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“All we want is security. We don’t even need it 24/7. If any of us,” Alex waved his hand between himself, Bex, and me, “are home, we shouldn’t need any. What we do need is someone - likely multiple someones - who can be on call to take our partners to work, or keep them safe if we have to run out for a job.”
“I can give you John and Cian today since Rory is under your care now. If you decide you need more, I can rearrange some things. But I only want to put my most trustworthy men this close to Rory, so getting any more might take time. Will two be enough?”
Alex and Bex exchanged glances, the latter shrugging in casual agreement, and Alex turned back around. “Two should be fine to start. The girls are usually together if they’re not working, anyway, so it’ll make it easier on security. Rory, would you mind coming over to the house if security gets spread thin?”
Rory tried to hide the flinch at having Alex’s intense stare settled on her, and I had to smother a laugh as I felt her shift uncomfortably on my lap. You’d think after hearing Alex declare his devotion to Ames during the movie the night before, she’d be less frightened of him. I wondered if Wren had video evidence of the Christmas carols Ames had forced him to sing over the holidays, becausethatwould definitely cure her of any notions that Alex was dangerous. To her, at least.
“No. I work from home, so it wouldn’t be a problem.”
Alex nodded at her words, turning back to Cillian to tell him, “Then two should work to start. We’ll reach out if we need more.”
The rest of the conversation passed quickly enough. Cillian reviewed a few more wedding details before pulling John and Cian into the office to explain their reassignment. Neither man looked upset at the switch. If anything, they seemed relieved they’d made it through today alive and with their jobs still intact. Despite my earlier anger at their failure to protect Rory, they weren’t bad at their jobs. It had been Rory’s escape that put her in danger, and I knew both Alex and Bex would speak to their partners to ensure a similar event didn’t happen again. I trusted John and Cian would try their best to take care of the girls, if only to make up for their failure today.
Rory stayed in my lap without complaint, falling further into the curve of my body as time wore on and the discussions no longer required her input. I wasn’t surprised she was exhausted. We’d had a late night, Wren and Ames keeping everyone up past midnight watching movies in an attempt to make the situation feel normal. Or as normal as possible after Rory’s attack, my subsequent murder of her attacker, and the knowledge that a crime boss could be descending upon the house at any moment.
It didn’t take long for her to fall asleep on my shoulder, sometime between when Bex left the room to fill in the girlsand me threatening the lives of John and Cian to their faces if I found out either were involved in the plot against Rory. Having her asleep in my arms didn’t soften my threats. If anything, I felt more dangerous having Rory in my arms, knowing what she felt like in them. She felt like I’d kill anyone who tried to take her from me.
Chapter 11
Rory
Dev wokeme from my inadvertent nap as my father was preparing to leave. At some point, I had dozed off and curled into Dev's body, my knees tucked against his chest and my head nestled under his chin. That was the position I found myself in, at least, when Dev shook me awake sometime after the conversation with my father had moved from wedding plans to security measures that went over my head.
I stumbled upright as soon as I was conscious enough to realize just how comfortable I’d gotten in Dev’s lap, a blush staining my face before I’d even fully woken up. Dev’s arms tightened around my waist for a second, and I wondered why he was hesitant to release me, but he let go a moment later, allowing me to hug my father goodbye.
“You’re sure about this?” Dad whispered in my ear, a second, unspoken question in the tone of his voice,Will you forgive me for this?
“Nothing to be sure about, Dad. It’s a good plan, the only plan. Besides, it’s not like I was drowning in men before. An arranged marriage is probably the only thing that was going to save me from a life of spinsterhood.” I smiled even as my jokemade my chest tight, the words harsh even coming from my own mouth. The truth in them only made it worse.
But the joke made him crack a smile, kissing my forehead as he stepped back. “Keep in contact. I trust Xander and the rest of them, but if they do something that makes you uncomfortable…”
“Will do, Dad. Now go.” I pushed him lightly, urging him closer to the door. I loved my dad, but today had been long enough, and the house felt stifling with so many people in it. What I needed was time to process and the space to adjust to the sudden shift in my reality. My future. “Don’t you have a criminal organization to run?”
“Must’ve forgotten,” he said dryly, making me laugh as he turned to make his way down the stairs. He called over his shoulder once he reached the foyer, “Don’t ditch your security. Or your fiancé. Promise?”
I winced at his question, shame trickling in even though I knew Dad hadn’t meant his words as a guilt trip. But the regret filled me, regardless. It felt selfish now, taking my small reprieves, running from my security when things felt overwhelming. The running was why I stood here now, unable to go home and forcing Dev into a marriage to get the security his friends needed.
I nodded, but before I could put a voice to my promise, Dev stepped up behind me, his hand settling on my hip.
“Don’t worry, Cillian. She won’t be getting away from me.” He squeezed my hip, as if to make sure I heard his words, and I remembered the morning before. When I’d run through my usual shortcut, leaving John and Cian behind me with ease. And yet, Dev had still followed. Had been there when I needed him. I had no doubt he meant his words.
Dad seemed satisfied with Dev’s reassurance, heading out the door with Cormac and Patrick in tow. Silence followed his departure, as if everyone was taking a breath after holding itfor the hours he’d been here. I didn’t begrudge them for their discomfort, understanding that Cillian the father and Cillian the mobster were two separate entities. I’d been lucky enough to mostly grow up with Cillian the father, but I understood the danger and power he held in his position.
Dev’s fingers squeezed mine, as if he felt my sadness at watching my father leave. I had a feeling Dad would keep his distance after today, at least until the wedding, to be sure that no one linked my presence to Alex. Or Dev.
“I have a couple of errands I have to run before we go home tonight. Do you mind staying here with the girls for a bit?” Dev asked.
“No, that’s okay.” Sure, the idea of being left with still semi-strangers, who might blame me for their friend being forced into a marriage with me, made me sick. But I wouldn’t begrudge him a short period of time alone, to ready his space for me.
Dev narrowed his eyes, as if he didn’t believe my lies. “I shouldn’t take more than a couple of hours. Alex is going to set you up with a new phone, just to be safe, and maybe you and the girls can do some wedding planning.”
We made our way down the stairs and into the kitchen, Dev’s suggestion echoing across the spacious kitchen, where the rest of Dev’s crew sat in various positions around the open space. Bex must’ve filled the girls in after she left our meeting earlier, because neither acted surprised at Dev’s mention of our impending wedding.
She also must’ve relayed my almost-panic attack over wedding preparation, because Ames said, “I wrangled the wedding planner’s name and contact info from your dad before he left, so I can speak with her directly if that makes you too anxious.” Her easy kindness was so at odds with the all-black outfit she wore that I almost let out a burst of surprised laughter.
Wren wiggled in her seat at the long kitchen island, excitement leaking from her pores as she added, “One perk of being friends with a florist is that I already have a dozen Pinterest wedding boards, so we can look through and see which fits your vibe best.”
“I -” I stumbled over my words, brain stuck on that word -friend- trying to find a way to respond to the overt kindness coming from near-strangers. I couldn’t remember the last time I’d had a friend - much less two - who didn’t work for my father. Couldn’t remember the last time someone outside of my father’s inner circle offered to help me with something out of kindness rather than hoping to get in my dad’s good graces. I attempted a smile that likely fell flat in the face of Ames’s sincere smile and Wren’s wide grin, the latter’s so similar to the ones Dev often wore on his face. “That would be great. Thanks.”
