Page 196 of Beautiful Scars

“I prefer gangster,” Kill says, and I cringe.

But Mom just laughs.

Laughs.

It’s an awkward one, aslightlyhaughty look on her face, but it was definitely a laugh.

“What happened to sticking on the straight and narrow?” she asks, turning to Cillian and crossing her arms over her chest.

He sniffs, pursing his lips as he stares past her for a second. “Thought the offer expired.”

“There’s no way in hell I’ll let Maddie be raised by a criminal.”

I look down, shuffling my feet. I’d held out hope because she hadn’t phoned in Kill’s whereabouts yet, not even on the way over here. She steps closer and pokes him in the chest.

“If you set one foot wrong...if you even think about doing anything to hurt her—either of them...”

There’s a flutter in my chest like I’ve swallowed a butterfly and it’s got stuck halfway down to my stomach.

There’s a suggestion of a smile around Kill’s mouth. “You’ll lock me up. And if I ever get out, you’ll have me committed. It’ll never come to that. I love her.”

Mom hauls in a deep breath, glances at me. Shakes her head. “I hope you know what you’re doing.”

I let out a squeal of joy before I can stop myself. Then I rush over to her and hug her hard enough to make her oomph out a lungful of air. She extricates herself from my grip, giving Kill sideways glances like she’s fully expecting him to announce that he’s joking.

But when he says nothing, when he just gives her a solemn nod—one professional to another—she purses her lips and lifts her chin. “I’ll go talk to Anne-Marie. There will be a lot of paperwork.” She almost sounds happy about that. She’s always loved her paperwork, Mom has.

I watch her go feeling like I’m about to explode. When I turn to Kill, he’s got a faint smile on his face.

“What? What is it?”

“You’re beautiful, you know that?”

Heat touches my cheeks. “Cillian—”

“Quiet, princess. Daddy needs to lie down in a quiet room.”

I’m laughing, but I still want to strangle him for earlier. “You’ll need a quiet room to lick your wounds after I’m finished with you, you big—” He grabs me, drags me close, and kisses me. Full, hard, passionate. Until I’m out of breath and barely conscious.

And that’s how it will always be with us. No half measures.

I wasn’t kidding when I said I’d love him like a zombie. Staring up into Cillian Hendry’s forest-green eyes, I know a love like ours can withstand anything.

How thefuckcould it not?

“How’d you know it would work?” I ask him. “How’d you know she’d say yes?”

He shrugs, looks away again. When his eyes come back to mine, they’re a little more shadowy than before. “Because I wasn’t lying when I said we’re the same…” He purses his lips. “I think I respect her. Never thought I’d say that.” His face switches and now he’s chuckling as if remembering an old friend. “Your ma’ gets backed into a corner and she’s already breaking down the wall behind her. I made her aware of the corner, and then I gave her a sledgehammer so she could take her own action. She did the same thing to me when I was looking for you.”

“What was it she said, if you had a brain you’d be dangerous?” I tease.

He grins at that. “Does that scare you?”

I shake my head, smiling while I back away from him.

He stalks me across the grass. “Silly girl. You should be scared.”

I cry out when he grabs me and pulls me in close to his chest, but inside I’m beaming. He dips his head, presses his lips to my forehead. “It’s you, Meisie. It’ll always be you.”

And I believe him now, just like I believed him at our wedding.

“You make it sound like a threat,” I murmur. I pull back, staring up at him, smiling.

He smiles right back, letting out half a laugh. “Nah. That one was a promise.”