Marc's POV

We are finally back to the house and it is so good to have Alex at home. Now we just have to get him to rest for a few days. That is going to be a job in itself. That boy can't sit still for a second.l He is always doing something or going somewhere. Sometimes it's hard to keep track of him. That he is second to me. He will do or go anywhere for Damian. They are both like brothers to me and we would all do anything for each other. Alex goes to sit down in the living room.

"Hey man, you need to go rest." I say.

"Nah, dude. I have been stuck in bed for several days. I need to get out and I'm hungry."

"You're always hungry!" Damian laughs.

Both Riley and Cassandra start laughing.

"How about we order food?" Riley asks after she stops laughing.

"Only if it's pizza." Alex interjects.

"Alright, what the man wants, the man gets." Riley answers.

"You got that right! No pineapple thought! That shit is gross!"

"You don't know what you are missing." Cassandra adds.

"I'm not missing anything. It's not going to touch mine."

"I agree with Alex on that one. No hawaiian." Riley says.

"Alright, no pineapple."

The pizza is ordered and soon it arrives. Damian pays for it and we all sit down to eat.

"Thank god for some real food. That hospital crap is awful." Alex says with a full stomach.

"Agree with you on that one. On another note we have something at the warehouse you might want to check out. I think you might like it." Damian chimes in.

"Oh, really. Can we go see it tomorrow. I think I might need to rest some more." He says with a smirk.

"We have a doctor's appointment tomorrow, but we can go after that."

"It's a plan then." Alex says happily.

We are talking and eating. My thoughts go to the warehouse and the two men we have there. I am glad that we are waiting to go over there. I smile as I think of the two men suffering tied to a chair, well probably one man now. We left his father just about dead and Evan pretty beaten up. We wanted the3m to suffer for what they did. They both will be dead soon enough, but not before we get what we need and they will be begging for death. The rest of the day was pretty quiet. We were all just glad that Alex was home and well on the road to recovery. It looks like things are maybe getting better for us. We just needed to find out what the Irish were planning. I have to keep my princess safe. I will not let anyone lay their hands on her ever again. In just the short time she has been with me, she has become my everything. She is the light to my darkness. I can't live without her. We spent the afternoon and evening watching movies and playing pool. It was getting late and my princess was yawning as she was watching a movie. I walked over to her and leaned over the couch and kissed her cheek.

"Are you tired princess?"

"A little, I think I am ready for bed."

'Alright then we will go. Hey guys we are heading up to bed. We will see you in the morning."

"I think we will head up too. Cas is already asleep over there. We will see you in the morning." Damian adds.

"Alright guys. I am going to finish the movie and I will head up." Alex says as he changes seats and goes to lay on the couch where Riley was. Damian picks up Cas and carries her to their room and we follow him up to ours. We change into our pjs and crawl into bed.

"I am so glad that Alex is home." Riley says as she curls up into me.

"Me too, princess"

"I don't know what I would have done if he had died. He is like my brother too."

"I would have made them all pay."

She doesn't need to know that we already killed all of them but one. That he is being held at the warehouse. I don't want her to be in that part of my life, if I can help it. I want to shield her from that side of me as much as I can.

"I love you, princess."

"I love you too, tough guy."

I pull her into me and kiss her lips. We soon fall asleep in each other's arms.

_________________________________

Riley's POV

I wake up and Marc is still sleeping next to me. I just lay there and watch him sleep, taking in his features. The perfect lines of his face. The way his lips slightly part as he breaths. I can't believe that this man is mine. I don't think I could ever live without this man. He has become my everything. I reach up and gently stroke his cheek. He slowly blinks as he opens his eyes and looks at me. He smiles.

"Are you watching me sleep?"

"Would it bother you if I said yes?"

"Only if you were a creeper." He says with a laugh.

"Well, I am not a creeper."

"That's good then. Because if I remember correctly I went to sleep last night with my girlfriend and woke up to someone staring at me."

"Oh, really. Well, good thing it wasn't a serial killer and only your girlfriend."

"Good thing then." He says as he rolls over on top of me and begins to kiss my neck. I softly moan as he finds my sweet spot, then all of a sudden my stomach growls very loudly. He stops and looks at me with a laugh.

"Sounds like somebody is hungry."

"Just a little bit."

"Well, I guess we better get you fed then."

"That would be great, and I would like to head into the bakery for awhile. See how things are going and I need to do some paperwork."

"Please take someone with you. I still worry about your safety."

"I will be fine. I don't need a babysitter."

"Just take Tony for my piece of mind."

"Alright, if it makes you feel better. I will."

We get ready and head downstairs for breakfast. Damian and Cas are already in the kitchen eating breakfast.

"You headed out for your appointment?" I ask.

"Yep, in a few minutes. I am excited." Cas returns.

"So am I." Damian says with a smile.

"WEll, you will have to tell us all about it when you get back. I am headed out to the bakery for a while. I will see you later this evening."

"You got it. Come on love, we have to get going."

"After you doll." Domain says as Cas gets up and heads out the door.

"Do I smell bacon?" Alex asks as he walks into the kitchen and sits down at the island.

"Yes, you do. Do you want some breakfast?"

"I always want food."

I laugh as I make him a plate too.

"What are you two up to today?"

"I am heading into work today. I have to take Tony with me. Boss man says so."

"Hey, I am only worried when you go out."

"Whipped." I hear Alex say under a cough. I just laugh as I hand him his plate and he digs in. Soon I hear Tony walk in and we head out to the store. We walk in and I head back to my office, and get to work.

"Hey, Riley. Nice to see you. Everything has been running smoothly here. We got our order this morning and Justin is making the gelato. I have got some new ideas for flavors I want to run by you. The bakery is doing great too." Sue says as she pokes her head into my office.

'Have we got any lemon meringue today?"

"Not yet."

"Can you make one for me? I have a friend who is recovering from a hospital stay and it is his favorite."

"I will get right on it."

I stay in the office for most of the day. Getting the books up to date and payroll correct. It was nice to be back at the bakery for a bit. I see how well the shop is doing since I have been away. When I am finished with the paperwork I head out to the front to help some. I hear the bell ring as someone comes in and heads to the counter. I look up and see a very large man standing at the counter, he smiles at me and all the hair on the back of my neck stands up. He places hsi order and I get it up for him. He nods his head and leaves the store. I let out the breath I didn't know I was holding. I walked over to Tony and told him what I thought.

"That guy really creeped me out."

"I'm not sure about him either. I will keep a better eye out."

"Thank you."

Just then my phone rings and I see it's Cas. I answer it.

"So how did it go?"

"Perfectly healthy baby. I am about six weeks along. We got to hear its heartbeat. It was wonderful and big bad Damian was crying. It was so sweet. We go back in another month for a check up and after that we find out what I'm having."

"Congratulations, I am so happy for the two of you."

"When will you be home?"

"This evening. I will try not to be too late."

"See you then, girl."

The rest of the afternoon was quiet, and it was soon time to close up. We gather up all the leftover baked goods to take to the homeless shelter, and I box up the pie for Alex. Tony helps me take the boxes out to the car. We gather up the trash to take out and reach for the door and it won't open. We go for the front door and it is blocked too. What is going on. Thankfully all the others have gone home. Then all of a sudden I smell smoke and soon the outside is engulfed in flames.