The sight of Olivia on the floor, her dusky skin too pale, made Cillian’s mind go blank. All he wanted to do was scoop her up and get them both the hell out of there. But she trusted him to take care of the crazy Russian in the other room and save her daughter.
He caught Liam’s eye and motioned over his shoulder. So far the woman was solely focused on keeping them out of the room, rather than hurting the little girl she had in her arms. If she didn’t have that damn gun, he’d just rush her, but he couldn’t take the risk that she’d turn the weapon on Hadley.
Liam frowned, and then made a circling motion with his hand. He didn’t wait for Cillian’s nod to take another man and disappear out the back door. They’d slip around to the window behind her. He just needed to wait for their signal.
It didn’t take long.
The sound of breaking glass was his cue. He rushed into the room. The older woman had turned her gun toward Liam, and Cillian wasted no time grabbing her arm so the shot went wide. She was strong, but he was stronger. He wrestled the gun away from her and then turned both on her. “Put the child down.”
She spat something he couldn’t understand, but she set Hadley down on the mattress. The little girl was awake, her tear-stained face enough to make his heart ache. Her lower lip trembled. Cillian shoved his gun into his holster and motioned to her with his free hand while he kept the other gun trained on Sergei’s aunt. “Come here, baby girl.”
“Mama?”
“She’s here, too.” Unconscious on the floor. He couldn’t afford to think about that. Not yet. Hadley had to come first. He went down on one knee. “Let’s get you home.”
Hadley slid off the bed and toddled over to him, shooting terrified looks at the woman behind her. What had she done to the little girl? It was almost enough to make him pull the trigger right then and there. Only the fact that it would add to Hadley’s trauma stayed his hand. He picked the toddler up and stood. “We’re leaving now. I highly suggest you stay in this room.”
Cillian backed out the door. Liam must have come back around, because he was at his side instantly. “Your woman was hit?”
“Yeah.” He wanted to pass Hadley over and be the one to pick up Olivia, if only to comfort himself with the fact that she was going to be okay, but Hadley had a death grip on his neck. She’s terrified and you’re the only person in this room she knows. He cuddled her close, trying to comfort her while he focused on the situation at hand. “Her back. We need to get her out of here now, before someone comes to investigate.”
“On it.” Liam pulled out his phone and gave terse orders to whoever was on the other line. Then he went to his knees next to Olivia and carefully prodded her. “Bullet took a chunk out of her back, but it was a graze. Nothing vital hit.”
He released the breath he hadn’t realized he was holding. “Let’s get out of this fucking hellhole.”
“Yes, sir.” He picked Olivia up carefully and led the way out of the house. Their train of vehicles now idled at the curb directly outside.
Liam glanced back. “The little one isn’t going to be letting go of you anytime soon.”
Considering the shakes rocking her tiny body, he didn’t want to risk traumatizing her further by forcing her to do anything other than bury her face in his neck. It was only because she was clinging to him so tightly that she hadn’t seen Olivia yet. A small favor, but he couldn’t drive and hold Hadley and sit with Olivia at the same time. Cillian nodded. “Put her in the backseat and drive.”
He moved around the back of the car and got into the other side. Keeping a hand on the back of Hadley’s head, he accepted the towel Liam had gotten out of the trunk. Between the two of them, they got it folded and propped behind Olivia, and then buckled her in. He didn’t like how pale she was, but they didn’t have much in the way of an alternative. Right now the main goal was to get the hell out of Dodge.
So he sat back and stroked Hadley’s hair and back until her little sobs abated. He kept checking Olivia, but her breathing was steady and so was her pulse. Nothing you can do. “Have Doc Jones ready for us.”
“She’s meeting us halfway.”
Smart. He glanced down to find that Hadley had fallen asleep, her tiny fists clenched in his shirt. Aside from being scared out of her mind, she didn’t seem to be injured, but that would have to be confirmed by the doctor, too. Either way, both she and her mama would recover.
And then what?
That was the question, wasn’t it?
The threat of Sergei had been effectively removed, but there was still Dmitri to think about. He wasn’t the type of man to take defeat lying down, and the O’Malleys had one-upped him twice now—three times if Cillian did what his father had asked of him. Dmitri would be coming, and he’d be coming for blood. That need for vengeance might encompass Olivia, or it might not—there was no way to tell until the hit came.
As long as she stayed with him, she was potentially in danger. He looked out the window, every fiber of his being trying to reject that truth, to find a way for them to be together that wouldn’t put her at risk.
There wasn’t one.
Even if he left with her, the full force of his father’s wrath would follow them, and then they’d have twice the enemies to dodge. Those weren’t great odds, not with the amount of money and power both the Romanovs and O’Malleys could bring to the table. She’d have a better chance of disappearing if it was just her and Hadley.
Fuck.
He didn’t want her to go. They’d only known each other a few weeks, but she’d completely rocked his worldview in that short amount of time. He couldn’t imagine his life without her in it.
You have to. For her. For Hadley. To do anything else is unforgivable.
Olivia stirred, her eyes flying open and a gasp on her lips. “Hadley!”
“I’ve got her.” He gently pressed on her shoulder to keep her from lurching forward. “We’re safe. Sergei’s gone. How do you feel?”
“That’s a stupid question.” She touched her throat and winced. Then her gaze landed on Hadley, and the sheer love there rocked him. What would it be like if she looked at me that way? He shut it down before it could take root. He’d already come to terms—as much as he ever would—that Olivia couldn’t be his. Torturing himself with what-if questions wasn’t going to do anything but make her inevitable leaving worse.
He passed over the sleeping toddler. “Careful. You took a few hits back there.”
“It was worth it.” She kissed Hadley’s head and closed her eyes. “We’re going back to Boston?”
“Yeah.” For now. He had to sit her down and talk about the escape plan he’d worked into place with the help of Teague, but now wasn’t the time. For one, Liam could hear everything they said. The man might be loyal to a fault, but he was loyal to the O’Malleys—not Cillian, and definitely not Olivia. He needed as few threads connecting her new life with her old one, which meant the fewer people who knew about it, the better.
“Good.” She reached over and took his hand without opening her eyes. “I haven’t said ‘thank you’ yet. So thank you.”
“Don’t thank me. I’m part of the reason this happened.”
“No.” She pinned him with a look. “You have plenty of guilt to carry around, deserved or not. You don’t get this, too. I knew what the risks were every step of the way, and even I didn’t see Sergei doing what he did. If you want to blame someone, blame him.” Her voice dropped. “You saved me, Cillian. Don’t take that away from either of us.”
It was too easy to step back into that room and see everything going down as if in slow motion. Sergei had been a big guy, but he looked even larger towering over her. Cillian shook his head, wishing he could shake the memory as easily. He was going to have nightmares for the rest of his life about what would have happened if he hadn’t gotten there in time. He squeezed her hand. “Try to rest. We’re meeting Doc Jones to get you and Hadley checked out.” Then he’d talk to her about the next step.
“Doc Jones. You spoil me.”
Despite everything, he grinned. “I remembered how much you liked her last time.”
“Smart-ass.” She gave a small smile and closed her eyes. This time, she didn’t open them again. He held her hand and listened to her breathe, and tried to tell himself that losing her was worth it as long as he knew she was alive and well in the world.
*
“You two are nothing but trouble.”
Olivia winced as Doc Jones tightened the bandage wrapped around her chest. The bullet had taken out a chunk of flesh, but it hadn’t so much as chipped a bone. And her throat was horribly bruised, but nothing seemed to be broken there, either. She had a few stitches and would have to be careful lifting Hadley for a little while, but it could have been so much worse.
She held her breath while the doctor looked over Hadley, her gruff demeanor changing into something much softer. It felt like forever, but it was only a few minutes later that she looked up. “She’s still shaken and scared out of her mind, but aside from a few bruises, she’s physically fine. The best thing for her is going to be getting back into some kind of routine. Expect nightmares. They’ll pass, though.” Her blue eyes hardened. “The bastard that did this is dead?”
Cillian nodded. “Yeah.”
“Good. I can’t abide monsters who hurt kids.” She pushed to her feet, and pinned Olivia with a look. “Those stitches will have to be taken out, so make sure you either call me or go to your normal doctor. If you don’t, it’s going to be a mess, and there’s no damn reason for it.”
“Okay.”
She crossed her arms over her chest. “If that’s all you need?”
“Yeah. Thanks, Doc.” He stood and walked her to the door. Hadley looked up as he came back, and lifted her arms in a clear demand for him to pick her up. Cillian didn’t hesitate, tucking her against his side and rubbing her back as if it was the most natural thing in the world. He came to sit down next to Olivia. “What a day.”
“You can say that again.” She leaned her head against his shoulder. “I never thought I could be so tired.”
He tensed, which didn’t make any sense. “I’m going to send most of the men home and get us a hotel. You two need to rest, and another three hours of driving isn’t going to accomplish that.”
There was something off in his voice, but when she looked at his face, he gave her nothing. Olivia frowned, but he had a point. She was exhausted. They all were. A full night’s sleep might be just what they needed, and then they could start fresh in the morning. “Okay.”
He passed over Hadley. “Give me a few to arrange everything.”
She held her daughter tightly, and watched him walk away, unable to shake the feeling that she was missing something vitally important. Get a grip. He just killed a man. That’s enough to shake up anyone. The explanation should have made her feel better, but it didn’t.
The feeling only got worse as he drove them to a hotel and got them checked in. All the while, he wouldn’t quite look at her. Maybe he blames me for getting him into this mess. Can’t hate him for that. But it hurt to think that he wouldn’t look at her like she was something special again.
That he might never love her like she loved him.
Hadley had fallen asleep again, no doubt exhausted from her trauma, so Olivia tucked her in. At some point she’d be able to walk out of the room without fearing that Hadley wouldn’t be there when she got back, but that day wasn’t today or any day in the near future. It was hard enough to use the bathroom, even knowing Cillian was sitting on the opposite bed, in plain view of her daughter. It’s over now. Hadley’s safe and you’re safe and he’s safe, and Sergei is gone for good. You couldn’t have a better result than that.
So why did she feel like the other boot was about to drop?
She came back into the room to find Cillian looking out the window. “Are you going to tell me what’s going on, or do I have to guess?”
He turned, a manila envelope in his hands. Without a word, he handed it to her. She tore it open and dumped the contents onto the bed. Passports, birth certificates, social security cards—two of each—a driver’s license, and a truly impressive wad of cash. “What—?” But even as she asked, she knew. “I told you I didn’t want this.”
“That was before.” He scrubbed a hand over his face. “I can’t keep you safe, not completely. Fuck, Olivia, you have no idea how much I wish I could. But if the past few days are any indication…I can’t let something happen to you because I was too selfish to let you go.”
A week ago she might have taken the documents and run as fast and far as she could. But…so much had changed since then. She tried to focus on his words and not the fact that he seemed to be shoving her and Hadley out the door as fast as he could. A knee-jerk reaction wasn’t going to do either of them any favors. “Selfish.”
If anything, he got more agitated. Cillian laughed harshly. “Karma is a serious bitch, because that’s the only way to explain that the one woman I fall head over heels in love with is the one I have to let go in order to keep her safe. I couldn’t deal with it if something happened to either one of you because I tried to find a way to let you stay, and failed.” He paced from one end of the room to the other. “Fuck, what am I saying? You want to go. So that makes me even more of an ass for wanting you to stay.”
“Cillian, stop.” She crossed to him and put her hands on his shoulders. “That was a seriously impressive monologue, but how about you let me get a word in edgewise?”
“What else is there to say?”
“Oh, I don’t know. You can start by asking me what I want.”
He looked down at her, agony and love written all over his face. “What do you want, sweetheart? Tell me and I’ll do my damnedest to make it happen.”
Her heart lurched in her chest. She’d run before. It hadn’t been far or fast enough, but those weren’t the deciding factors. The truth was that fleeing her problems wasn’t a good way to deal with them. She might hold them off for months, or even years, but in the end they’d find her. And she’d have to deal with them alone.
Or she could take a different path.
Cillian wasn’t Dmitri. Every step of the way, he’d done what he could to put her before his family. He’d fight tooth and nail to keep her and Hadley safe—to keep them out of the line of fire. What was more, Olivia couldn’t imagine her life without him in it. She didn’t want to.
“I love you.” She wanted to hug him, but she needed him to see the truth on her face. “I never planned on it, and I still can’t quite wrap my mind around it, but I love you so much it hurts.”
“That would be the injuries Sergei gave you.”
She smacked his shoulder. “I spent my entire life learning that I could only depend on myself, and then you’ve come along and shot that all to hell. You’ve been there when I needed you—when we needed you. I know I’m not exactly undamaged goods—”
“Olivia, stop.” There was something terrifyingly like hope on his face. “What are you saying?”
“I’m saying I choose you. I know Dmitri is still a potential threat, but I’ve dealt with him up to this point, and I’ll keep on doing it—if you’re willing to hook up with the half sister of a Romanov.”
“Sweetheart, if you stay, I’m going to make damn sure that bastard can never get to you.” His expression turned to one of concentration. “In fact…” He pulled out his phone and dialed. He was close enough to her that she heard a familiar Russian voice pick up the other line.
“Da?”
“Romanov.” Cillian met her gaze, his voice cold. “I have a proposition for you, and don’t make the mistake of thinking it’s optional.”
“Cillian O’Malley. Such a pleasure to hear from you once more.” A pause. “I’m listening.”
“You will leave Olivia alone. She wants no part of the Romanov name, no matter what your father willed. In exchange, I’m willing to offer that the O’Malley family will let go of the fact that you tried to undermine us.”
A longer pause. “And if I choose to turn down this less-than-beneficial agreement?”
“War.” Cillian’s gaze turned contemplative. “I happen to know that you haven’t magically found a wife in the last six months since my sister very publically chose an enemy to her family over you. That made some of your business partners a little nervous, didn’t it?” The silence on the other end was confirmation enough. Cillian snorted. “Yeah, I thought so. You can’t afford a war right now and you damn well know it.”
Dmitri’s silky laugh made the small hair on the back of her neck stand on end. “While you’re not completely incorrect, I have a counteroffer.”
“And what’s that?”
“I am prepared to let my darling sister settle in with you—which is what I assume you’re planning, otherwise you wouldn’t be calling me—in exchange for two concessions.”
Of course he couldn’t just take what Cillian was offering. Olivia didn’t even know if Cillian had the authority to make that threat in the first place, but if he said they would go to war over her, she believed him. And he was right—war wasn’t something Dmitri could afford right now, not with him only having full control over the Romanovs for less than two years. Her heart beat harder. This could actually work.
Cillian frowned. “What concessions?”
“You, Cillian O’Malley, will owe me a favor. It will not in any way undermine your loyalty to your family, but other than that, it is a free favor that I can call due at my convenience.”
No.
“Deal.” Cillian didn’t look at her. “And the other?”
“I would like to see my niece a few times a year.” His voice warmed to just this side of freezing. “I know you’re listening, Olivia. No threats. No bargaining. No underhanded maneuvering. But I will come to Boston and I will see Hadley for a few hours on an arranged date.”
No. She took a deep breath and stamped down on her initial knee-jerk reaction. Cillian was still watching her, waiting for her answer. She held out her hand for the phone and he passed it over. “Why?”
“She’s family.” Such a simple answer, and yet incomparably complicated.
Olivia took a deep breath. “If I agree to this, I can call off these visits at any point without repercussions from you or anyone associated with the Romanovs.”
“Only if I violate my part of that agreement.”
No threats. No bargaining. No underhanded maneuvering. She didn’t like it. She had a feeling he was going to be holding that position in the Romanov family for her daughter as a way to keep his word to Andrei. But…She took a deep breath. There would come a time when Hadley would have to know about her history. Andrei waited until it was too late to try to start a relationship with Olivia. Was she any better than he was if she denied Hadley a chance to know her uncle—especially if he was earnest in his intentions?
She thought hard, trying to see this from all angles. The thought of leaving Dmitri in the rearview forever was an intoxicating one, but she couldn’t expect to stay in Boston without some kind of agreement in place. This was as fair as it was going to get. “I will be there for every second of the time you spend with her. I want your word that your intentions are true.” It wasn’t a foolproof guarantee, but it was as close to one as she’d get.
“You have it.”
She released her pent-up breath in a rush. “Okay.”
“Good-bye, Olivia.”
“Good-bye, Dmitri.”
She hung up the phone and passed it back, hardly daring to believe it. “He’s not going to try to force me to come back. He gave his word.” A smile pulled at the edges of her lip, and she let loose a giddy laugh. “I can’t believe it.”
“You didn’t have to agree to let him see Hadley. We could have found a different way.”
She didn’t think so. But, beyond that, her gut said that Dmitri wasn’t making a power play with that request. “He’s alone, Cillian. Andrei is gone. His mother passed away when he was in high school. Hadley and I are the closest thing to family he has, and while that wasn’t enough to stop him from playing dirty to try and bring us back into the fold, he realizes that this is the only way to fulfill his promise to our father.” And she had his word. It was as close to a sure thing as there was in this world.
She laid her head on Cillian’s shoulder. “I don’t know what the future will bring, but I do know that I want you in my life in a permanent way. The rest will figure itself out.”
“I love you so fucking much, it blows my mind.”
She lifted her head so she could see his face. “Then kiss me, Cillian O’Malley. We won today, and we’re safe. Tomorrow will figure itself out.”