Sitting on the back patio of the mansion, I sip a small glass of lemonade Owen and Ricky helped me make earlier on in the day. I watch the boys jump around in the pool, splashing around and having fun.

Matilda sits to my right, doing the same as I, except blabbing on and on about one of the hot guards she is infatuated with now. "Every time he looks at me... I feel my heart rush!" she practically squeals, moving around in her seat.

"Why don't you just go up to him and talk to him?" I question, shrugging my shoulders and watching the boys like a responsible adult.

"No way! He'd probably think I'm... crazy or something. Besides, who here wants to be with the ex wife of the enemy?" Matilda sighs, leaning back a bit, "Laine, I feel like such an outsider. Everyone still sees me as an enemy. I don't belong here."

Scrunching my eyebrows, I glance to her with a confused look, "What are you talking about? I thought you were happy here. Ricky sure seems to enjoy it, and I know that I love having you here..."

"It's not that I don't love being here with you... it's just that I want more in life than to sit around and watch Ricky all day. I want to go out and make a career, buy my own things, do things for myself... For so long I relied on Jason for everything, and I don't want that to happen with you and Kyle."

"I understand that..." I sigh in a bit of melancholy. It felt almost unfair that she could leave and do these things, while I had no sort of choice liked that. "How do you plan to do all that?" I ask anyways, leaning back in my chair and glancing to the boys.

A month later, she is gone, Ricky with her. She stops by every few weeks, but I'm sure that won't last. She, like I, can't imagine her child growing up around all these mafia men.

The only difference is she doesn't have to.

Kyle has changed quite a lot since Owen and I were taken. His whole demeanor has changed, it'll and it's actually tolerable to be around him. He's more understanding and isn't so quick to fill with anger.

He actually talks to me, has conversations with me, treats me as if I'm a person with feelings.

I can't complain, honestly. Living here with him isn't as bad as I made myself think it would be.

I've told him about my wedding planner dreams, and he supports it. He actually supports it.

When he offered to purchase a property and build up a building for it, I refused. Over the few years on my own, I kept some money saved for emergencies. Five thousand. Enough to rent out a small office and buy the starting supplies for it.

All of it is in the works though, but I've had the pleasure of planning three successful weddings already. Who knew entrepreneurship could be so hard? So many expenditures, so many extra steps. I'm not one to complain though, I just had the idea that it would be easier.

Finally, I am doing what I dreamed I would, what I was held back from. I have fought and fought for happiness, and now I'm dipping my foot into the pool of it.

Kyle and I enrolled Owen into elementary school near the beginning of the year, and so far, so good. He has made many little friends, which makes me quite happy. Kyle and I searched for the perfect school for about a month before setting on this one. It was a private school, of course, but it promoted the values I held, and the staff was quite welcoming, unlike other schools.

Some schools looked like prisons from the outside AND inside. That was a hard no from me once I saw how ugly they looked.

I love hearing all the things he did at school each day, and it's just amazing to watch his mind grow with the new knowledge given to him.

Now that Owen's been off at school though, Kyle and I have been alone more. We have had the chance to actually talk. Just talk.

At first it was small, but lately, it has been full on conversations. It isn't awkward or an inconvenience anymore. We've gotten to that point where we talk like normal people do. Which is quite nice.

I have learned about his past and he has learned about mine. I feel closer to him now. There isn't such a gap anymore.

Now we still bicker, but it is to be expected I guess. At least now it isn't anything big, it's just the little things that we can't agree with.

"You're leaving?!" I question angrily, shutting the door behind me.

This was the first big fight we have had in a long time. The little bickering didn't even compare to this one.

Kyle places his suitcase in the bed and opens it, moving between the bed and his closet.

"Robyn, I don't have a choice."

"I understand that, but for a fucking month? And on such short notice?" I argue back to him, keeping my voice down to try and not wake Owen in the other room. "Owen will wake up tomorrow and you will be in a whole other country! How cheap is that, leaving while he sleeps so you don't have to deal with him!"

"Deal with him?" He says as if he's offended, "Robyn, I'm leaving now because I know that I won't if he's upset!"

"Exactly my point! You are taking the easy way out. You have a family now, you can't just come and go as you please! It's unfair to him, and it's unfair to me."

"Unfair, how?"

"How do you think he's going to feel when he finds out from that you are gone, not only for a few days, but for a whole month! He'll be crushed. You are supposed to say goodbye. Not just escape at the given opportunity." My arms fold together and I lean on the front side of the bed.

"I have to go tonight if I want to get there by morning. I don't have a choice."

"Yes you do!"

"No, Robyn, I don't!" He nearly yells out of frustration, "If I did I wouldn't be going! The fucking guys over there want to break off our contract, and if they do, we are free range for any mafia shit over there to come steal our shipments and attack us."

"Okay, I understand, but why a whole month?" I grit out, pushing off the bed and looking to the packed suitcase, "That should be handled in a week at most!"

"These guys are dangerous, Robyn. I need to be there and advise them and regain their trust. It will take more than a week. I'm going over there to assist in their war with the Falcons."

"You are getting yourself involved with a war? Don't you think that will make those assholes target us too?"

"We've been at war with the Falcons for a long time. No real attacks have been made because they are on a whole other continent. This will change nothing."

"Either way, think about Owen! Imagine how he's going to feel tomorrow when he hears that you are gone and didn't even say goodbye!" I throw my hands up in frustration, letting them then fall at my sides.

"I am thinking about him!" He raises his voice, sounding just as frustrated as I am, "You keep saying the same things over and over, it's not even an argument! I understand what I am doing, but this is the best solution for him and I."

"Why? Why is it the best solution? Explain it to me."

"When I was younger, my father would tell me where he was going. He would leave for long periods of time. I would stand in front of him, begging him not to go, but he would become frustrated and push me off before leaving."

"You're scared of pushing him off like your father?-"

"No. I'm afraid that I'll upset him. I don't want to keep disappointing him. I don't want to be like my father."

"If anything, leaving like this will disappoint him. You have to say goodbye, Kyle. Yeah, he'll be upset, but if you leave on a good note, he'll remember that, and be waiting anxiously for you to return."

Kyle let out a long sigh, placing his hands on his packed suitcase. "Are you happy here?"

"What-"

"Are you happy here. With me; together?" He asks seriously, his eyebrows creasing together lightly.

"Why are you asking?"

"Just answer me. Are you happy with these petty arguments and useless fights?"

"Of course not, but-"

"I'll go say goodbye to Owen now," He huffs, disappointment clear in his features.

"Wait-" I say quickly, stopping his movements towards the door with my hand, "you didn't let me finish. I am not happy with these childish arguments, yes. But that doesn't mean I don't mind being here with you, in this house, with Owen."

"But-"

"Let me finish," I tell him, continuing soon after, "at first, I hated it, yes. It was different back then though. My view of you was completely different, and lately I have been able to look past those faults. We've gone through so much in this short time, and I hold that close. You are everything I expected you not to be, which is pretty good if you ask me. The petty arguments we can work on, we can find solutions for them. I am happy here, I really am."

Kyle remains silent for a moment, his hands resting at his sides as he looks down at me. I stare up at him, trying to give a small encouraging smile. Before I could even think though, his arm was around my waist pulling me into him.

"I want to make you happier, will you let me?" He questions, holding me tightly.

With a short movement, I nod. Without any notice, his lips are on mine. My heart flutters in my chest as he does so, my arms gripping onto his shoulders. In no time I am returning the kiss.

I guess I don't want to run from the mafia boss anymore. ;)

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