41. Valentino

41

VALENTINO

I took a deep breath as I parked in front of my father’s house. Liam had said he was with me no matter what, but this was going to be a major test of his resolve. If he said no, my life was on the line. You didn’t make promises to the head of a criminal family and not keep them. I took a deep breath, then knocked on my father’s door.

One of my father’s men opened the door, but true to his word, my father walked Liam out to meet me. Not only did Dom come out if his office, but full sunlight streamed through the windows into the foyer. He stood right there in the light next to the man I loved. If we could get through the next hour, my wildest dreams might actually come true.

I wanted to grab Liam and pull him into my arms, but seeing him smiling was good enough until I could get him to the car.

“We had some excitement while we were waiting for you,” my father said.

I glanced at Liam, then back to him. “What kind of excitement?”

“Your young man may have saved my life.”

My mouth dropped open, and I stared at Liam. “What happened?”

“Why don’t you tell him.” My father looked at Liam.

“I saw a man in the backyard crouched behind a tree. He raised a rifle, and I tackled your father, getting us both behind the desk.”

I took his arm and pulled him against me. “Oh my God. Was it one of the McConnells?”

“No,” my father answered. “It was another matter. Personal to me. The bullet was meant for me, so I am now indebted to your young man.”

I hugged Liam to me. “Thank you. That’s…thank you.”

“I’m here to protect you too,” Liam said. “And your father or any of your other family members. I may not have the same skills you do, but apparently I have quick reflexes.”

Dom actually smiled—fucking smiled—at him.

“Go on,” my father said. “Take him and finish your business. I have an investigation to see to.”

“Let me know what you find out.”

“I will.”

I took Liam’s hand, and we headed to the car. “Are you all right?”

“I’m fine. I mean, I would say I was shaken up, but I was already on edge when I got here, so I don’t know if it’s any worse or not. I thought your father might kill me for knocking him to the floor, but then a bullet came through the window, and he realized why I’d done it.”

I snorted. “I bet he was being an ass to you the whole time before it happened.”

“I won’t say you’re wrong, but we seem to have come to an agreement.”

“He better accept you after you saved his life.”

Liam smiled. “I think he really does, but I can’t celebrate it, because now I have to go and meet the family I never knew existed. Is Cathal my cousin?”

“I’m not sure of the exact relationship. Cousin is close enough, but we have some very important things to talk about before the meeting.”

Liam frowned at me, but I opened the car door and gestured for him to get in. I tried to tell myself everything was going to be fine as I circled the car and got into the driver’s seat.

I started the car, then turned to face Liam. After taking both of his hands in mine, I looked into his eyes and said, “I’ve wanted to say this for a while now, at least since the night I had you in the parking lot.”

Liam’s cheeks turned pink. “That was a good night.”

“Yes, it was.” I took a deep breath. I could do this. “I love you, Liam.”

His eyes widened. “Y-you do?”

“Yes, so much. I should have told you last night.”

“I love you too. I wanted to tell you, but I was afraid you didn’t…that I was imaging this being more than just sex.”

I pulled him to me and kissed him. “It’s a lot more. Marry me.”

His made a strangled sound. “What?”

“Will you marry me?”

“Is this really the time to talk about that?”

“Liam.”

He held my gaze for a moment, then smiled. “Yes.”

I kissed him then, long and hard. When he started to grow more frantic and his hands slipped into my hair, I took hold of them again and pulled away. “There’s something else.”

“That wasn’t enough of a surprise?”

If only. “We made some agreements when we met with Cathal.”

“What kind of agreements?”

“Lucien told him I would marry you.”

Liam narrowed his eyes and pulled his hands away. “What if I’d said no? Wait. You didn’t just say you loved me so I’d agree to your plan, did you?”

Of fuck. I couldn’t let him think that. “No, baby. I swear. I told Lucien I loved you when he asked me why he should help us. You can ask him.”

“You said that—to Lucien?”

“Yes. I know I should have told you first, but?—”

Liam pushed my hair off my forehead as he leaned in for a kiss. “I told your father I loved you.”

“Fuck me.”

He grinned and pulled back to look at me. “Do we have time?”

“Sadly, no. O’Keefe wanted something in exchange for his blessing, so Lucien offered for you to be a liaison between our two families.”

Liam shook his head. “I don’t want to be involved, not like that. They don’t even care about me.”

“There are some things that you haven’t been told. You were supposed to know about your parents’ true identities after they passed away. Your real identity wasn’t communicated to you like it should’ve been. I don’t know the reasons, but if we’re going to make this work with both our families, I don’t think this is negotiable.”

Liam pressed his hand to his eyes and exhaled. “I never wanted to be part of this.”

“But you were always going to be if you stayed with me. Are you regretting your choice?”

He dropped his hands and looked at me again. “No. It’s not what I would have chosen, but I’ll do anything if it means I can be with you.”

“You’re going to be my husband, and I am going to pamper you like you’ve never imagined.”

“I don’t doubt that, but what about Ava? You haven’t even met her, and it’s not right for you to have to support her too.”

Didn’t he understand that anyone he cared about automatically mattered to me? “I would gladly take care of your sister, but that’s not going to be an issue.”

“What do you mean?” Liam’s confusion just made me want to kiss him again.

“You’re going to be able to take care of her with your own money.”

He snorted. “If I had the money to do that, I would never have borrowed from you.”

“And that would’ve been a tragedy, because I wouldn’t have met you. I wouldn’t have fallen in love with you. I wouldn’t be about to marry you.”

“This is crazy. I never meant for you to overturn your whole life for me, but I’m glad you did. What money are you talking about?”

I’d revealed enough surprises. “I’m going to let your cousin tell you. But understand that your life is about to change in all kinds of fabulous ways. I know you’d rather not be associated with your own family or mine, but?—”

“I’ll do anything for a life with you.”

I did kiss him again, wrapping him in my arms and letting myself enjoy how good he felt. When we broke the kiss, both needing air, I said, “My family is really not that bad, maybe yours isn’t either.”

“We’ll see about that.”