Chapter 5 #2
Hannah waved as if he weren’t sitting right beside her and I shook my head.
Because of all of my cousins in this room, she was the most romantic.
For her, finding her prince charming, getting married and having a ton of babies had always been her dream.
That made her and Pippin’s relationship even more special as that man had certainly swept her off her feet.
I loved how open and excited she could be about her happiness.
“It’s nice to meet you ladies,” Fabian said. “Dakota talks about the special bond you share, so I’ll apologize for interrupting your getaway.”
“Oh, no.” Hannah shook her head. “We don’t mind this interruption at all.”
“Not. At. All,” Bailey added. “Fury Mathias, I feel like I’ve heard that name before.”
“I’ve definitely heard it before.” Mo had been quiet longer than I thought she would. “But I didn’t have a face to go with the name. Now I do.”
She was pissed at me and rightfully so. She was also very protective of me, just as I was with her and the rest of my cousins for that matter.
However, that didn’t mean I was going to tolerate any disrespect toward Fabian or whatever she knew about him.
Which, I’m certain I already knew wasn’t great.
Mo’s logistics company had several big contracts with shipping companies, supply chains, and manufacturers across the nation.
She traveled between Portsmouth and Newport News to personally oversee projects for select clientele.
I knew for a fact that on more than one occasion her special clients did business with the Ryders, specifically KC who was in charge of their weapons business.
So, she was right, she knew exactly who Fury was.
“French toast, sausage, beef and turkey,” Tedra said from where she stood just behind Mo at the head of the table.
“Yay!” Hannah clapped because she’d been the one to insist on turkey products this week.
Two staff members placed bowls of delicious smelling food on the table as Tedra continued, “Wheat toast and biscuits, hard scrambled cheesy eggs, grits, and fresh fruit.”
“Sounds and smells like good eats,” Fabian said. “How ‘bout I bless the food, then we’ll all make our plates and you ladies can ask the questions I know you really want to ask?”
For a few seconds there was silence, then, taking my husband’s hand again, I said, “Good plan, baby.”
I didn’t acknowledge Mo’s narrowed eyes or Bailey’s raised brow, just lowered my head so he could pray and we could get the Q&A over with.
Three seconds after Fabian said “Amen!” Hannah asked, “So how’d you two meet?”
“How long have you two been sneaking around?” Maria added.
“More importantly,” Mo said with a sigh, “when was this wedding and where’s the ring? Because if there’s one thing I know about my secret-keeping cousin, it’s that she’s not marrying anybody without a ring.”
My gaze flew to my left hand at her words.
Of course, she was right, there was no ring there.
But I indeed had one. It was a vintage Art Deco style design.
A two-carat marquise-cut diamond in a platinum setting surrounded by a halo of twenty-four calibré cut rubies.
Currently, it was tucked into a small red velvet bag that I carried in my purse like my car keys, hand sanitizer and lip gloss.
Reducing a thirty-thousand-dollar ring to the trivialness of basic travel needs was crazy business, but it was the truth.
I couldn’t wear a wedding ring if nobody knew I was married, and I couldn’t bear to leave the starkest symbol of the love Fabian and I shared at home.
I needed it close to me at all times, as a reminder of how complete his presence in my life made me feel.
I wore it every second I was alone in my house, and even slipped it on sometimes while tucked into my office.
Just to feel closer to him, to remind myself that there was someone in this world who really saw me and who loved every inch of what he saw enough to put this precious ring on my finger and pledge his devotion to me.
Fabian’s hand covered mine, and my attention shifted to him.
“July seventeenth, and she has a ring,” he stated evenly. “And a new SUV. Along with a full wardrobe at my house. Her name is on my life insurance policies, bank accounts, and will be on a new condo in Miami by the end of the month. Does that appease your skepticism?”
He was staring at Mo, so I shifted my gaze to her as well. The answer to his question was no. I knew she was still questioning this situation, mostly because I hadn’t told her about it, but that would be a conversation for me and her to have later.
“We’ve been married for over a year now, and it was my decision to keep that a secret,” I told everyone at the table.
“I know I don’t have to explain to any of you what it’s like to live with this name and all its expectations hanging over your head.
I’ve always wanted something for myself, something that wasn’t attached to the family or its legacy. ”
“We know that, Kodi,” Suri said softly from across the table. “That’s why you started your own business, in the field of your choosing, not the family’s.”
Fabian rubbed his thumb over the back of my hand, and I leaned fully into that touch, to the presence of him by my side. It was steadying when I should’ve been solid while surrounded by these women I loved and respected so much.
“Hell, we’ve all fought to have our own identity,” Bailey added. “The world of the Donovans can be stifling.”
“Especially for the women.” That came from Regan.
She chuckled as she continued, “I feel it every day even though I did exactly what my parents wanted and went into the family business. I mean, I know my place at DNT and I have no doubt that I pull my weight and make significant contributions to the network’s success.
But damn if I’m not flanked and measured by my brothers’ plus Dion and Sean’s success.
Nobody comes right out and says that, but I feel it every second of every day. ”
Maria dabbed her lips with the napkin, then set it beside her plate.
“I don’t deny the pressure, but surely that doesn’t mean we can’t have love and happiness.
Suri, Regan and Bailey found it, got married and are living their dreams. And Hannah’s probably going to accept Pippin’s proposal before the question ever leaves the man’s lips. You didn’t have to hide your marriage.”
“And we’re not,” Fabian responded before I could. “Not anymore.”
“Well, obviously not from you.” I took a quick breath, turning my hand in his so I could squeeze it. “But I don’t want anyone else in the family to know.” Fabian tensed beside me. “Not until after I tell my parents next week at Sunday dinner.”
We were scheduled to leave on Thursday, and I didn’t want to tell them over the phone or video call.
“We’ll tell them at Sunday dinner,” he said, lifting my hand to his lips for a quick kiss.
“Awwwww,” Hannah cooed.
Suri clapped her hands gleefully.
“I can’t wait to hear how that goes,” Mo said, a smirk replacing the questioning look on her face.
She knew as well as I did that it wasn’t going to go well.
My father and Cade are going to flip the fuck out, and my mother…
I gave myself a little shake to rid myself of the thought.
Right now, I needed to stay present. I wanted to enjoy this breakfast, my favorite cousins and my man. The rest would have to wait.