Chapter 30
Nellie looked down at the ring in Rowan’s fingers. Her mouth opened in surprise. One hand over her open mouth, the other over her heart. Tonight was supposed to be all about Rowan, not her. Yet, this wasn’t a spur of the moment decision on his part. He had a ring. In his pocket. This whole night.
“Yes! Of course I will, yes!”
Rowan slipped the ring on her finger. He stood up and kissed her. It wasn’t overly long, and there was no tongue. He held her close and spoke softly in her ear, “I’m keeping it PG for the kids, but when we get home tonight . . .”
Rowan wasn’t able to finish before they were surrounded not only by her sister, Gator, James, and Tally, but also the Townsends, the entire town of Shadows Landing, and hundreds of children and their parents.
Instead of a private moment, they were swept up into a dance that was popular with elementary and middle schoolers, but it was worth it to see Damon out there dancing.
“Finally,” Penelope Townsend said when Nellie stepped off the dance floor. “We didn’t really get to meet. I’m Penelope.”
Nellie hugged her and Pen relaxed. “I’ve heard so much about you already. I can’t tell you how excited I am to gain two more sisters.”
“Yeah, I’d worry about the brothers. They can be a tad overprotective.”
“That’s okay. Hunter is teaching me how to shoot.
Stone how to skate. Forrest is teaching us which wild plants the kids can eat.
Kane how to negotiate with my teenagers.
Wilder is keeping me cool by letting me know which music my students are listening to.
Damon is teaching me to ride a motorcycle.
Olivia is teaching me how to be a badass.
And I can’t wait to find out what you can teach me.
You have the coolest family. I’m honored to be a part of it. What exactly is it you do?”
“She’ll just tell you this and that,” Rowan said with a laugh as he joined them.
“I’m not sure she knows what she does,” Damon teased, joining them.
Pen rolled her eyes at them. “I own my own company. I help people find things they really want—for a fee.”
“Like if they can’t find the TV remote, you come find it in the couch cushions?” Nellie asked, trying to understand.
Pen cracked a smile at that. “No, like if you’re looking for a certain piece of art that hasn’t been seen in two hundred years.
I find it. Or if you saw someone wearing the 1950 Cartier Sapphire and Diamond necklace worth almost three million dollars and you want it for yourself or your wife. You call me and I negotiate it.”
“That is so cool and completely badass!”
“Wow, Pen. I had no idea. That really is cool, and yet, so you. I can see how you’re good at what you do,” Rowan told her. “Why did you keep it secret?”
Pen shrugged. “I thought you wouldn’t approve since sometimes I have to play dirty to get things for my clients.”
“Illegal?” Damon asked, very seriously.
“No!” Pen rolled her eyes again. “Well, not in the way you’re thinking. More like bribing people for information.”
“Is it dangerous?” Nellie asked.
Pen shrugged. “Not really, but I do have some very powerful clients. And not the kind people recognize from magazines. I’ve learned true power is with people no one has ever heard of. And they don’t like it if they don’t get what they want.
“You should talk to Kane. He could give you some pointers on dealing with hostage like situations. Just in this case it’s the item being held hostage. Or Natalie since she was a spy with the CIA,” Damon said dryly.
“Talk to me about what?” Kane asked.
“Take Pen over to the table and make her tell you all about her job,” Damon instructed.
“Wait, you actually have a real job? I thought you were backpacking through Europe and staying in hostels.”
“Are you sure you want to join the family?” Pen asked her before being dragged away.
“More than anything!” Nell called out.
“I don’t like this,” Damon said the second Pen was out of earshot.
“Like what?” Nell asked.
“Pen’s job. People like that could make Pen disappear in the blink of an eye and no one would ever question them.”
“That seems a little extreme,” Nell said, trying to calm the situation. Damon, while not showing it, was getting worked up.
“No, Damon’s right,” Rowan said, surprising Nell. “We’ll talk to Ryker. See what we can find out.”
“It’s neither here nor there right now,” Damon said to them. “You two are celebrating your big day. I’m glad my brother is so smart and asked you to marry him.” Damon leaned forward and kissed her cheek. “I like having another sister to worry over.”
“I like having a brother who is teaching me to ride a motorcycle.”
Rowan kissed her and leaned to whisper into her ear. “Don’t worry, darling. I’ll give you something to ride when we get home.”
Nellie blushed and bit her lip in anticipation.
She looked down at the ring on her finger and out at the happy families combining into one big one.
She’d found the love of her life during the worst time of her life.
Sometimes, things were just meant to be.
The right partner will lift you up, help you through the storm, and help you find the light in the darkness.
And when you step from the darkness, there’s so much love and light.
“Want to go play tag with the kids?” Rowan asked.
Nellie reached out and kissed him. It was quick, but it held a lifetime of promise. “Tag! You’re it!” she shouted before darting away.
Damon stood against the wall and watched Penelope.
Something was wrong. He knew it probably had to do with Nico freaking Saccone.
His little sister had to go fall in love with a former mafia boss.
Sure, he might have turned legit and saved Wilder’s life.
But his seat was still at the head of that table, even if he didn’t always sit in it.
Ever since Nico had backed off at Damon’s request to help keep Pen safe from those who would want to hurt someone in Nico’s position, she’d been quieter.
However, this was different. She kept looking at her phone when she thought no one was watching her.
Maybe he was breaking his promise and reaching out to her.
He was ten years older than she was. He should know better than to break his word.
Damon would break him if he hurt Penelope’s heart.
Damon pulled out his phone to shoot Nico a text when a news alert popped up.
Presidential candidate Sutton Ramsey ahead in the polls.
There, under the headline, was a picture of the Presidential Princess waving to a crowd of her supporters. Damon couldn’t wait for the election to be over this fall. But then he still wouldn’t be able to escape her. She’d win and be in the news every day.
He didn’t know why Sutton rubbed him the wrong way.
She was beautiful. She was strong. She was independent.
She was freakishly smart. She was an Olympian.
She didn’t back down from him. Damon clenched his fist. Dammit.
He knew the reason. He just didn’t want to admit it.
He would never admit it. To admit it would be to open the dam and there was no way that was happening.
He swiped the news notification out and sent a text to Nico. The response from Nico was immediate. I haven’t talked to her since I was last in Shadows Landing. Is something wrong?
Damn. Nico still cared for Pen. It made Damon’s older-brother guilt start to nag at him. But no, he couldn’t give in. In time, they’d both move on. Keeping Pen safe was all that mattered.
Just checking in, Damon texted back.
You’re an asshole.
Damon smiled as he put his phone into his back pocket.
Nico wasn’t wrong. But that’s how he got all of his brothers to move to Shadows Landing and marry the right women.
He even found a worthy man for Olivia. Not that Damon would ever tell Granger that.
Damon smiled as he took a sip of water. He’d done well.
His family was together and happy. Maybe that’s what Pen needed.
Damon pushed off the wall with a plan to convince Penelope to spend some more time in Shadows Landing.
Maybe stay for Nellie and Rowan’s wedding?
With the way those two couldn’t keep their hands and heated gazes off each other, that wedding would be here in no time.
Once again, Damon found himself smiling.
It brought him happiness to see his family settled.
You could have that too, a voice in the back of his head whispered as an image of Sutton going toe to toe with him at the Bells Landing flashed in his mind. Damon pushed it aside. No, he could never have that.
“Nellie, Rowan, let’s talk wedding date.
Pen, maybe you can stay to help plan it?
” Damon suggested. Now that he only had Pen to focus on, he’d start to plant the suggestions that she could do her job from anywhere in the world—just look at Kane.
Damon slung his arm around Penelope’s shoulder as Olivia started talking about a baby shower and how they could both set their dates now.
Damon was thrilled. He knew he’d have the last of his family back in no time. Then the Townsends would be complete.
Penelope Townsend loves her family. Even if they were overbearing.
Especially, Damon. However, one thing Damon could never control was her heart.
She’d fallen head over heels for Nico Saccone, the bad boy she could never have, but wanted anyway.
Their banter, their flirting, it made her feel alive.
One stolen kiss . . . and then he was gone.
That kiss was all she could think about when she lost all control, becoming a pawn in a game that might end her life.
What will Nico do when he learns Penelope is in danger?