I’m still overwhelmed, in shock, and not completely sure what’s happening around me. Sean has been gone nearly a month, and it seems we haven’t stopped to take a breath since that afternoon.
Business, business, business.
At first, it was all about letting the other organizations know that Deklan was in charge. Apparently, this was a relief to many of the local crime lords who had dealt with Sean. Everyone seems glad he is gone, and more opportunities keep coming out of the woodwork on a daily basis.
We relocated to the Foley mansion.
Deklan was hesitant, but Teagan can be even more stubborn than my husband. He caved when Teagan threatened to sell the place, and we moved in the next day. The bedroom is larger than our apartment, and there’s a fireplace in it. I had gotten so used to living simply; I’m not sure what to do with the extravagance all around me.
I suppose I got used to life without it, and I’ll get used to living with it as well. All in good time.
Brian married Lauren, the former prostitute whose pimp was mysteriously murdered months ago. They’re still on their honeymoon in Las Vegas, which I thought was pretty appropriate. Deklan paid for the expenses and gave Brian a bonus to go blow on blackjack tables.
It has been hectic, to say the least, and I’m not sure if I can cope with one more thing as I sit in the ginormous master bathroom and stare at a small white stick with a seemingly large pink plus sign on its display.
I swallow hard. I don’t know if I should laugh or cry.
“Babe? You ready?”
“Just a sec!” I call back to my husband, who is already dressed and ready for dinner. It’s our six-month anniversary, and I can’t believe everything that has happened in such a short time.
I have no idea how he’s going to take my little bombshell.
“What’s going on in your head?” Deklan asks quietly as he leans across the restaurant table and takes my hand in his. “You seem rather distracted.”
I shrug, unable to meet his gaze. If I look at him, I’m sure he’ll know. I don’t know how he will know, but he will. I decide on a subject change instead.
“What ever happened to Charlie Grange?” I ask. “I never saw him after…after that day.”
“That’s what’s on your mind?” Deklan leans back and scowls. “He’s never going to bother you again, that’s for sure. Did you really think I would let him just walk after all that?”
“So, he’s dead?” I ask quietly. Deklan’s blank stare tells me that he is.
“That’s not really what’s bothering you,” Deklan says. He leans forward again and sips from his wine glass. “Out with it.”
I glance at him through my lashes. He has that ominous stare on his face which means he’s not going to let me distract him. I could probably offer to let him fuck me in the bathroom of the expensive restaurant, and he would still demand an answer first.
“I took a test before we left,” I say quietly.
“A test? What are you doing, learning another language?” He chuckles.
“No, I, um…” I stop and look away for a moment, hoping to catch the server’s eye to refill my water glass or order dessert or something, but he’s nowhere to be found. Deklan is still staring at me intently, impatiently waiting for my answer. “I took a different kind of test. It was a, um, a pregnancy test.”
Deklan’s hand seems to freeze in midair with the wine glass halfway up to his open mouth. He blinks a few times, clears his throat, and sets the wine glass back on the table.
“You’re pregnant?” he says in a nearly inaudible whisper.
I suck my lower lip behind my teeth and nod.
“Like, with a baby?”
“Is there another kind of pregnant I should know about?” I can’t help it—I giggle. “Yes, with a baby.”
“That’s why you haven’t touched your wine.”
“Yeah.”
“Shit!” Deklan’s eyes go wide as he pushes his own wine glass away from himself, nearly toppling it onto the white linen tablecloth. “I shouldn’t be drinking either! Alcohol can do shit to your sperm!”
He looks positively horrified, and I can’t stop my giggles from turning into a loud laugh.
“It’s too late to worry about that, you dork! It’s already done!”
“Oh, yeah.” Deklan blows out a huge sigh of relief and shakes his head to clear it. “Good, because I really need another glass now.”
“Are you mad?” He seems so shocked, I really can’t tell.
“Mad? Jesus, no!” His eyes sparkle as he says the words, and he gives me a goofy grin. “I’m fucking ecstatic!”
“Oh, good!” I smile, and Deklan reaches over the table again to squeeze my hand.
“When?” he asks. “I mean, how far along are you?”
“I’m not sure,” I say. “I think maybe two or three months. With everything else that’s been going on, I haven’t really kept track. I’ll have to go see a doctor to find out.”
“But you’re sure?”
“Positive.” I giggle again. “I can show you the plus sign on the test if you like.”
“Well, shit,” Deklan says. “That trumps my plan.”
“What plan?”
“There was something I wanted to ask you.” He looks me in the eye with that silly grin still on his face.
“What’s that?”
Deklan gets quiet for a moment, and the grin disappears. His shoulders rise and fall with a deep breath before he looks at me again.
“You told me I should do this,” Deklan says softly. “You said I should take over the business at Teagan’s request and lead this organization. I never wanted it, though I will do it, but Kera—I can’t do it alone.”
“You won’t be alone,” I say. “Teagan and Brian are behind you one hundred percent.”
“I don’t mean them, Kera. I want you to be a part of it, too.”
“I’m doing the books.” I’m confused, and I’m not sure what he’s getting at.
“I want you to be a bigger part of it,” Deklan says. “You’re awesome with the books, but we can hire someone to do that. I need you at my side, helping me make the right decisions. I need you to run this organization with me, babe. I promise you’ll never be bored again.”
I stare at my husband and think about his words. Did I want to help him lead an entire crime organization, whatever that might entail? Did I want to know all the gritty details of what, before, has always happened outside of my earshot? Could I handle what Deklan does when I’m not looking?
I think about the bloody shirt I found in the bathroom trash shortly after we were married and about everything that has happened since that day. I think about how I feel when Deklan goes off without me and how much more comfortable I am in his presence, no matter what is being discussed. Could I do this? Did I want to?
Yes. Yes, I can, and I do.
“Yes, Deklan,” I say with confidence. “I’ll help you.”
“Good.” Deklan’s smile returns, and I swear he blushes slightly as he looks away from me. “I have something for you.”
He reaches into his pants pocket and pulls something out. He holds whatever it is between his hands so I can’t see it.
“Ever since you brought up that bit about Sean buying that ring, I haven’t been able to get it out of my mind. We didn’t start this right, and I want to fix it.”
I gasp as Deklan moves one hand and opens a small, blue box containing a platinum and diamond ring. It looks nothing like the one Sean picked out. It is absolutely beautiful.
“I want a real Catholic wedding in a church with a priest. I want you to wear the ring I picked out for you. I want to marry you because I love you, and I want you to agree because you love me and because you want it, not because you are forced into it. I want to put how all of this started behind us and begin all over again.”
“No more secrets. No more lies. We work together—always.” I look at him as I repeat what has become our mantra.
Deklan stands up from the table and moves in front of me. He drops down on one knee and holds the box out as he squares his shoulders. He reaches for my hand, and for a moment, he stares down at my wrist as he rubs his thumb against it.
“Will you marry me again, Kera?” Deklan looks up at me in earnest. “Please?”
My eyes burn as I reach out and touch his hand. By the time I answer, tears are streaming down my face.
“Yes, Deklan. I will most certainly marry you again.”
He slips the other ring off my finger and replaces it with the one he bought. I can’t stop crying as I wrap my arms around his neck, and he nearly pulls me out of my chair as he returns the embrace.
Everyone in the restaurant begins to cheer.