Chapter 21
Chapter Twenty-One
Something wet runs across my cheek. “Princess, wake up.” Connor’s voice is in my ear.
“Did you just lick me?” I ask him, not opening my eyes.
“Yep. It’s time to get up. I made you breakfast.”
“You cooked?” I peek open an eye, and I’m greeted by the breathtaking sight that is Connor O’Malley. Blonde hair, green eyes, and those damn cheekbones. One dimple shows when he smiles down at me.
“You need to eat. We skipped dinner last night,” he says.
“We skipped dinner because you fucked me all afternoon until I passed out.”
“Are you complaining?” Connor raises a single brow at me.
“No.” I laugh. “That is not something I’d ever complain about.” Sitting upright on the bed, I look around the room. Bright light seeps through the curtains. “What time is it?”
“Eight.”
“Shit. I have to get up,” I tell him.
“Why?”
“I have a doctor’s appointment at nine thirty.”
“Aurora, stop.” Connor is on me in seconds. His hands cup each side of my face as he searches for God only knows what. “Are you sick? What’s wrong?”
“No, I just need to get on birth control,” I explain.
“What?”
“It’s a little pill. People who have sex and don’t want to have babies use birth control, Connor. And you and me, we have a lot of sex.”
“I know what it is. I mean, why do you want it?” he asks.
“Because it’s either I get on birth control or we stop having sex,” I reply. “We’re eighteen, Connor. We are not ready to be someone’s parents.”
“Birth control it is then, because there is no way in this world I’m going to stop fucking you,” he says. “But, um, we need to keep the fact you’re on birth control on the down low.”
“From who? And why would anyone care?”
“From everyone. People will care, Aurora, because we’re Catholic. Some of the people in the organization take that shit real serious.”
“Okay, but do they really think they’re all getting through the pearly gates? Your organization is built on blood, Connor. Crime, murder, mayhem—all of that.”
He can’t be serious right now.
“I go to confession, Aurora. I’m going through those gates. So are you, because I do confess for you,” Connor says, as if I should know this about him.
When does he go to confession? He’s bullshitting. I’m with him almost 24/7 and the only thing we’ve ever done in a church is more sinning. Besides, he doesn’t even know the list of things I would need to confess.
“I don’t think it works like that, Connor. You can’t confess for me and have my sins absolved.” I laugh. “Also, you’re supposed to learn from your mistakes.”
“I have learned. I didn’t kill anyone yesterday.” He smiles like he’s proud of that fact.
“Tell that to the guy who was hanging from that clock tower.” I snort. He’s delusional. I wonder if this is a symptom of that genetic thing. “We also need to contact Dr. Morgan and get your results.”
“I don’t like that you worry about me.”
“Well, that’s kind of what wives do.” I shrug. “Get used to it.”
“I love hearing that.” Connor leans in and presses his lips to mine. “My wife.”
“Oh, shit, I forgot to tell you…”
“What?”
“I think I found your brother.” I jump out of bed and grab the laptop. “He looks just like you. He’s married, with a baby.”
“He’s not my brother, Aurora.”
“Well, technically, he is. But… he doesn’t live in Ireland,” I say.
“Where does he live?” Connor asks.
“London, he grew up in London.”
Connor’s face morphs from one of curiosity to utter disgust. “He’s English?”
“If he’s from your parents, he has the same bloodline as you,” I remind him.
“He’s fucking English.” Connor shakes his head at my laptop screen. “Forget him. It won’t work.”
“Why?”
“Aurora, no one is going to accept leadership from a fucking Englishman,” he says, as if I should know this.
“Okay, well, we will find another way.” I nod. “Do you still want to reach out to him, though? Maybe meet him?”
“No.” Connor stands and crosses the room. “What I want is for you to put on some clothes, come downstairs, and eat something.”
Guess that conversation is done.
I stalk towards Connor. His eyes take in my naked body, and the disgust is replaced with lust within a split second. “Okay.” I lean in and press a kiss on his lips before walking past him into the adjoining bathroom.
“Aurora and I need to go do something. You two can go home anytime you want, you know.” Connor points to Aisling and Levi.
When Connor said he cooked breakfast, it was a bit of a stretch.
He had breakfast cooked for us, a whole damn banquet.
The large table is filled with a variety of food, sausages, eggs, toast, and what Connor and Aisling swear is bacon.
There’s also a variety of fruit and pastries, and these weird-looking round things, black pudding and white pudding. Neither will make it into my mouth.
“Are you trying to get rid of me?” Levi questions.
“Yes,” Connor replies flatly.
“Asshole,” Levi grunts.
“He is, but he’s my asshole.” I smile and bat my lashes at Connor.
“My da wants to see you, Connor,” Aisling says nervously.
Strange. I haven’t ever seen her look at Connor with wariness.
“Why?” Connor asks, appearing unfazed. Or at least he’s trying to appear unfazed.
“He didn’t say.” She shrugs.
“Tell him I’ll stop in tonight.” Connor looks to Levi. “You need to stay.”
“You might be the boss around these parts, but you’re not my boss.” Levi laughs.
“I have to go out tonight and I’m not leaving Aurora here alone. So you’re staying with her,” Connor says.
“I don’t need a babysitter, especially one whose ass I can kick myself,” I chime in.
Connor flicks his eyes in my direction. “He will step between you and a bullet. That’s all that matters to me.”
“Stop treating me like I’m some damn damsel who needs protecting. I can look after myself.” I stand from the table and storm out of the dining room before I stab my husband. Again.
Connor’s footsteps follow me. When he catches up to me, his hand wraps around my arm and my body is spun around. “Don’t ever run out on me again,” Connor growls. “We don’t do that.”
“Yeah, you know what else we don’t do? This,” I tell him.
“What is this?”
“You treating me like I’m something breakable. Trying to protect me. I can do that myself just fine!” I yell.
Connor’s hand wraps around my throat, and he pushes me up against the wall. If anyone else grabbed hold of me like this, I’d put them on their ass. Or, at the very least, kick them in the balls. I trust Connor though. And if I’m honest, it’s hot as hell when he grips me up.
“Aurora, you are my wife. Me protecting you comes with the fucking title so get used to it. Or learn how to live with it, because it’s not changing.”
“I’ve spent my whole life having people treat me differently. I don’t need that from you.”
“What do you mean?” His eyebrows draw together in the middle, but he doesn’t loosen his grip on me.
“People either avoid me, or just expect the worst, Connor. I’ve had either my father’s goons or my brothers or cousins follow me constantly to make sure I didn’t get into any trouble. I’m not going to continue living with a constant shadow.”
“Aurora, that’s not what this is. I just want to make sure someone is here to catch a bullet so you don’t have to. That’s all. You want to cause havoc, princess, then go ahead and cause it. I don’t give a fuck what kind of trouble you get into. I will always be alongside you for the ride.”
It’s not the first time Connor has said something like this to me. I believe him. He really would go on a violent killing spree if that’s what I wanted to do. Not that I do, but the option is always there.
“Thank you,” I whisper. “I think you are the only person who loves me for who I really am.”
“That’s not true, Aurora. You have a whole army of Valentinos who love you.”
“They don’t know me like you do. No one does.”
“Good. We don’t need anyone else knowing us. Because we have each other. That’s all that matters. Don’t run out on me again,” he says.
“I wasn’t running out. I was walking away so I didn’t stab you again.” I laugh.
“I would rather you stay and stab me than be forced to watch you leave.” Connor’s lips trail up and down my mouth. He is insane, but I love him that way.
“Okay, next time, I’ll stab you instead of leaving,” I promise him.