I turn towards her fully, reaching for her hand. “And is this whatyouwant? Liam and Anastasia here, overseeing the Kings with us, raising our children together, the family as whole as it can be again? Our marriage just the two of us, not the bargain we struck?”
Saoirse runs her thumb over the back of my hand, and for a moment, I think she might say no. But slowly, she nods.
“If you can make peace with your brother and keep your family together, you should,” she says firmly. “I married you out of duty to my family. You’re doing this out of the same. I can’t say it’s wrong, in good faith, or that you shouldn’t. And as for our marriage—”
She gives me a slow, rueful smile. “We have a long way to go, Connor. A lot of wounds to heal and trust to build. But I knew tonight beyond a shadow of a doubt that I don’t want you to be with anyone else. And as for me—” She shrugs. “I’ll admit, the idea of having the freedom to explore after saving myself for so long for a marriage I didn’t even choose had its appeal. But after being with you?”
Saoirse moves closer to me, one hand reaching up to touch my cheek as she leans in for a kiss. “Nothing could compare to what we have together. The way wearetogether. I’ve been afraid for it to end. And if it doesn’t have to—”
She lets the words trail off, and I pull her into my arms, kissing her fiercely. “That’s all I need,” I murmur against her lips as I lift her into my arms, intending to carry her all the way up the stairs to our bed. “I’ll spend the rest of our lives making up for the rest.”
—
When I wake the next morning, I feel renewed. Different. Morning sex with Saoirse is nothing new for us, but when I slide into her, my lips against the back of her neck as I pull her warm, soft body into the curve of mine, I feel a sense of peace that I’d never expected.This is the only woman I’m going to be with for the rest of my life,I think as I press myself more deeply into her, and I wait for the feeling of panic, the sense of being trapped.
It doesn’t come. If anything, I feel relief. I’ve spent what feels like a lifetime chasing pleasure, running, and trying to find myself. Now, here with Saoirse in my arms, I feel as if I’ve come home.
Her expression is soft when I kiss her goodbye after we’re finished, leaving her in the warmth of our bed as I go to handle the day’s business. I can tell that she’s trying, too. Like she said last night, we have a long way to go.
But it’s a start.
We’re still meeting in the basement of the O’Sullivan property, and I’m itching for the moment when we’ll no longer have to skulk around down here. Viktor, Levin, Jacob, and the rest of my men are waiting, along with Luca, who returned from Chicago yesterday. I know Jacob and Luca will be pleased with the new developments—as for the others, I have my doubts.
I know Graham will be angry, but he’s still recovering from the fire, and as far as I’m concerned, it’s for the best. He can find out along with the rest of the Kings when I—and hopefully Liam—present the new way of doing things to them.
As expected, Luca and Jacob are for it. Luca looks almost relieved when I say that I want to approach Liam about peace, and Jacob nods approvingly, his expression relaxing as well.
“This has never been done before,” Viktor warns. “Not in the Kings—and not in any organization that I know of. Sharing leadership is a recipe for trouble and conflict.”
“We already have conflict,” I say sharply. “I always intended to change the way the Kings are led. This is just a different path than I intended. And the Kingswillbow to it, if I can bring Liam around to my way of thinking, or they’ll be removed from the table.”
My voice is harsher than usual, commanding, and even Viktor backs down, nodding.
“We chose to ally with you,” he says simply. “So I will hold to that. If you and Liam can come to terms, then we will walk into this new era of leadership with you. You have our support.”
“And ours,” Luca echoes. “We’re with you, Connor. And Liam, if the truce can be made.”
“You know I have your back, whatever your choice,” Jacob echoes, and I feel a warmth in me, a steadiness. I’ve made mistakes, and yet the men that have chosen to ally with me, even Saoirse, are choosing to stand by me. To walk into the unknown with me, come what may.
As the others leave, I reach for the phone in my pocket, eager to call Liam. I know he’ll be suspicious, but I want to speak with him as soon as he returns to the estate. I don’t want to let this fester between us any longer.
The others are already dissipating as I walk up the steps, out of the front door into the bright sunshine. I hit the call button, lifting the phone to my ear to call my brother.
The heat bursts through my chest before I register the sound of the gunshot, pain blooming under my skin as my fingers go nerveless and my body jerks to the side. I barely have time to hear the second before fresh pain streaks through my shoulder, my skin and blood and bones on fire as I drop to the ground.
Before I hit the concrete, the world goes black.
20
SAOIRSE
“Heapologized?”
“You don’t have to sound so shocked,” I say crossly, reaching for a chip. I’d met Maggie at our favorite Mexican restaurant for lunch, escaping the encroaching heat of the oncoming summer in the air conditioning with spicy salsa and ice-cold margaritas—and my desperate need to tell her everything that happened last night.
“Saoirse, he’s been awful. You can’t expect me tonotbe shocked.” Maggie narrows her eyes at me. “Do you believe him? Just like that? You trust him?”
I take a sip of my margarita, stabbing another chip into the bowl of queso. “Believe him, yes. Trust him—we’re working on that.”