35. Ravenna #2
“What you did was reckless.” He turns away from me, raking his fingers through his long blond hair that’s loose around his shoulders.
“I’d do it again in a heartbeat. I have no remorse.” It’s the truth. Although, what I had to do to get Wolfe out of the way pains me. He didn’t deserve that.
“ Jesus, Mary, and Joseph! You’re going to drive me to an early grave, woman.” Cian faces me again, his cheeks and neck tinged pink. “You make protecting you nearly impossible . What the fuck am I supposed to do with you?”
“Understand why I did what I had to do. Love me for who I am. Please.” All I want is his understanding. Is that too much to ask?
His features soften. “I do love you.”
“I love you too. I understand why you’re upset, but I’m not going to apologize for my actions.
” I hug my middle, fighting against the burn behind my eyes.
I’m so damn tired. “I was beaten for years of my life and no one ever stepped in to stop it. They were all too scared of my father. I’m not scared, not any more.
After what I’ve been through, I’ll never sit by and let anything happen to someone else.
I can’t .” My voice breaks. “The things Roman could have done to Sophia… I couldn’t live with myself if I let him. I needed to make sure she was okay.”
Cian’s arms envelope me, encompassing me in his protective embrace. His warmth and spicy scent surround me as he pulls me into his chest.
“Shh, broc meala . I’m only angry because I could have lost you, and I wasn’t here to be by your side to rescue your cousin. I should have been here. I should have gone to that engagement party with you. I’m sorry I wasn’t here when you needed me.”
I wrap my arms around him, my cheek pressed against his chest. “Would you have gone after my cousin with me?”
“Of course. I would have taken twenty men and stormed De Luca’s mansion.”
I let out a soft chuckle. “You would have started a war with him.”
“Meh. I don’t care, as long as you’re happy.
” He smooths his enormous palm over my hair.
“I know you love your family. Having never been close to mine, then betrayed by my brother, I forget what that feels like. But yes, I understand the burning need to make sure my loved one is safe. I’m sorry I wasn’t here. ”
“You don’t need to apologize. I’m sorry I made you worry.”
He sighs. “I’m sorry for being angry.”
“I understand why you were. If anyone deserves an apology it’s Wolfe. Do you think he’ll ever forgive me for having one of my cousins lock him in a cellar? For ditching him like that?” I pull back enough to gaze up at Cian. “He didn’t say a single word to me on the ride home.”
“Winning his forgiveness might be the toughest battle of your life. Wolfe’s still holding onto grudges from more than twenty years ago.”
“Hm. I figured he was that type of man.” My heart sinks.
A few days later I let myself into the house, and run into Brendan in the foyer. He’s on a ladder, doing some work beside the door.
“New security system installation?” I ask, always curious what he’s up to in our home.
“Just some upgrades, Mrs. O’Rourke. Installing a new motion sensor for this room.” He continues working while he gives me the necessary details without further elaboration. He’s always succinct.
“Is that really needed?”
He gives a one shoulder shrug. “This way the camera for the door only turns on when there’s movement. The last one was faulty, unreliable. No use recording this area when there’s no one here.”
“Makes sense. Thanks for doing that.”
“Have a good day, Mrs. O’Rourke.”
“You too.” I’m about to head up the stairs when Cian appears on the main floor hallway.
“I need to speak with you.” He doesn’t sound too happy.
“Oh? About what?”
He tilts his head toward his office, and I follow him inside. We kiss in greeting, then he settles behind his desk, back to focusing on business. Apparently business that somehow includes me.
“Wolfe called.” He eyes me and my chest tightens. “He doesn’t want to drive you anymore. Doesn’t want to be your bodyguard either. I’m sorry, but I’m going to give you a new driver and guard.”
“That’s fine.” I round the desk, sitting my ass on the hard surface. “There’s no love lost between me and Wolfe. He’s never going to forgive me, and I don’t want him to spend his days doing something he hates.”
Wolfe’s been especially short-tempered and unfriendly. Understandably so.
Cian releases a relived sigh. “Okay. I didn’t know how you’d take that news. I didn’t want to upset you.”
“I’m really fine. Wolfe’s grumpy on the best of days, you can only imagine what he’s been like since the… incident.”
“Oh, I can imagine.” He chuckles. “You injured his pride and he’s going to lick that wound for a very long time.”
“I know, and I’m sorry for it.”
“I don’t think you fully understand. Wolfe used to be an assassin, freelance, a hitman for hire.
He was damn good at it too. The very idea of him getting bested by three young women and locked in a cellar…
Well, I’m surprised he feels he can show his face anywhere.
The story spread like wildfire through the men.
” Cian’s hand settles on my thigh. “Of course, the first man to try to tease him about it ended up in the hospital. So the others have been quiet since then, but they all know what happened. You sort of damaged Wolfe’s reputation. ”
My stomach drops like a lead weight. I hadn’t realized what I’d done would have these kinds of repercussions. No wonder Wolfe hates my guts.
“Is there anything I can do to make this right?” I ask Cian.
He shakes his head. “I doubt it. Sorry, broc meala .”
Unease swarms in my gut. I’d hoped by now that the Irish would at least tolerate me, instead of treating me like an outsider.
I’m beginning to think my status here will never change until I have a half-Irish child.
Even then, I might not be accepted by them, but I’ll have family ties through my offspring. But will that ever come to be?