means Nos gets his dream of continuing to work with the dead and not having to return to Greece. "Think about it, my offer stands until you give me an answer." Nos nods his head, he looks utterly speechless. I leave him with his thoughts and step around them both as I move toward my baby. The closer I get, the more I begin to feel tingles down my spine.

Warmth spreads throughout my entire body the moment I lay my eyes on her beautiful face for the first time. Tears instantly blur my vision. I try to blink them away but it's no use, they fall regardless of my efforts.

"She's perfect," I whisper.

"She looks exactly like you," Dad breathes out.

"She has a hint of the Devil in her eyes and that's all me," Cronos adds. I look over at him to see him smiling down at our little girl, my love for him growing daily. I'll never have to wonder my worth where he is concerned. I know he will always do what is right by me and Kingsley. They say that every person has someone out there for them and I found mine. I found the happy ending I was always searching for within him. He says I am his redemption but the truth is, he was the shot of adrenaline I needed to wake me up and force me to see the world as it is instead of through rose colored glasses.