Chapter Thirty-Four
Saoirse
Rubbing my forehead, I sat down on a patio chair in the backyard. This was a massive clusterfuck.
An unnecessary clusterfuck.
One that my parents and ex were fueling. They’d actually had the audacity to threaten the Company and demand they terminate my employment due to contract breach.
That hurt, because that wouldn’t just make me the enemy of the Company.
That would make me hunted.
Sure, my parents didn’t like me. But for them to essentially want me dead?
Meanwhile, my phone was flooded with messages and calls from my parents, demanding I return to the clan for punishment, because I’d embarrassed them.
Like I had done something awful. Which I hadn’t. Block. Block. Block.
The thing was, the Company didn’t even realize that it was me in the video. Especially since my cousins had been very busy making sure that even though people had identified me, they hadn’t identified the assassin part of me.
It wasn’t like one could easily find out I worked for the Company anyway. Even then, personal information about me was hard to find. Dusty had tried.
The Company was fine with it, but felt pressure from my Clan. They wanted to compromise by delisting me temporarily. Not as bad as termination, but still problematic, because then I was grounded.
Instead, we compromised. I’d temporarily be taken off active duty roles to placate my family on paper. But I could still be requested–and free to take other work.
I wasn’t so lucky with the security company. But I didn’t need them, either. Mostly they were a filler for when I was bored and a cover to get myself certain places legitimately.
My mother texted me about my selfishness. Again.
Me
How is it selfish for me to find love, but not selfish for my sister to steal my boyfriend?
Or for my ex to cheat on me, with my sister, instead of breaking up with me, then claim it was my fault?
Me being with someone famous does not bring dishonor to the clan.
You messing with my life does. If you contact me, anyone associated with me, or my employers again, I will be filing a claim.
I blocked her, as I’d blocked all my other parents. My sister and ex–and their friends had been blocked long ago.
By claim I didn’t mean with the courts. I meant the Clan Council. What they’d done crossed a line. Especially because I had done no wrong.
Was my face being all over the internet ideal? No. Did it break a rule? No. Did me actually being mated or married to a rockstar cause a little concern? Yes. Could it make Dusty a target? Yes.
But it was hardly illegal.
My phone rang again, and inwardly I groaned.
It would probably be worth it to change my number. Perhaps when Carlos went to get a new phone tomorrow I’d go with him.
But it wasn’t my parents.
“Grandpa?” Honestly, it was nice to hear from him.
“My dear, what exactly did you do to have everyone in such a tizzy?” He chuckled.
“You know, just being a selfish, cold-hearted, bitch as usual,” I replied. “I was helping a friend and ended up on the internet. Now my parents are pestering the Company to end my employment. Apparently I am also to be punished by them.”
“Punished my ass. For what?” He snorted. “Being happy? Having friends?”
“Yes.”
He made an annoyed noise. “Your brother showed your grandfathers and me a video of you singing. It’s very beautiful. Your gran would have loved it. Screw them. Singing makes you happy. Go sing and be famous. Plant a garden for her.”
“They would have chicken.” I laughed.
“It might do them some good. I told them to leave you alone. It’s your business and them doing things like that could make it worse,” he added. “How is Fiona?”
“We mated,” I replied.
“I’m so happy for you. Bring her by sometime to see us,” he added. “And you know, I won’t say a peep if you choose to act against your parents. They deserve it, especially that spineless son of mine.”
“Really, I just want to be left alone. There’s also this alpha… the man in the video. I care for him. He cares for me. Not sure how such a public person fits into my life, but…”
“Are you in love with him?” Grandpa asked, “It's alright to love–even alphas. I know you’ve been hurt. But love is an asset, not a liability. I’m glad you have Fiona.
She’s a delight, but it’s also nice to have someone who’s not in this life.
Someone who can shake you and go, This isn’t normal, Love.
Are you sure this is something you want?
” He mimicked one of my other grandfathers, who’d been a teacher in the village before he retired.
There were three of them still, the fourth had passed before Gran.
“That’s a good way of looking at things,” I replied. “I promise not to bring dishonor to the clan. I don’t know what I want, but yes I could love him if I let myself.”
The door behind me opened and closed, and I felt someone’s presence.
“Maybe you should. I’ll chat with you soon. Let me know if you want anything special for a gift.” He ended the call.
Dusty sat down on the lounge chair with me.
“You can love me? That’s the best thing I’ve heard in a couple of hours.” He kissed me. “The dads are convening and deciding our fate. Lunch is being prepared. Which is great because I missed breakfast.” Dusty fake pouted. “You didn’t come and rescue me.”
“Sorry. You were passed out, so I just left you while I dealt with my own bullshit. I lost one of my jobs, kept another, and now need a new number. Also, my brother is over-the-moon excited. Do we still need to save anyone?” I knew everyone was fine.
Fiona’s family was putting on a show, and it was better to simply let them.
“No. Though I think Lalo could use some extra hugs. Finn apparently pulled a gun on him. I thought they were businessmen, not mobsters.” He frowned.
Of course Finn had. Fiona was his treasure. Hopefully, he didn’t mess up his relationship with her by being more overbearing than she had the patience for.
“You don’t have to be a mobster to pull a gun on the person who mated your omega child. But they are all bluster when it comes to Fiona. They were trying to scare him, not hurt him, because they didn’t feel that he was repentant enough, like Hale was. They didn’t put a gun on you did they?”
Dusty shook his head. “No. They tied me up, but left me alone. Whenever I say that I accidentally bonded with you, everyone just laughs and wishes me luck. It’s like they’re afraid of you.”
“They are. Also, my grandpa thinks I should just become a singer.” I laughed. Honestly, it meant a lot—and relieved some of the pressure I put on myself to continue the family tradition. If he was fine with it, then no one had the right not to be.
“You could join me and we could be a duo. It would be fun,” he replied.
I rubbed the center of my chest. “I feel you now, which now makes me feel even worse about everything that happened a couple of days ago.”
“Why does that surprise you? I kept telling you that,” he told me kindly.
“They could just be pretty words,” I confessed.
“I really do love you. Do you think we could try to make this work regardless of what happens with the other three? I’m sorry if our wedding antics caused you any issues with your work,” he told me.
“It’s just my parents being arseholes.” I made a face.
“We don’t have to announce anything or do any sort of legal things if you don’t want to. We can just exist and I have absolutely no issue with you also being bonded to Fiona,” he said.
I leaned my head on his shoulder. “Thank you. I don’t know about being public, mostly because I want to protect you from my enemies. But I think I’d like to stay bonded to both you and Fiona. I’m not quite sure what Finn is going to do about the other two.”
Dusty looked over at me. “Do you think they’re going to demand that she un-bond them?”
“Probably. But whether or not she wants to, remains to be seen.”
Finn came outside. “I’d like to speak to you, Saoirse. Alone.”
Dusty stood and disappeared inside.
Finn pulled a chair over and sat down. “I don’t like what happened.”
“Understandable. Personally, I would prefer to have remembered it. I do plan on remaining bonded to her unless she wants otherwise,” I stated.
“I suppose you’re going to un-bond the rockstar?” He held my gaze.
What exactly was he getting at?
“Probably not. He’s a good man,” I replied.
Surprise crossed his face. “Being a good man doesn’t pay the bills.”
“My ability to pay the bills is none of your concern, Finn.” I really disliked this line of conversation.
“He’s a bit scruffy, don’t you think?” He frowned.
Dusty never had trimmed his beard.
“I don’t think Fiona should be bonded to anybody. Not even you. She’s too young,” he added.
“No, she’s not. She’s twenty-three and has graduated from the academy. No, you’re more upset that this is outside of your control,” I retorted.
He growled. “I want what’s best for my daughter.”
“So do I,” I replied. “Don’t make me challenge you in combat for her hand.”
His eyebrows rose. “That is not a thing.”
“In my county in Ireland, it still is,” I challenged. I could take him in a fight. Finn knew it. Just like he knew it was such a thing.
“I know you can take care of her. I suppose if you take responsibility for the musician, that could be managed. But those other two? I don’t like it,” he blustered.
“That really isn’t for you to decide. You can yell at her.
You can cut her off. You can demand that she un-bond them.
But ultimately all the decisions are hers and you know how stubborn she is.
You’re her father–you should want her to be happy.
Yes, her happiness looks different than what you want for her, but that doesn’t make it wrong.
Sure, her bonding with three people accidentally is not ideal.
Yes, the five of us together could be an absolute mess, but that’s for us to deal with–not you.
You can’t protect her forever and if you push too much, you could push her away from you. ” I challenged his gaze.
Finn might be an alpha. He might be very important in Boston. But I didn’t care. My loyalty was to her, not him.
Sighing heavily, he raked his red hair with his hand. “I could get behind the student, but the fact that he immediately offered to un-bond her makes me wary.”
“Hale had a plan for his life. It’s natural for him to have feelings. Additionally, he feels quite guilty. He cares for your daughter, but is concerned about the fact that she didn’t consent to bonding with him before it happened,” I explained.
He sat with that for a moment. “That says a lot about him and I appreciate that, because he should feel remorse for what he did. But that athlete is happy about it. I don’t like that one bit.”
“Carlos and your daughter have been seeing each other for a while. He loves her. Hockey is an actual occupation, and he does well for himself. We’ll get it figured out. We already planned on going to the Omega Center to find out our options before you so graciously kidnapped us.”
His eyes narrowed. “It’s not kidnapping if it’s my own kid.”
“You’re being impossible and you know it. Do I need to take them all out of here?” I glared, not afraid to march everyone out right now against Finn’s wishes.
“I wanted to get your opinion. I actually value your expertise, and I do appreciate that you love and care for my daughter–especially when you work together. That’s what I always fear most, that she’ll die doing her job, like her mother did.
” It sounded like the words pained him to say.
“Do the boys care about what she does? I don’t like it and I resent her mother’s family for putting that pressure on her. ”
“They don’t care. They’ll support her staying or leaving, as will I.”
The door opened and Fiona barreled out.
“You're being ridiculous, Dad. The food is almost ready and I’m hungry.” She turned to me.
“You missed it. Carlos’ friend and Hale’s sister came armed with hockey sticks, and they brought lasagnas and cookies to trade for Carlos and Hale’s lives, but they left.
The best thing is, I actually know his friend from when we were little. ”
Oh, well, Fiona did know a lot of interesting people.
“Yes, I could use some food.” Though I’d had breakfast.
I wouldn’t blame Hale at all if he chose to un-bond her and Carlos. Both Carlos and I would take good care of her.
While I didn’t want to be with an alpha, here I had an alpha mate who thought I hung the moon.
They were all so… chaotic.
It would be a challenge if we stayed together.
Though I would do it for her, because ultimately it was her choice and I would support her fully no matter what.