Tyson ~
Later that week we had four funerals to attend as a result of the gala shooting. The first three funerals were difficult and heartbreaking, but the graveside service we were scheduled to attend that afternoon was going to be the most intense.
Our friend Nick was going to have to bury his mother and he was going to need our support. Not only that but Dane and I had close business relationships with Nicks father, Bruno.
Watching a man have to put his mother or wife in the ground was something I wasn't looking forward to witnessing. I felt off all morning as we got ready with my intrusive thoughts repeating over and over - what if that had been Kinsley or Dane?
I shook my head and tried to physically rid myself of the poisonous thoughts as we sat in the back seat of an SUV with Kinsley tucked between us.
She started to fidget with her hair the way she always did when she was anxious.
Dane picked up on her nervous energy and swooped in to comfort her, always knowing what to say and do to soothe our girls nerves.
"Nothing to be nervous about baby." Dane soothed, lacing his fingers between hers as he spoke.
Kinsley nodded and grasped his hand, but didn't seem quite satisfied.
"This one is going to be harder than the others, just because it's Nick. It's going to be difficult to watch." Kinsley said softly, looking down at her lap.
"I know gorgeous. You don't have to go if you don't want to. I'll have Xander drop us off and take you home if it's too much." Dane offered.
Shaking her head no, Kinsley refused almost immediately.
"No. We do these things together." She said in a sweet voice that settled down into my soul.
Reaching out with her other hand, she pulled my hand into her lap, letting my arm drape across her body like a weighted blanket.
The car came to a stop in the cemetery and I climbed out first, holding out my hand to assist Kinsley as she emerged in a form fitting black dress that hugged her curves a little too well. It was hard to keep my eyes off of her and I noticed Dane was having the same problem as he stared intently at her ass.
I held my hand out for Dane to help steady him once Kinsley was on her feet at my side, but he waved me off with a scowl, too proud to show any sign of weakness despite the fact that he was still recovering from his injury.
We stood on either side of Kinsley looking down at her to try and evaluate her emotional state as we walked toward the chairs that were facing a casket that was covered in flowers.
Kinsley had been nervous and fidgety in the car, but as we walked toward the crowd with her tucked between us, her chin was lifted and her shoulders were squared. She was finally starting to understand and accept her role and knew that being with us was a position of power and that she belonged there.
Multiple heads turned in our direction for various reasons, but their eyes weren't on us - they were on our Kinsley.
We chose to stand instead of sit and I continuously communicated and signaled my security team that was out in full force as the service started.
Dane shifted on his feet and shouldn't have been standing for that long, but he insisted, keeping one hand wrapped around Kinsleys waist. I reached over and patted him on the back as a nonverbal check, but he shrugged my hand off and ignored me, too stubborn and proud to admit he probably needed to sit.
Stubborn ass.
Snuggling up against Dane's side, Kinsley pushed her shoulder up underneath Dane's armpit. It was an endearing gesture but I picked up on it immediately.
She's letting Dane use her as a crutch.
I watched as Dane leaned on Kinsley slightly and I pressed the side of my body against Kinsley helping to brace her so she could take more of Dane's weight.
We stood that way for most of the service, physically and emotionally supporting each other as we watched Nick shed angry tears against his mother's casket.
I remember that feeling. I remember the dread I felt the day I had to bury my parents. The thought of my mother left alone to rot in the ground was unbearable and I know Nick is feeling the same way.
Once the service was over, people moved around us, going to pay their respects to the family. We wanted to wait for the large crowd to dwindle before approaching Nick or Bruno, but Nick locked onto us and headed in our direction.
With heavy quick paced steps, Nick walked in our direction with an angry scowl on his face. His furious eyes latched onto Kinsley and he charged forward, causing me to move my stance so I was slightly in front of her.
What the hell are you doing Nick?
"Move." Nick said to Dane and I in a deep angry voice as soon as he reached us.
"You need to calm the fuck down." I warned, feeling Dane close the space between us as we shielded Kinsley.
My words seemed to resonate with Nick and his anger seemed to dissolve into desperation.
"I just need to talk to her." Nick said, softening his tone that was anguished and sad.
I felt Kinsleys small hands gripping my shoulder as she squeezed between Dane and I.
Nicks emotional instability made me nervous and while I allowed Kinsley to step forward, I kept one hand on firmly on her hip.
Nick reached out and cupped Kinsleys face, which Dane and I seemed to hate equally, but before we could act, Nicks words slammed into our ears.
"Thank you Kins." Nick said with tears in his eyes.
"You made that fucker pay for what he did. I'm so fucking proud of you."
With a small quiver of her chin, Kinsley nodded her head as Nick gave her forehead an innocent peck before releasing his hold on her.
Nick gave Dane and I a sorrowful nod of his chin without saying a word.
Multiple people approached us, but we quickly realized that they were there for Kinsley, not us.
Multiple high ranking family members wanted to shake her hand and kiss her cheeks in a show of gratitude and respect. And as much as I hated the circumstances, my heart swelled with pride as I watched the mafia elite groveling at Kinsley feet. The same dangerous men who had scoffed and rolled their eyes at her presence before were going out of their way to greet her and show their respects for protecting the family.
She had officially been baptized into the L.A. Mafia and was now accepted and respected and I watched as Kinsley slowly started to understand what was happening.
Our Kinsley stood a little taller and had a bit more steel in her spine as numerous people came to greet her...not us...her.
My moment of deep pride for Kinsley was replaced with concern for Dane as he shifted his weight back and forth, clearly uncomfortable and a little unsteady on his feet.
Shit. He really shouldn't be up and moving around like this. He should be home.
Before I could suggest it, Kinsleys little voice spoke up.
"I think I've exhausted myself," Kinsley said with a polite giggle, knowing that Dane wouldn't appreciate her questioning his physical state in front of others.
"You ready to leave gorgeous?" Dane asked, knowing exactly what she was doing.
Kinsley nodded and smiled, saying her final goodbyes to the people around us before we made our way back to the car, this time with Dane between Kinsley and myself.
"I'm fine." Dane insisted through gritted teeth as soon as we got settled in the car.
"Bullshit." I muttered, draping my arm across Kinsleys shoulders.
"You need to be resting." Kinsley echoed.
"Oh so you two are a team now?" Dane scoffed, rolling his eyes at us.
"Quit being so damn sensitive." I mumbled with a smirk because the answer to his question was yes.
Once we got home Kinsley had successfully convinced Dane to take some pain medication and to get a few hours of sleep. She worked her magic on him, wrapping her little arms around him in the bed and playing with his hair which lulled him to sleep almost instantly.
I was finishing up eating some food and dropped my plate in the sink when she finally emerged from the bedroom.
"Did you put that big baby to sleep?" I asked with a chuckle as I made my way to the couch.
Kinsleys sweet laugh melted me and she nodded her head and answered.
"He was determined to stay awake, but he's no match for me."
I watched as Kinsley eyed my dishes in the sink and moved toward them to clean them.
That's not happening.
"Don't worry about those. I'll clean em later."
Ignoring my words completely, Kinsley rolled her eyes at me as she stayed on her pathway toward the sink.
"Oh please, I don't mind. Just let me go ahead and wash them."
Defiance?
My feet were moving before I could command them to at her sudden bratty attitude.
"Leave em in the sink, Kins." I issued a command this time as a test.
Give me fucking reason to red that ass of yours.
Keeping her eyes glued to mine, Kinsley reached for the plate and grinned at me.
Little fucking brat.
My steps were heavy and my strides were long as I ate up the distance between us until I was flush with her back, towering over her from behind.
"I said, leave em." I growled into her ear.
Kinsley seemed relatively unfazed by my command and turned in my arms into she was facing me, her lips just inches from mine.
"Or what?" She sassed.
Her eyes were darker than normal and burned straight through me with a mischievous fire behind them that made me so fucking hard I could barely stand it.
I reached up and wrapped my hand around her throat, feeling her swallow hard against my grasp.
"Or I'll fuck that attitude right out of you,"
My hand tightened around her throat and I felt her pulse pick up as it thumped against my fingers.
"Are you afraid of me?" I asked in a deep voice that made her suck in some air.
"No." She breathed, keeping her eyes glued to mine.
"You should be."
********
Working on some smut for you! Should have another update late tonight or sometime tomorrow!