Chapter 7
SEVEN
When the elevator door opened on the first floor and I saw Savannah standing there, the burden of being an O’Donnelly shifted off my shoulders.
She did that to me—every time. It was why I fucking loved her so much. She brought so much goddamn happiness to my life that I knew, no matter who was right or wrong, I was always the asshole for creating that air of misery around her.
Her eyes warmed when she realized I’d been coming up from the parking garage, but she stepped into the elevator with a hesitation that crushed my heart.
That hesitance said, ‘Does he want me in here with him? Should I wait for the next?’
Like she wasn’t the most important person in my life.
Fuck.
“I was wrong.”
She shuddered.
“Little one?”
Was that my voice?
That raspy, husky plea?
“I’ll do better.”
She peeped up at me, but whatever she saw, maybe my goddamn devastation, had her rushing toward me. I immediately opened my arms, and she hurled herself into them.
As the doors closed behind her, I tightened them around her upper back and pressed my lips to the crown of her head, closing my eyes in relief at her proximity.
It never sat right with me if we were at odds. Not just because I wanted peace in my home after dealing with the bullshit outside of it, but because Savannah was relatively easy-going.
“I hate it when we fight,” I admitted gruffly, then I smiled when she tunneled between the flaps of my peacoat, getting as close to me as she could.
“I don’t like it either, but I especially don’t like it when I don’t understand why.”
My gaze caught our reflection.
I saw the strain in my expression, the fatigue from all the hours we’d been putting in recently, the bruises from the punches Brennan had managed to land, but mostly the exhaustion from a night spent without her in bed beside me. And I saw that same fatigue etched into her beautiful features.
Our codependency came as a shock.
I never imagined I’d become the type of guy who struggled to fall asleep without the warm weight of my wife at my side.
But I was.
Appreciating her affection, I stroked my hand over her back to instill patience because I struggled to find an answer. Even with Camille’s advice, I found a response difficult to formulate.
“I have a gift for you,” I ended up saying.
“You didn’t need to buy me anything.”
“I know you can buy whatever you want, but you’ll appreciate this.”
As much as she enjoyed presents, Savannah wasn’t afraid to buy them for herself. Flowers included. It wasn’t even a prompt. If she wanted something, she didn’t mess around.
Self-denial wasn’t a trait my wife suffered with.
“I don’t want it if it means you won’t explain what happened.” Frowning, her fingers traced a cut on my cheek. “I don’t want to fight with you, Aidan. There’s bickering and sniping and we’re good at that. But fighting? You froze me out.”
“I overreacted.”
“You don’t say.”
“Information is my currency, Savannah. It’s how I keep you safe. My family safe. My people safe. But I hadn’t heard anything about an animal-fighting ring. Not a fucking thing.” I gritted my teeth. “Maybe it was ego, maybe it was just fear. I’m not sure which. But your question hit me on the raw.
“That’s not on you. That’s on me. And I’m sorry.
You’ve always been able to come to me with questions and that’ll never change.
I didn’t mean to freeze you out. That was a negative reaction to me not knowing about something that could impact our family’s security.
One small hole in the information I collate means a chasm might be waiting for me and I freaked out. ”
She blinked. “And if it happens again?”
“I’ll tell you I can’t answer right now but that I’ll look into it and get back to you, so come and sit on my dick until I can give you the info you need.”
“That sounds like a very good response,” she mused, a smile dancing on her lips. “Especially the last part.”
“I’m trying, little one. You might not have noticed, but I’ve been shutting out work once we’re home—”
“I noticed. I didn’t question it. Just enjoyed the change.” She pulled a face. “Honestly, I feel bad because I’m not sure when the change happened or what triggered it.” She linked her hands around my waist. “Why did you?”
“I missed you and Third.” At her surprised gasp, I shrugged. “It happened at Halloween. I got home one night and you’d decorated the place with all those godawful pumpkins—”
“Hey! I hand carved each of them—”
“I know, darling,” I said wryly, dotting a kiss to her temple. “I’m not sure it’s your forte.”
“Charming!”
“I came home and they were up, and then I came back and they were down. Each time, I found you in bed, curled up asleep, Third cuddled into you. I didn’t see you make them, put them up, or take them down.
Didn’t see you or Third enjoy them. And what I did see was you asleep.
I missed it all. Breakfast and dinner and everything else in between.
“So, I set myself limitations. I can’t always make it back.
There are fires that need extinguishing that I’m integral to, but I won’t ever let it go so long again.
And when I am home, my brothers and crew know to fuck off.
” Wryly, I tacked on, “That’s why there’ll be time for you to sit on my dick before I get you the info you requested. ”
“You did that because you missed us?” she whispered.
“Baby, I wouldn’t have married you if I didn’t want to be with you.
I would have carried on fucking half the city’s socialites if that’s what I wanted.
But I didn’t. I wanted to come home to you.
I wanted to sleep with you. I wanted to see you in the morning and late at night.
It wasn’t enough to just fuck anyone when you’re all I want.
“I didn’t tell you I love you because that’s what you do when you get together. I mean it. Every word, every time.”
Her bottom lip trembled. “I love you too. So much.” Her hands gripped my turtleneck sweater at the back. I’d say she wanted to strangle me if love wasn’t shining out of her eyes. “I love being with you too, and I love seeing you last thing at night and first thing in the morning.”
A smile kicked up the corner of my mouth. “You just saying that?”
“No. I wouldn’t have married you either, Aidan, if I didn’t want to be with you. I was fine on my own. You know I’m independent. I don’t need you to be with me 24/7. I’ve never needed that. And not just because of my work, but because I enjoy my own company.
“But everything’s better when I start and finish things with you, too, so I know what you mean. If I just wanted to get laid, I could.” She smirked at my scowl, and I knew that was payback for my earlier comment. “You know what I mean. Why go out for a burger when I can have prime rib at home?”
“Isn’t that my line?” I teased.
“No, it’s Paul Newman’s, but if the meat fits…” When I laughed, she shot me an impish grin. “And now, seeing you be a dad is just everything I dreamed of.”
“Same with you, little one. You’re such a great mom.” I pushed my forehead onto hers. “Speaking of, where is Third? Ma’s?”
“I dropped her off at Paris and Aspen’s. They’ll be going on tour with Mom and Dad and wanted to see her before Christmas.”
My brows lifted.
We were alone.
I’d lie if my dick didn’t twitch in hope.
She noticed too, but her smirk quickly morphed into a grimace as she cupped my cheek. “Do I want to know?”
“Fights are good for the soul sometimes. Brennan needed to get it out of his system.”
“Oh, Brennan did, did he?” She snorted at my smirk. “Brennan’s actually the most level-headed out of all of you. You should give him more credit.”
“I do!”
“I said credit. Not workload.” She rolled her eyes. “Is that how you’re ‘creating’ more time for us? By dumping it on Brennan? Because that isn’t fair to him, Camille, or Roman.”
“No. I’m dumping it on my crew,” I drawled, hooking my hands low on her hips.
And it was a partial truth. Brennan had officially begun taking over my position as head of the Firm.
“That’s what I pay them for. I’ve expanded it too.
Lucas is ready for more responsibility, and he can manage them and any excess workload.
“Brennan’s a control freak. He’ll find his own path.
” He had to. But he was so fucking stubborn, I knew that throwing him in at the deep end would be a surefire way to help him figure that out.
Still, I needed to change the subject, so I cocked a brow at her.
“Heard things got informative during afternoon tea.”
She arched her brow straight back at me. “And?”
“And I was wondering if you’d like to go Christmas tree shopping.”
Savannah stilled. “To an actual lot? Or to Nordstrom’s?”
“The lot around the corner.”
“Oh, wow. This is so Hallmark. Are you going to pin me to the truck bed and feast on gingerbread cookies with me?”
“If I’m feasting on anything, it’s you. As for the Hallmark movie, I have no idea what that is, have no desire to know, and if you ever tell my brothers that we discussed them, I’ll plead the Fifth.”
She sniggered. “I thought you were allergic to Christmas trees and all things festive! Conor told me that you hardly ever put up a tree before we got married!”
“This is me.” I grimaced. “Turning over a new leaf.”
“Something funky’s going on but—” From suspicious to beaming, she shot me a bright-eyed smile. “—I’ll take it.”
Savannah wiggled out of my grasp and looked at the elevator panel. “Oh, we haven’t moved.” At my chuckle, she grouched, “Can I help that you make me dumb sometimes? Looking all hot in that peacoat—”
I groaned.
“You know I love you in a peacoat. Don’t tell me that wasn’t intentional.”
“If it was, it was wasted on you. You only just noticed!”
“Don’t sulk.” Her gaze scanned me up and down. “Have you already been to the lot?”
“What, no?”
“Why are you covered in dirt?” Her nostrils quivered as she approached me and gingerly sniffed my coat. “You are! You’re covered in dirt.”