Chapter 24

CHAPTER 24

AMARA

This is crazy. I can’t do this!

I can’t marry him and pretend any of this is normal. It’s not.

But where do I go? How can I get away from a man like him?

It’s simple: I can’t.

Yet I can’t just go along with this either. Groaning internally, I force myself to calm down. Working myself up will get me nowhere.

Glancing around the house, I find guards at every entry point. Guards with weapons. I saw the guns sticking out from their waistbands.

Is he some sort of crime lord? My God! Just look at the size of this place. What else could he be?

If he sells drugs, that’s where I draw the line. I won’t let my daughter be exposed to that, not after everything I went through with my mom.

“Would you like me to help you with your gown?” Louise asks.

My brows furrow. “What do you mean?”

“Oh…” She looks at Fionn. “You didn’t tell her?”

“Forgot.” His mouth quirks while he holds a happy Fia in his arms. “I ordered you a dress.”

“What! Why?” I try to keep my tone low, but Fia is too busy munching on a cookie and humming the ABC song to care. “I don’t need a dress. This isn’t real, Fionn!”

“Either way, I wanted you to have something nice to wear. I got Fia a dress too, just in case you wanted her there with us.”

My heart rate picks up. I didn’t even think about that. Do I want her there? Would this confuse her?

“She’s going to ask questions.”

“Good. I want her to know what’s going on.” He drops his mouth to my ear. “I’m her father, Amara. I think it’s better she knows that sooner than later.”

My pulse slams faster and faster in my ears.

I’m getting married. To Fionn. To the man I wanted for so long.

Though now that I have him, it’s all wrong. Like we’ve been thrown into a blender and the result is messy and inedible.

I don’t know how long we’ll be here, but I have to tell Fia the truth. She may be young, but she’s smart. Once I get the chance to leave him, then I can come up with something else to tell her.

“Fia?”

She looks expectantly at me, crumbs sticking to her chin. My God, I love her. If anything ever happened to her, I’d die.

“So, Mommy and Fionn are going to get married today, and I just?—”

“Okay.” She continues to bite into her cookie.

Well, that was easier than I thought.

Fionn laughs at my shocked expression.

“See? She’s fine.” His voice hums across the shell of my ear, and every inch of me grows taut, that husky tone like a switch to my body.

The door opens from beyond, and I register multiple footsteps.

When two men appear with a priest, my eyes almost fall out. This is really happening. His two brothers nod in greeting. I remember them both from when Tynan got married.

“And who is this?” Cillian looks up at Fia.

“I’m Fia.” She grins, and he gives Fionn a questioning glance. “What’s your name?”

“I’m Cillian.” He places a hand on his chest. “And behind me is Tynan and a random priest.”

She giggles.

“Damn, this feels like some serious déjà vu.” He chuckles, his green eyes filled with mirth as his vision bounces between his brothers.

What the hell is he talking about? Though, if I’m being honest, I don’t want to know.

“Runs in the family.” Tynan smirks at Fionn, while I grow even more curious.

Nope. The less you know, the better.

“You ready to get that dress on?” Louise takes me out of my thoughts. “I can even do your hair if you’d like.”

“Uh, yeah, sure.”

My heart picks up speed when Fionn catches my gaze, his tight lips pulling at the corner. I grow warm as his body draws near, his mouth lowering to the shell of my ear.

“I can’t wait to make you my wife. Officially.”

His hot breath, those words slinking up my body, causes every inch of me to grow tight. My stomach flips as I play his words in my head—so full of meaning, they set my heart ablaze.

It’s almost enough to make me forget why this is all happening.

He lowers Fia, and she takes my hand as Louise ushers us upstairs. As I tread farther away, I can sense him watching me. Feel him in every crevice.

If I didn’t want him, maybe things would be easier. Maybe I wouldn’t have to reconcile these conflicting feelings. But I can’t seem to shut off the part of me that still wants him.

“Right this way.” Louise leads me up the spiral staircases and into a wide hallway, white doors on each side and a gray carpet lining the floors. Not a speck of dust anywhere in sight.

She opens the last door on the left, and Fia immediately runs in, squealing when she sees a puffy ivory lace dress on the black tufted bed.

But my eyes are stuck on the wedding gown hanging on the door of what I assume is the closet. It’s silk and strapless, tight at the waist, then flaring out in a semi-ballgown style. Simple, yet elegant. Exactly what I’d choose if I were doing this for real.

“It’s beautiful, right? It’s Vivienne Westwood. The family is good friends, so she flew this in from New York when he texted her last night.”

“Last night?”

“That’s right.” She smiles while I’m shaking from the shock of it all.

He planned this last night. He ordered me a wedding dress and got a priest.

I’m living in some kind of movie. That has to be it. And not the kind with a happily ever after.

“He also got you shoes.” She points to the corner. “I’ll be right outside if you need help zipping the dress.”

“Okay, thanks.”

Fia twirls, holding on to her dress, oblivious to my anxious state.

As soon as Louise is out the door, I have a moment to breathe.

It’s going to be okay. At least you won’t struggle with money. You won’t have to work those shitty jobs.

Well, except the vet clinic. I didn’t mind that.

I’ll have to call both jobs and quit. I feel terrible for not giving them notice, but I have no choice, apparently.

After this wedding, I’ll have to call the girls and tell them about this. Emily’s going to freak.

“Come on, baby. Let’s get your dress on.”

“Okay, Mama.” She cooperates while I slip it on, keeping her sandals.

When I’m done with her, I grab the white shoebox, Manolo Blahnik written on top of it.

Okay, so I’ve definitely heard of that brand before.

I find a pair of white slingback sandals inside that match the dress perfectly. Once again, he made sure the heel wasn’t big, and that makes me smile. At least he put some effort into this.

Slipping them on, I walk in them a bit and find them comfortable.

Retrieving the dress from the hanger, I run my fingertips over the beautiful soft material, not even wanting to know what a dress like this costs. I’ve honestly never heard of Vivienne Westwood, but I’m sure this cost a small fortune.

Removing my clothes, I step into the gown.

As I do, Fia’s mouth pops open. “Wow! You’re pretty, Mama!”

“Aww, thanks, baby. So are you.”

She rounds her small arms around my thighs before running toward the full-length mirror, twirling as she watches herself.

“Louise! I’m ready.”

As soon as she returns, her hand jumps to her chest. “Oh my goodness, you both look incredible.” Her eyes fill with tears, and she quickly swipes a finger under her lashes, clearing her throat. “Sorry, ignore me.”

She sniffles, and I wonder what just happened.

“That’s okay. No worries.” I try to lighten the mood. “This dress definitely isn’t as heavy as I thought it would be, and it’s shockingly not long on me.”

She fingers her chestnut-colored bob. She’s probably in her early sixties, a bit older than my mother.

“Oh, yes. Mr. Quinn was very specific about what he wanted for you.”

That causes a little twinge in my heart. He didn’t have to care about whether I had something to wear, but he did. That means something. He wanted me to feel special. He always has.

No, Amara. Don’t do that! Don’t act like this is all sweet and normal. He kidnapped you, woman! Stole you from your home and plucked you into a new one. But here’s a wedding dress! Such a kind man.

I roll my eyes internally.

“Would you like me to curl your hair?” She puts on a smile, and I can tell she’s trying to forget whatever it was that made her break down like that.

“Sure. Thank you.”

Heading toward the bathroom, she brings back a hair straightener and a curling iron, plugging both in while I remain seated on the bed.

“Mama…” Fia runs over. “Look at me!” She starts to twirl.

“How pretty!”

Louise glances at her, smiling softly while taking a thick section of my hair and straightening it before curling the end.

“You know…” Louise tells her. “They have ponies on the farm.”

“Ponies?” Fia’s entire face lights up. “I love ponies!”

Great. So now she’s never going to wanna leave.

I swear this child is too mature for her age. She walked by nine months and talked by one. She was always in a hurry to grow up. Though I’m not ready for her to do that quite yet.

I clear my throat. “I think that could be a little dangerous.”

“No! Ponies! Please!” She begs with the cutest pout.

How am I supposed to resist that face? It’s criminal, really. The way she can make me do just about anything with that pout.

Shaking my head, I succumb to her adorable ways. “We’ll see, okay? We’ll ask Fionn about it later.”

“Yay!”

“I’m sorry,” Louise murmurs. “I shouldn’t have said anything.” She continues working on my hair.

“Don’t be. She was bound to discover them anyway.” I laugh as Fia entertains herself, making faces in the mirror.

Louise glances at my girl fondly. “I remember my daughter at that age.” Her face falls.

“I know. They grow up fast, right?”

She nods. “Too fast.”

“How old’s your daughter now?”

Her hands still for a moment, her body visibly shaken. And I know right away I should’ve never asked.

“She would’ve been twenty-six this year.”

The back of my throat stings, and I clasp her forearm. “I’m so sorry, Louise. I really am.”

“It’s okay. I don’t mind talking about it.” She sighs deeply before continuing to style my hair. “She was going to prom, and I was doing her hair just like yours.”

The pain in her voice tears at my heart. I can’t imagine losing my Fia.

“Her boyfriend was driving drunk and killed them both.”

Moisture fills my eyes, and I blink past it. “Oh God.”

“Geez, I’m sorry for bringing this up right now,” she scoffs. “I’m terrible. Today is a happy day.” She forces a grin. “I’m really glad for you and Fionn. He’s a really special man.”

“Right.”

Special… I guess it depends how you see him.

She finishes with the last section of my hair and unplugs both tools. “I know what they do, and I’m sure that’s scary for you, but behind that, they’re a wonderful family who takes care of us.”

“What exactly do they do?”

Her brows shoot up. “I should really not be allowed to speak. Constantly putting my foot in my mouth.” She shakes her head.

“No, I—I just wanna know what I’ve gotten myself into.”

She releases a weighty exhale. “Well, I think you should talk to Fionn about that. Because it’s not my place. But I will say one thing.” She places a palm on my forearm. “I don’t know the circumstances of your marriage, and it’s none of my business, but I really mean it when I say he’s a really good man, and I can already tell how taken he is with you.”

I swallow past the thick knot in my throat. “Thank you for the hair.”

“Of course.” She brings everything back into the bathroom, heading toward the door. “I’m going to go check if Fionn is ready.” As she starts to head out, she gives me one last look. “I’m really happy you’re here. I know we just met, but I like you already.”

Before I can thank her, she’s gone.

And I’m left with her words long after.