SILENT SINNERS, a mafia romance.

006.

LIFE WITH KATIE AND THATCHER WAS AN ADJUSTMENT, TO SAY THE LEAST. WHILE THE SENSE OF SAFETY THEIR HOME PROVIDED WAS PALPABLE, I couldn't shake off the gnawing fear of what Blake might do if he ever found me. Every creak of the floorboards and every unexpected knock on the door sent my heart racing.

Katie had arranged a cozy guest room for me, a sanctuary filled with soft blankets and warm, calming light. Despite the inviting comfort, it was hard to fully relax, knowing the potential threat that loomed just beyond the safety of these walls. Thatcher, despite his intimidating presence, was surprisingly gentle. He made it clear I was welcome, often checking in to see if I needed anything, though he remained quiet and reserved.

Katie was a ball of sunshine, always bustling around the house with endless energy. Thatcher, on the other hand, was more subdued and laid-back, yet fiercely protective. The contrast between them was striking, but it worked.

One morning, the sound of raised voices drifted to my room. Katie and Thatcher were arguing, their voices muffled but the tension clear.

''I can't believe you're considering this, Thatcher," Katie's voice was strained, a volatile mix of anger and fear that seemed to hang in the air like a storm cloud.

Thatcher's response was measured, though there was an undeniable edge to it. "I don't have a choice, Katie. This is our life. You knew that when you married me."

"You say that like I had a choice," she shot back, her words laced with bitterness.

His voice tightened. "Are you saying you regret it?"

"Don't put words in my mouth, Thatcher," Katie snapped, her voice trembling. "Stop changing the subject. You're going to end up dead."

"Better me than you," he said quietly, the gravity of his words sinking into the room.

"Don't say things like that! I couldn't live without you," she cried, her voice breaking.

Thatcher softened, his tone gentler now. "Katie, baby, I'm confused by your sudden overprotectiveness. You were more lenient about what I did before."

There was a heavy silence, filled only by the sound of Katie's uneven breathing. Then, a sob broke the stillness, raw and filled with anguish. I was about to make my presence known, to offer some semblance of support, but then I heard her voice, trembling and filled with emotion.

"I'm pregnant."

The words hung in the air, their impact immediate and profound. I froze, caught between the urge to give them privacy and the need to offer comfort. I couldn't see them from where I was, but their silence was deafening, each second stretching out painfully.

Thatcher's tone changed in an instant. The stern, resolute man was gone, replaced by a mix of shock and overwhelming tenderness. "Katie...," he whispered, his voice closer now.

She must have moved into his arms, for her next words were muffled against him. "I didn't want to tell you like this. I didn't want to add to your burden."

"You're not a burden, Katie. You're my life. And now, so is our baby."

Katie's sobs grew louder, more anguished. "I just can't stand the thought of losing you. Not now. Not ever."

Thatcher's voice was soft but firm. "I won't let anything happen to me. I promise you that. I'll do everything I can to protect us, to protect our family."

I stood frozen, listening to their intimate exchange. It felt wrong to be eavesdropping, but I couldn't move, couldn't tear myself away from their raw, emotional moment.

I hated to be selfish and jealous, but God, I wished that was me. I wished someone was as devoted and caring as Thatcher was to Katie. I wished someone looked at me the way Thatcher looked at Katie. Their love, their bond, it was something I yearned for with every fiber of my being. But here I was, hiding at the top of the stairs, listening to their tender exchange, feeling like an intruder in their world.