Chapter 34
brONX
Niall Murphy, second in command of the Murphy family, looks exactly like I expected…a hardened man in his late fifties with sharp blue eyes that have definitely seen a hell of a lot of death and destruction.
He’s got two lieutenants flanking him as he walks into the restaurant where we agreed to settle up, but his focus is entirely on me.
“Payment has been confirmed,” he says, shoving the paperwork across the table at me and Kingston. “Two million euros, as agreed. The Blake debt is settled.”
“Good,” Kingston says, barely glancing at the documents. “We understand each other then.”
“We do.” Murphy leans back in his chair, studying me even though Kingston is my father’s representative at this meeting. “Your family’s reputation for honor precedes you. This was business, nothing personal, Bronx. So you might want to lose that chip on your shoulder right about now.”
I lean forward, letting him see exactly how personal this became the moment his men put hands on my wife.
“Let me make something very fucking clear to you, Murphy,” I say, my voice deadly quiet. “You came for my wife. You kidnapped what belongs to me. The only reason you’re walking out of here breathing is professional courtesy.”
His expression tightens, but he doesn’t back down. “Your wife was collateral for her father’s debt. What happened here was standard practice.”
“Not anymore. If you or any of your family goes near Tierney Viacava again, if you so much as breathe her name, I’ll personally fly to Dublin and burn your entire life to the ground.”
Murphy’s lieutenants shift, but the old man just nods slowly.
“The Blake family is under your direct protection now,” Niall says. “I’ll pass the word back to our associates back home.”
“You do that. And remind them when someone touches my wife, they touch me. And I have a very long memory and unlimited resources.”
Murphy nods and stands up. “Let’s just hope our paths never cross again.”
“They’d better not.”
When they’re gone, Kingston sits back in his chair. “Think he got the message?”
“I don’t give a fuck if he didn’t. If he or his men step one foot out of line, there won’t be any negotiations.” I grab my jacket. “Connor’s still holed up in his apartment?”
“Yeah, with a full security detail. The kid’s been climbing the walls, scared shitless the Murphys would find him.”
“Well, he can stop pissing himself now. He’s not a target anymore.” We head for the door, and I pull my keys from my pocket. “Tell him he’s coming to the family dinner tonight. Time to face the music with his sister.”
“She’s coming too?”
“Tierney’s about to have a very interesting conversation with her dickwad brother,” I say before we part ways at our cars.
“See you tonight,” Kingston says as he opens his door.
The drive back to the Four Seasons gives me time to think. The Murphy threat is done. But now comes the harder part - rebuilding trust with my wife.
I use my key card to get back into the hotel room. Tierney’s awake, sitting up in bed with a cup of coffee, staring out the window like she’s trying to figure out her next move.
“Hey, princess.”
She glances at me, and I can see the wheels turning in her head. Always thinking, always calculating. It’s what kept her alive all these years.
“Is it over?” she asks.
“Yeah. The Murphy family got their money and the message that you’re off limits permanently.”
Relief flickers across her face before she can hide it. “And Connor?”
“He’s safe in his apartment, probably wearing a hole in the floor from pacing..” I sit on the edge of the bed. “He’ll be happy to know his head’s no longer on the chopping block.”
“Okay.” But there’s no warmth in her voice when she says it. She just takes a long sip from the mug.
I slide back into bed next to her, and she doesn’t pull away. Small steps, small wins.
Fuck it. I’ll take whatever she gives.
“Talk to me,” I say. “What’s going on in that head of yours?”
“I keep thinking about what comes next. Now that the Murphy threat is gone and Connor’s safe.” She puts her coffee cup on the bedside table. “What if this doesn't work? You and me.”
“Do you want it to work, princess?”
“Yeah, and I want to go home. To the penthouse. ” She pauses. “If that's really my home now.”
“It is, Tierney,” I say. “This is the real thing. We’re husband and wife. What’s mine is yours… and you’re all mine.”
She offers me a thin smile. “I’m scared. And I don’t do scared, Bronx.”
Can’t say I’m not shocked at that. Tierney Blake doesn’t admit fear. Ever. She could stare down the barrel of a gun and flip off the person who’s finger is on the trigger before she’d ever admit she’s scared.
“Of what?”
“Of believing you care and having it blow up in my face when you get bored. Of trusting you and finding out there’s another lie I missed.”
“There aren’t any more lies. I swear.”
“How do I know that?” She narrows her eyes. “I fell for it once. How can I open myself up to you again without constantly worrying you’ll cut me off?”
“I’m done with keeping secrets between us, princess. They almost cost me everything that matters.”
She studies my face. “And what’s that?”
I trace a finger down the side of her face. “You.”
She leans against me then, and I feel some of the tension leave her body as her muscles relax.
“I’m still angry at you.” She sighs. “You have a long way to go before I’ll trust you again.”
“I know.”
“And I might not trust you at all for a while.”
“I’ll earn it back. However long it takes.”
“Even if I’m difficult and pick fights just to see if you’ll stick around?”
“Difficult should be your middle name.” I laugh.“I can handle a difficult wife. I love taming difficult.”
That gets a cute giggle out of her. “Challenge accepted I can be a real bitch when I want to be.”
“Princess, you’ve been a bitch to me since the day we met. Why would I want you to change now?”
She’s silent for a minute. “What happens when we leave this room?”
I kiss the top of her head. “We go home and figure out the rest as we go.”
“No more secrets?”
“No more secrets,” I repeat.
“And no more lies?”
“No more lies, Mrs Viacava”
She pulls away a little and gazes up at me with those blue eyes of hers. “And what should I do about Connor?”
“Handle him however you want. I’ll back your play either way.” I pause. “My parents invited us to dinner tonight. The whole family will be there.”
She nods.
“Okay.” Then she toys with the edge of the bed sheet. “I dunno…do you think we should bring Connor? Maybe it would be nice for him to join us and meet everyone. We have things to talk about. Lots of things. And I…I’m not ready to let go.”
“I know.” I drop a kiss on the tip of her nose. “I’ll make sure he’s there.”
“Thank you.”
“So are you planning to forgive him?”
She shrugs. “I’m planning to let him explain himself. What happens after that depends on what he says. But I’ll give him the benefit of the doubt. Da can be very persuasive. I bet he put him in an awkward position. I’ve been there myself.”
“Whatever you want, princess.” I pull her closer, breathing in the scent of her clean hair.
My wife is alive, safe, and back in my arms where she belongs.
“You should probably know that I love you,” she says. “And that still freaks me out. So don't expect me to just hop into bed with you and pretend like you’re forgiven..”
I chuckle at that. “I love you too. Scared, angry, untrusting, vicious. I love it all.”
Her lips finally quirk upward into a smile. A real, honest to goodness smile. Fuck, I’ve been waiting to see that for so long. “Then let’s go home and figure out how long it takes you to resist me.”
“I’m well rested, ya know, husband.” She makes a face at me. “Which means I’m up for a fight if you put a finger on me.”
“Like this?” I thumb her cheek and dip in for a quick kiss.
Her lips part and she opens up for me. She’s fucking perfect.
“Kissing is fine…” she whispers against my lips. “Just kissing.”
I pull away before my instincts kick in and I untie her robe.
“Come on, wife, let’s go home. We have a dinner to get ready for and you’re the guest of honor.”
She groans and runs her fingers through the loose ends of her hair. “I doubt your ma will think a flesh wound is a reason to go easy on me.”
I climb off the bed and start gathering all the medical supplies I’d bought for her. “She’s a pussycat once you get to know her.”
“Yeah… Well, I’m a dog person.”
Tonight my wife will learn how the Viacavas work. As for her brother, he’s fucking lucky she loves him, or he’d be found floating face down in the ocean.
Either way, I’ll support her decision and stand right beside her.
Where I fucking belong.