Stepping aside, he walked back into Castello, never looking back.
Donatella watched him go, his shoulders broad, his back strong. She’d laid beneath him many a night, and shared him with other women as well, but she knew those days were behind him. She didn’t doubt his loyalty to his mate, but there was more than one path to gain what she wanted. Her coven was at risk, and she’d mate with a Medici if it was the last thing she did. "You can't control everything, Medici. Not even you have that power."
He was out of reach of her words, but it didn’t matter. She smiled to herself, knowing the young boy would live here soon, without the watchful eye of his mother and father.
Shade took the stairs two at a time and stopped in front of their bedroom door. He calmed his heart rate and his breathing, not realizing how Dona had fired him up so quickly. Stepping inside, he closed the door behind him and leaned against it. Kate sat silently in a brocade chair, staring out the window. She looked calm, but he knew the flames of hell had been stirred up inside her. He wouldn’t let Dona come between them. "I am sure you have much to say to me.”
“Shade, I'm not angry at you. It’s her. I don't know the details of your past, nor do I want to. But it’s clear she wants me to know. She knows she can get to me by throwing that in my face."
Standing, she went to him, allowed him to wrap her in his embrace. "I understand she’s an ally to the Medici coven, and her territory borders ours, but can we please try to keep her at a distance? I hate that she brought the horse. But Lorenzo responded right away. I don't want our son to be pulled into this drama, so I hope accepting the horse isn’t a mistake."
Clutching her tightly to his chest, he closed his eyes and thanked whatever powers brought this beautiful female into his life. "I am sending her a check for the pony, so at least it is not a gift to our son. She knew what she was doing with the horse, Kate. She knows Impavido, and she was counting on Lorenzo wanting to have a horse that looked like mine. I could not take that from him, forgive me. She sees me as a conquest still, she wants to rule here with me, and she is jealous of you."
Kate looked up at him. "Is she a danger? Would she harm us to get to you? Because I’ll kill her now if that is the case."
Shade threw back his head and laughed. His smile was wide as he gazed down at her. "Si, you are definitely my fiery haired queen. Do you think I would ever let her bring harm upon us? No, mi amore. I put her in her place, she knows where I stand. I doubt we will see much of Dona."
Theresa tapped at the door before opening and Lorenzo flew into the room, wearing his pajamas, his bare feet smacking against the floor. He took a leap and Shade caught him mid-flight as Kate laughed at her son's antics.
”I love my pony, Daddy, I love him!"
Shade winked at bel. "I am glad you have such love for your pony, they are a lot of responsibility. You are in charge of taking care of him now. He is beautiful, si? Have you decided what to name this pony of yours?"
Lorenzo nodded, his curls bouncing. "Yep, I named him Zeus."
Kate looked at him quizzically. "Zeus, really? That's an odd choice for a horse. Why did you pick that name?"
Lorenzo held both hands palms up. "Because, Mommy, Enzo is making me read “The Odyssey”, by Homer, and Zeus is the god of the sky and the thunder. He can make lightning bolts shoot from his hands...like me with fire!"
Kate stared at him, dumbfounded, as she looked at Shade. "He's reading The Odyssey? I didn't read that until high school."
Shade held his son in his arms and beamed with a pride. "Little warrior, I think Zeus is the perfect name for your horse. A horse should reflect its master, and fire is your gift. Brilliant choice."
Shade dropped down onto the bed, as Lorenzo rolled away from him laughing, before he started bouncing on the bed. “Lorenzo, the pony will have to be sent to the States by boat, so he will not arrive home at the same time we do. You have earned the pony with your cards, and he is a great reward, but we don’t brag about the things we own. Do you understand?”
Lorenzo stopped bouncing and clung to his father's chest. He could feel the synchronization take place with their heart beats. “I understand, Daddy." He patted his father's chest. "No bragging. Enzo says bragging is a sign of weakness, and a king never shows weakness. I get it."
Shade laid his hand over this small boy. "You make my heart burst with love and pride, little warrior. I love you so much, Lorenzo."
Kissing his son on the cheek, he couldn’t believe Kate’s love had given him so much, made his life complete, and now he had a small daughter to love and protect as well. "Now, it’s your bedtime and your madre and I need to go see Sophia."
"Can I go too, Daddy? Can I say good night to Sophia?"
"Si. She is your sister, and she will miss you if you do not let her know you protect and love her with all your heart."
Shade lifted him off his chest and Lorenzo shot out of the room before Shade could get off the bed. "He makes my ass feel old and slow, mi amore."
She slipped her arm around his waist as they followed their son to Sophia's room. “That makes two of us, and we haven't even gotten started with Sophia yet."
89
Shade had supervised the chaos of loading up everything, and everyone, to leave Castello and return to the States. He remembered a time, not too long ago, when it was just him, and he could teleport anywhere at a moment’s notice. Now he had a mate, two small children and one adult half-breed child, two wet-feeders, a nanny, a Lady in Waiting, a protector, and two mortal females in this entourage. His life used to be simpler, for sure, but he’d never been happier.
It had taken forever to get everyone on the plane, and he and Kate took to their bedroom in the back of the fuselage. He’d spent the flight stretched out on the bed, his newborn daughter lying on his chest as he’d slept. She had easily compensated for the inconvenience of flying.
They’d been back home for a week now, and the festivities had continued. Sophia had been presented to the warriors at Bel Rosso to receive their pledge of devotion, and Luca had sealed his blood bond to the child as her protector. Luca now held a great deal of responsibility for the Medici, but Shade was sure he could handle it.
Lorenzo had been driving him mad with persistent questions about the arrival of Zeus. Shade had tried distracting him by spending more time with him in the camp, teaching him how to master the use of the new sword. Lorenzo had written his first letter to Alfie, and had proudly read it aloud to Shade before mailing it.
As Shade dressed in his leathers, getting ready to head to camp and hopefully, get in a good workout, he heard the rapid footsteps, beating down the hall, and he knew exactly the first question that would be fired at him. Shade turned to look at bel as she lay on the bed, already laughing and he threw his shirt at her.
Their door was open just a crack, so Lorenzo barreled his way through and launched himself onto their bed, where his mother grabbed him up, laughing. Lorenzo was too excited to stay still and scrambled off the other side of the bed. He ran to his father. "Will Zeus get here today? How much longer, Daddy?"
Shaking his head, Shade sighed and sat down on the chair next to the armoire, tugging on his boots. "You know, son, you have no patience. I know you spent the entire day outside in the stables waiting, instead of doing your studies. Do you have your saddle? Is the stall cleaned and ready?"