“She’s okay, Zig. She’s going to be okay.”

Bear’s voice reached me through the din. For the rest of my life, I think those double gunshots would haunt me in my fucking sleep. As soon as Georgio DiSalvo’s brains exploded out the back of his head, I dropped my weapon and went to Gina.

She lay on her side, her breath coming in gasps. I gathered her into my arms, cradling her head in my lap.

“Baby?”

Gina stared at her brother. She had blood on the front of her dress. I searched for a wound, certain Georgio’s shot went wide. I got her out of the way. Please God, hadn’t I gotten her out of the way?

“Zig, man. She’s okay! Look!”

Axle was at my side then. He slid to his knees and felt along Gina’s front. She was in shock, clasping my hand. Axle turned her over. A chunk of wood from the pew beside us lay on the ground at her feet.

“Here.” Axle held the wood up. “She just got nicked by it. Gina? You okay?”

Gina let out a sob then nodded. She looked up at me, her eyes wide, searching. But she was okay. She was whole. I’d just managed to knock the wind out of her when I shoved her out of the path of Georgio’s gun.

The front doors burst open. Bear had told the rest of the crew to wait for a signal and that they’d know it when they heard it. Gunfire will do that. One of Georgio’s bodyguards had been smart enough to drop his weapon instantly. E.Z. was currently sitting on the other one’s chest, his gun pressed against his temple.

Christine DiSalvo knelt next to her dead son. Some small part of me could have felt sorry for her. Though he was evil to the core, she’d given birth to him. It had to be odd to be there the first and last time a person drew breath.

The crew surrounded Christine and the bodyguards, guns drawn, waiting for Bear’s orders. When he gave them, they were swift and simple. Time for a clean-up crew. He shot a look toward Christine. The dragon lady recovered quickly. She straightened her skirt and held out a hand to Bear. He helped her to her feet.

“We’re done here,” she said, her voice wavering even if she held her back straight.

Gina gave me a nod. She was okay. She wanted to be on her feet too. I damn sure wasn’t going to let her go. Not now. Not ever.

I helped her up and slid my arm around her waist. She stood straight, only a tiny tremor through her back told me how traumatized she actually was. God. What if I hadn’t moved quickly enough? What if she’d just never walked into this at all?

“Are you sure we’re done here?” Gina said. Her voice was clearer, steadier than even her mother’s.

Christine DiSalvo was nothing if not practical. As her dead son’s blood seeped closer to her feet, she tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear and squared her shoulders.

“I believe our contracts can stay as they are, for the time being,” Christine said, addressing Bear. “I trust you’ll take care of all of this?”

The corner of Bear’s mouth lifted in a sneer. “We’ll do what we do best, Christine ... DiSalvo family dirty work.”

“No harm comes to me,” she said. “Nor any more of my children.”

Bear stepped forward. “Well, now. I suppose that’s up to you. Twice children of yours have tried to take out men of mine. You’ve got two more sons.”

“Gianni and Joey aren’t part of this.” It was Gina who stepped forward. I squeezed her hand, trying to hold her back, to protect her. But she shrugged me off and stood toe to toe with Bear, becoming stronger than even her mother.

“You’re part of the DiSalvo family now,” Gina said. She put her hand on her stomach again. I detected just the slightest flutter in her fingers. She was scared, but she was brave. I marveled at her strength at the same time I wanted to fold her against me and keep her safe and warm.

Gina held out her free hand to Bear’s. He gave her a wry smile and his eyes flicked to mine for a split second. He was impressed by her. Then Bear clasped Gina’s hand and shook it.

“Well,” Bear said. “If nothing else, this should be pretty fucking interesting.”

“Indeed,” Christine said behind them. She crossed her arms in front of herself.

“Come on,” Bear said, letting go of Gina. “We’ve still got work to do.”

He looked over at me. “Zig, you take care of this girl.”

I went to Gina, circling my arms around her waist as she leaned her head against my chest. “On my honor, I swear it with my life.” I took the oath in front of Bear, the closest thing I had to a father, and Christine DiSalvo, Gina’s mother. It was a blood oath, to be sure, but one I knew I would take to my grave.

I walked out of the church with Gina. If I’d had my way, I would have carried her. But she was too strong for that. We stepped out into the sunlight together.

My bike was parked at the end of the church steps. I took Gina to it. When we got there, she finally broke a little, sinking against me.

I held her close. “Baby. Oh God, baby. Why did you do it? He could have killed you.”

Tears streamed down Gina’s face. I wiped them away as she looked up at me. “I had to. Because he was going to kill you too. Or at best, he was going to make sure you and the Saints ended up in prison for everything you’ve done for my father.”

“It’s okay,” I said. “We’re safe. Bear knows what he’s doing.”

“I’m sorry.” She sniffled. “I didn’t know it was Georgio who ... Zig, why didn’t you tell me? He did this to you. He did it all.”

“Shh.” I held her against me, smoothing her hair back. “It doesn’t matter now. It’s over. Georgio can never hurt either one of us again. My God, baby. You were so strong. So brave. I’m so sorry. I never should have let you go. I know how badly I hurt you when I sent you away. I swear to you, I’ll never do it again.”

“I know you won’t,” she said through her tears. “And I know what you did. But Zig, I can take care of myself. We can take care of each other.”

“God. Yes. I love you. Baby, you’re my whole life. If you’ll have me.” Then I sank to my knees before the woman I loved. I pressed my ear to her stomach and my own tears threatened to choke me. I looked up at her.

“Is it true? Is it really true?”

She wiped her eyes and smiled down at me. From this angle, the sun lit her hair, giving her a halo. My angel. My salvation. My honor.

“Yes,” she whispered. “It’s true. I’m about ten weeks along. I heard the heartbeat, Zig. He’s strong. Just like his daddy.”

A tiny heartbeat. Strong and sure. Gina had given me the greatest of gifts. Her heart. This life. I would strive to deserve it with every breath I took.

“Come on,” she said. “Take me home, baby.”

* * *

I took Gina down to the beach that night. Her hands trembled in mine as we descended the porch steps.

“It’s okay,” I said. “We can take it back.”

I knew what scared her. I hadn’t understood it before. But when I saw that cold, murderous hate in Georgio’s eyes, I knew. If I closed my own eyes, I could see the scene differently. Instead of Georgio’s lifeless gaze staring at the church ceiling, it could have been Gina’s. For the rest of my life, I knew I’d have nightmares about what would have happened if I hadn’t moved fast enough. But I did. Now I knew this beach held memories for Gina of the night she’d found me here. If the roles were reversed, if she hadn’t gotten to me in time, it would be like trying to live without my own heart.

“Never again,” she said, letting me warm her hand in mine as the sand squished between our toes.

“Never again,” I said. “I have more to live for now than ever, baby. I’ll keep you safe.”

“Just keep yourself safe, Zig. That’s all I’ll ever need.”

A full moon brightened our path as the tide rolled in. Gina brought a blanket and spread it on the ground. She sat between my legs, leaning her head against my chest. I threaded my fingers through hers, loving the weight of her against me. Then I slid a hand over her belly. I couldn’t be sure, but I thought I felt just the slightest of swells there.

My son. It was too early to tell, of course, but Gina said she had a mother’s instinct about it.

“Make love to me, Zig,” she whispered. I was already rock hard against her back.

“Are you sure?” I asked. “It’s ... I mean ... it won’t hurt anything?”

Gina’s soft laughter was music. She turned, going up on her knees before me. She pulled her shirt over her head. She was braless; her breasts swung before me, markedly fuller than the last time I’d seen them. Her nipples had darkened like deep-red wine. I leaned forward, fondling her nipples, loving how I could make them pebble for me with just one touch.

Gina wriggled out of her jeans. I pressed my head against her flat-for-now stomach and kissed her there. She arched her back and threaded her fingers through my hair. I worked my way lower down; grasping her on the back of her thighs, I pulled her legs wide.

Gina gasped as my tongue found her most sensitive flesh. I fastened my lips around the tiny hard bud of her clit, loving how her legs trembled as she tried to hold still. I worked her with merciless precision. She was hotter, wetter than ever before. In just a few seconds, I had her dripping for me and I’d only just begun.

“Zig,” she cried. Oh yeah. We were alone on this particular stretch of the beach. I meant to make her moan loud for me tonight.

Finally, Gina couldn’t hold herself upright anymore and I helped her to the ground. She spread her legs wide for me and arched her back as the waves pounded against the rocks to the east of us. Gina’s rising pleasure seemed to match the tide, coming in wave after wave.

“Zig,” she cried out again. “I want to do that for you!”

I laughed as I licked her. “Don’t worry, baby,” I said. “We’ve got all night. I’m just getting started.”

She thrust her hips toward me, giving fully into the sensation between her legs. She dug her fingers into the sand, trying to brace herself as the first of her orgasms ripped through her. Gina opened for me just like a flower. As she quivered beneath me, I sat back on my heels, enjoying the view. Her sweet pussy was pink and swollen, gaping for me.

“God,” I said. “I could look at that all night. Do you know how beautiful you are?”

“Come here,” she said, her voice barely more than a sultry growl. “I want you.”

I took off my shirt, unzipped my pants, and slid them off. Stroking myself, I was huge, hard, and ready for her. Gina’s eyes flashed with lust as she saw me. Then I gave her what she begged for, sliding deep inside of her. She drew her legs up and circled them around my waist. As the moon shone bright, Gina dug her nails into my back, heightening my arousal.

We had all night. For now, I couldn’t hold out a second longer. I poured my need into her, filling her to the brim.

“Zig,” she whispered in my ear. “I love you.”

As I spilled the last of my seed inside of her, I went up on my elbows and kissed her. “I love you too. Forever, baby. Marry me.”

She wasn’t expecting it. Tears glistened in the corner of her eyes. “Zig, I wasn’t ... you don’t have to …”

“Shh.” I quieted her with a kiss. “It’s not about the baby. I mean, it is, but I knew I wanted you to be mine from the moment I saw you. So be mine. Make me the happiest man in the fucking world, baby. Make it official. Marry me.”

She cupped my jaw with delicate fingers. I softened inside of her and rolled to Gina’s side. I felt every supple inch of her pressed against me. She leaned into me, placing soft kisses along my jaw until she found my lips again.

“Yes,” she said and my heart filled with joy. “Oh yes, baby. Yes. I’ll marry you.”

The black surf broke, nearly reaching our toes. Gina laughed as I rolled her out of the way. It was fitting though. A baptism of sorts. I would spend the rest of my life earning the love she gave me.