Cruel Surrender by Terri Anne Browning

Bain

Alessia gavea milk-drunk sigh as she cuddled into her mother’s chest. Bending my head, I kissed the top of her head then Ciana’s neck. I hadn’t let her more than an arm’s length away since we’d made up back in Russia the day before. Now, we were on our way to our real home.

The island.

Stretched out on one of the couches on the Vitucci jet, I held Ciana between my legs while she slept with Alessia in her arms. Across from us, her parents were happily cuddling Kella and Elda. From the looks of it, Kella was madly in love with her nonno. She couldn’t stop smiling at him. Even when she’d taken a short nap, she’d done nothing but smile and giggle in her sleep as he’d held her.

Elda was just as entranced with Scarlett as her sister was with Ciro. And the Donatis were crazy over all three of their granddaughters. Which was why, when everyone was having breakfast together that morning and Ciana had said we were going to the island, they had asked to join us.

To help with the girls, Scarlett had offered. So that the two of us could have a little bit of a break and some much-needed alone time.

My wife had jumped at the offer, and I’d been just as happy to accept. Even though she was back in my arms and where I could watch every breath she took, I needed some uninterrupted time alone with her to show my beauty just how much I loved her.

The night before, I hadn’t been sure how everything would play out. Not with Ciana—that much I’d known how it would go. She would either take me back, or I would have happily let Anya Vitucci put me out of my misery. It was my new in-laws I’d been concerned about. As much as I’d wanted to give Ciana her family back, I wasn’t sure if they would accept me as part of the package.

I’d shot two of their children and basically kidnapped a third. What parents would just let that go? But when Ciro had held out his hand, I hadn’t hesitated to place mine in his. It wasn’t like we became a loving family then and there. We probably wouldn’t ever be close, but our relationship didn’t matter to me. As long as they were in Ciana’s life and she was happy, then I was happy.

From the look on her father’s face, I had to believe that we were of the same mind when it came to that.

He didn’t like me, didn’t want to like me, but his daughter loved me, and he was willing to accept me for her happiness.

And that only made me respect him more.

At the other end of the plane, Ryan was stretched out much like I was with Ciana, his wife between his legs as they talked quietly. Anya was beside them, listening with a smile on her face as she typed away on her phone.

Ciana shifted in my arms, pressing her head deeper into my chest for a moment before opening her eyes. “Are we there yet?” she asked around a yawn.

“Soon, mo chroí,” I assured her. “Less than an hour.”

“Yay,” she cheered quietly so as not to wake Alessia. “I can’t wait to see it again.”

“Me either,” I murmured, kissing her cheek.

“You said no one will lose their job?”

“I promise you, no one will have to lose their job. The hotel is going to be torn down. We don’t want tourists there ruining our paradise, do we?” She shook her head adamantly. “The contractor will arrive next week, and we can discuss the small hospital we will have built, along with the school.”

Gasping, she turned in my arms. “Are you serious?”

I cupped the side of her face. “I would never joke about your happiness, my beauty.”

“This…” Tears filled her eyes. “You’re amazing. We won’t ever have to leave the island now.”

“Hey!” Ryan called over. “You have to come home sometime. We miss you there.”

Pleasure filled her eyes as she turned to look at him. From the moment Ryan had told her he forgave her the night before, Ciana hadn’t stopped glowing. I was still jealous as hell that they were so close, but if he had the ability to make her this happy, I could live with a little jealousy. “We will, I swear. And you can all come visit us whenever you want. Right, moye solntse?”

The hopefulness in her eyes made it impossible for me to say no. “Of course they can. We can even build a few guest bungalows just for when any of your family wants to stay on the island.” That caught my in-laws’ attention, and I quickly added, “And we can even build your parents their own place as well. Right next to our own house. So they can come and spend as much time with the babies as they want.”

Scarlett beamed at me, while Ciro gave an approving nod.

“What about my brothers?” Ciana asked. “How will you make up for shooting them?”

“I made up for it by not killing them,” I muttered, but she playfully slapped me against the chest. “Fine. We will figure out something to entice them to our island.”

Her pleased smile returned. “Maybe we should build a baseball diamond and invite the Yankees to spend a week practicing here.”

“You go too far, wife,” I growled, tickling her. Her giggles filled the entire plane, melting my heart into a puddle of goo in the middle of my chest.

The island was already ours, and I’d made the previous owner stop accepting hotel reservations the month before. Which meant only staff was there when we arrived. Everyone was given their own rooms, and once the girls were settled in with their grandparents—with plenty of breast milk already pumped for the rest of the night—I whisked my wife away to our own suite.

The moment we stepped off the elevator onto the same floor we’d been on back in February, Ciana started sniffling. Unlocking the door to the same room I’d used back then, I scooped her into my arms and carried her into the bedroom.

“It feels like it’s been years since we were last here,” she whispered. “My heart hurt so badly that last night.”

“And now?” I murmured, kissing her neck.

“Now, I…” Tears spilled over her lashes, making my heart stop. “I can’t remember being this happy in my entire life, Bain.”

I eased her onto the bed and followed her down. “We need to talk about that too, my beauty.”

Wiping her eyes, she frowned. “About what?”

“Bain O’Farrell is no more. There is only Torin Kennedy now.”

“I don’t understand.”

I dropped to my knees in front of her. “This island wasn’t cheap,” I admitted. “I used all of the O’Farrell fortune to buy it for us and to make any of the additions we want, as well as pay the salaries of the employees who wished to remain here.”

Brown eyes grew as big as saucers. “That’s… Holy shit.”

“I’ve been planning it since we were here last, when we talked about buying the island.”

“I seriously thought you were just joking,” she muttered.

“I don’t joke about what makes you happy,” I told her firmly. “Conor and I have been making plans. He is now fully in charge. Bain O’Farrell no longer exists. But Torin Kennedy still remains. So, I’m sorry to say, you will have to go back to calling me Torin.”

“No.”

It was my turn to direct wide eyes on her. “No?”

“No. You can’t make me fall in love with Bain and then turn back into Torin. I refuse to call you anything but Bain…” She wrapped her arms around my neck. “Unless necessary. When we’re home or with family, you are my Bain.”

“You love Bain? Not Torin, but Bain?” I rasped.

“Of course I love Bain,” she growled. “Bain is a hundred times better than Torin could ever be. I’m kinda mad I have to be his wife and not Bain’s.”

I cupped each side of her face. “You’re not fucking with me right now, are you, Ciana? You mean that?”

Her hands covered mine, a soft smile pulling up her lips. “Why would I lie about loving you?”

“I don’t know,” I groaned. “I’m just… This is important. All this time, I’ve been happy to accept your love of Torin. I didn’t dream of you loving Bain.”

“You know you’re making it seem like you have split personalities, right? Torin and Bain are the same man.” She brushed her lips over mine. “But I get it. And the answer is simple. I love you, Bain. Only you. I would happily be Mrs. Bain O’Farrell, but I don’t care as long as I get to be your wife.”

“Fuck, you’re everything I’ve ever wanted,” I told her, my voice thick with emotion. “I just have one last favor to ask.”

“Anything.”

“The charity,” I enticed. “I need a medical professional to lead the board so that I know the charitable donations are going to the right hospitals for the right reasons. Will you help me with that, my love?”

“Y-you do know that I’ll be very stingy and give most of that money to my personally favorite charities, right?”

“Mm-hm,” I grinned. “I’m okay with that. Spend every last dime I have, mo chroí. If you’re happy, I’m happy.”

“The only thing that will make me happy right this minute is if my sexy-as-sin husband is naked.” She leaned back on her hands, staring up at me through her lashes. “Do you think you can make that happen, moye solntse?”