10. Cian
Cian
T he rest of our honeymoon we spend fucking like rabbits, eating delicious food, and talking while in each other’s arms. She’s so easy to talk to, and a really great listener. I never thought I’d be able to open up about my past, about the pain, but Elena makes it so easy to do it.
I didn’t realize how much I ached to confide in someone. Until her. She’s crawled right under my skin, burrowed deep.
This isn’t me. I don’t talk about my feelings. I usually use my fists to express myself, but with Elena all I want to do is be held in her arms and let it all come out. It’s a release I never knew I needed.
How did this arranged marriage disaster turn into newlywed bliss so quickly? I don’t know, but she’s the perfect wife for me.
We both have our own trauma that we carry inside, she just has more grace than I do.
After everything her brother did to her, she’s still playful, strong, and an amazing woman.
The more time I spend in Elena’s presence, the more I find myself forgetting about my past. Instead, looking forward to a happy future together. Something I thought I could never have.
She gives me hope. She’s an inspiration. An addiction.
These are early days for us and our marriage, I know that, but it seems that fate has finally decided to smile down on me. Just this once. Please, God, promise me this is real. Haven’t I fucking suffered enough in my life?
“ W e’re home.” I lift Elena’s fingers to my lips and kiss them. She smiles at me before her gaze shifts to the massive iron gate and the guard’s post. One glance from the man on duty and the gate slowly begins to open.
I try to see my home through her eyes. Cold, fortified, intimidating.
My expression drops, realizing that the rigorous security and the massive dark stone house are anything but inviting.
Add to that the rough-looking men waiting to greet us, all Irish of course, and I can see why she’s worriedly nibbling her lip.
I reassuringly squeeze her hand. “You’ll get used to them. They aren’t nearly as bad as they look—mostly. But since you’re my wife, you have nothing to worry about. I’ll always keep you safe.”
“It’s just that not so long ago we were all enemies. My father’s men killed their friends, and these men killed people I’ve known all my life. It’s going to take a while to adjust to this new reality between your people and mine.”
“We are no longer two separate people. Your family is mine, and mine is yours.” Though I know she’s right, and I’m sure that some of my men will have a hard time adjusting too. We just have to take it one day at a time.
We exit the car together, and for reasons I can’t explain I’m strangely torn between my men and my wife. For her, I want to always appear kind and attentive, but to my men, I’m their leader, stoic and powerful.
How can I be both types of man at once?
Leaving Elena’s side, I approach Wolfe and the men who’ve turned out to welcome me home. I clap Wolfe on the back and nod in greeting to the rest of them.
“It’s good to have you back, boss,” Wolfe says. “It’s been a long week without you.”
“Nothing you couldn’t handle, I’m sure.”
“True.” His gaze slides to Elena, and I bristle. I don’t like the way he’s assessing her now that she’s no longer covered up in a long bridal veil. Now that she belongs to me.
He smirks. “So that’s the Italian bitch, huh? Pretty little thing?—”
Blinding rage overtakes my every thought.
My punch strikes his jaw. He stumbles backward, shock written across his features. Any other man would have gone down from the impact, but not Wolfe, he’s a seasoned fighter and knows how to take a hit—even one as unexpected as that.
“What the fuck, Cian?” He rubs his reddening jaw.
“Don’t what the fuck me, Wolfe. That’s my wife !
You’ll talk about her with respect. Or better yet, don’t talk about her at all, don’t even fucking look at her.
Have I made myself clear?” I snarl, waiting for Wolfe’s reluctant nod before glaring at the other men.
They murmur their acknowledgment. “Good.”
I drape my arm possessively around Elena’s shoulders, holding her close. I give my men one more pointed look, then usher us toward the front door. This is home.
“I don’t think that was a good idea,” Elena whispers. “Your men will only hate me more if they think you’re choosing me over them.”
“No they won’t. They just needed a reminder to mind their manners.
Don’t worry, broc meala, you’re my wife and they will show you the respect you deserve.
Now, let’s do this properly.” At the door, I pick her up, bridal style, and carry her across the threshold.
She laces her fingers behind my neck, tugging me down for a sweet kiss. Damn, I needed that.
“Welcome to your new home, darling. I want you to make it your own. Anything your heart desires, you will have it.”
“Really?” She glances around before her gaze returns to me. “There’s only one thing I want right now.”
“What’s that?”
“You still haven’t told me what broc meala means.”
Taking the stairs two at a time, I grin down at her, knowing she’s going to hate this as much as she loves it.
“ Broc meala means honey badger.”
She scoffs. “You’ve been calling me honey badger this whole time?”
“Yeah.”
“I want a different nickname, or endearment, or whatever that’s supposed to be.” She pouts and I tease my nose across hers.
“You’re my little honey badger. It’s stuck, and I’m not changing it. The description fits too well.”
She opens her mouth to protest, and I capture her lips with my own.
“ I ’ve never seen you so pussy-whipped.” Wolfe catches up to me in my home office when I leave Elena to soak in the bathtub, alone. Her body needs the rest after this past week. Especially considering what I’m fantasizing about doing to her as soon as she’s recovered enough.
I sigh, pinching the bridge of my nose. “I’m not pussy-whipped, I’m married. There’s a difference.”
“One week with that Italian… woman , and you’ve grown soft. I’ve never seen you look at a woman the way you look at her. Not since…” Thankfully he doesn’t finish that thought aloud. “What’s going on?”
I grit my teeth, irritated at having to explain myself. Normally I wouldn’t, but Wolfe deserves that much after how hard I hit him earlier. In front of the men, too.
“Turns out I like her. Since I’m going to spend the rest of my life with her, I don’t see that as a bad thing. And I haven’t grown soft.” I eye him. “Do we need to take this discussion into the ring?”
Wolfe and I are quite equally matched in a fight. But sometimes it’s the only way to settle our differences. With fists and blood.
It’s his turn to sigh. “No.”
“Okay then. Respect my wife, that’s all I want. Make sure the men know it too. She’s completely off limits to everyone. Don’t speak to her, don’t look at her, and no one had better fucking touch her.”
“You’ve made that clear.” He rubs his swollen cheek.
I nod. “Good. Fill me in on what’s been happening around here.”
Wolfe launches into every dealing, incident, and rumor that’s surfaced these last seven days. I murmur and grunt my responses where necessary, trying to keep my mind on task and off of my wet, naked wife upstairs. That honeymoon wasn’t nearly long enough.
“—we have a meeting with Lorenzo Pontrelli tomorrow. On neutral ground, in a private dining room at Spades .”
Back in New York and right back to work.
Why am I so irritated about that? I used to bury myself in my work, sometimes not finding my bed for two or more days in a row.
Now, it strikes me as a less enjoyable necessity.
I’m sure I’ll find my enthusiasm again, once I’ve broken a few noses and negotiated some new, very prosperous deals.
As long as I can return each night to my bed and my new bride.
“Did you hear me, boss? Tomorrow night, eight o’clock at Spades .”
I wave him off. “Yeah, I heard you. Confirm the meeting. Anything else?”
“That’s it for now.” Wolfe hesitates before saying, “With all the trouble we were having with some of the gambling dens I’m just glad no one tried to interfere with your wedding. As much as I hate the Italians, we need this alliance. Lost too many good men.”
I bob my head in agreement. Someone had been fucking with my business up until a month before the wedding date, then they went silent, and seemingly disappeared.
It’s possible they met with an accident, or pissed someone else off and were taken out.
Either way is fine with me as long as they don’t come back round again.