21. Millie
21
MILLIE
A few days later
“Sis.” Noah looks at me like I’m a ghost as Finn and I walk into the wing of Finn’s enormous house that Noah has been staying in while I fell in love with his boss. “What are you doing here?”
We’ve only just arrived back, and the therapist messaged that Noah needed to see me, so of course we came straight to see him. I’m not worried. I’m not.
Except what if his treatment isn’t going as well as we thought.
“She’s marrying me,” Finn says, dropping a kiss on the top of my head. His arm is around my waist. He hasn’t stopped touching me, even now he knows I love him and I’m not going to leave him.
He likes it, I’ve realised. All of this was only ever because he loved me.
Noah, though, is white.
“Millie.” His voice trembles. “What did you have to do?—?”
I can’t help but giggle at his evident fear. Finn? Scary? I can’t imagine it anymore. “Nothing, nothing,” I assure him. “It’s all good.”
His gaze flits between Finn and me. “What happened?”
“Your sister kidnapped me, I convinced her to marry me,” Finn replies matter-of-factly. “And in about nine months, you’ll be an uncle.”
I nod, because yeah. Undeniably true.
Noah visibly shakes himself. “What about your job?”
“Oh, we discussed that.” Last night in bed, actually, after we were both exhausted. “I’m going to run the clinic for all the Kilburn men and their families.”
“With plenty of help, so you don’t end up caring for everyone at the expense of yourself,” Finn reminds me in a low growl, and squeezes my waist.
Noah rubs his jaw, in disbelief.
“And we’re going to have lots of kids,” I add cheerfully.
“I can’t believe…” Noah chokes a laugh and turns to Finn. “Is this why you insisted I sort myself out?”
“Sure look, you’re a good barman.” Finn shrugs. “For a gobshite. And our kids will need an uncle.”
I snort, because with Finn’s six brothers and sisters, our children will hardly be lacking uncles. Finn did this for me.
“That’s a great reason to get myself solvent,” Noah grins. “Because in a few years I need to be able to give my niece or nephew a drum kit.”
I groan but can’t help laughing. “They are not going to have drum kits!”
“They will if Uncle Noah gives them to them,” my brother says gleefully.
“Mm.” Finn makes a dark rumble from the back of his throat. “In which case, we’ll need a padded cell.”
“I think he means an isolation booth,” I reassure an immediately wary Noah. “One of those rooms with foam on the walls so you and your nieces and nephews don’t disturb anyone with your music.”
“That’s grand.” Finn nods. “Exactly what I meant. We’ll leave you to your work.”
He tugs my waist and heat pulses through me. He promised me ten minutes to check up on my brother before he wanted to take me to his bed, that is apparently the right size for giants like him. Turns out, he’s had cold feet every night we spent at the cottage because the bed is too small.
“Sis… I, there’s something…” Noah starts as we turn away, then hesitates. “I’m sorry.”
“You don’t—” I begin.
“You should be,” Finn says over me.
“About everything,” Noah adds at the same time. “That’s why I needed to see you. To say… Sorry.”
The last bit of tension I was holding slips away. His therapist is dealing with Noah’s addiction now. I don’t have to. And my brother is sorry.
I smile. If he hadn’t been in such a bad place, would I have met Finn? “It’s okay.”
It’s more than okay, as Finn guides me through his modern home, bright paintings on the walls and thick carpets underfoot. This turned out better than I could have dreamed.
But Finn sees something in my eyes as he pauses by a door. He takes my chin between his thumb and forefingers and examines my face. “You wanted to save him and fix the problem.”
“Saviour complex,” I agree. “But he’s in safe hands now.”
“Mmm.” He leans down and kisses me, pulling me into his bedroom before kicking the door shut behind us. “What you really wanted was for someone to care for you .”
I melt into him, not even looking at the room. All I can see is Finn.
“And it’s me,” he continues. “I’m proud to be the support you need, Millie. You’re strong, but I’m stronger, pet.”
“Harder, that’s for sure.” I push back against the thickening length pressing into my belly.
His chest vibrates as he laughs, and it’s the best feeling in the world.