She’d finally stopped crying, but he could tell she was carrying the weight of guilt when it just wasn’t necessary. Whether Jean-Luc acted for the right reasons or not, he’d still crossed a line by kicking him out the way he did, and by trying to control Lianna’s life when he didn’t actually know a thing about her.
Berating the memory of a dead man wasn’t going to help her though, and so David had just pulled Lianna into his lap and held her while she sulked in silence, both of them staring out the windows at the little flower garden. In one of her brief talkative moments, Lianna had told him that Cécile and Jean-Luc had planted the garden together. Then she’d started crying again as she explained that he didn’t plant them, because Cécile told him he had a black thumb. Apparently, he’d shared the information on one of their days at the house before Jean-Luc had gone outside to work in the garden with his wife. It was something so normal and domestic, and it may have been the last time the two were out there.
Even if he had a long list of reasons not to like the man, David could understand the sadness in that memory. It was probably why they were the only ones in this room — none of Jean-Luc’s family wanted to stare at the flowers.
A knock against the doorway had them both turning to look at it, finding Rémi hovering in the doorway. “May I come in?”
“Of course,” Lianna answered him, shifting off David’s lap to sit beside him on the couch. Rémi looked somber as he approached them, his gaze lingering on the windows for a moment before he took a seat in the chair closer to Lianna.
“I brought you some things,” he said, holding out a bundle in his hands, which David quickly recognized as his wallet and phone. “I found them in my father’s desk. I’m assuming he kept them when he sent you away.”
“Ah, thanks,” David replied, as Lianna passed them to him. “I was hoping my wallet hadn’t been tossed in the fireplace.”
Shrugging, Rémi sighed and leaned forward, bracing his elbows on his knees. He looked like he had the weight of the world on his shoulders, and even though he was only a few years older than David, he seemed like he’d aged ten years during the past week. Rubbing at his forehead, Rémi raised his gaze to meet David’s. “I won’t apologize for what my father did. He didn’t tell me the entire story, and it’s honestly none of my business, but from what my dad shared about your history... I don’t know if I would’ve responded any differently.”
Shit. David’s stomach turned, and then Lianna reached over to intertwine their fingers, squeezing his hand in an unspoken move of solidarity. Rémi huffed out a quiet laugh when he saw it, shaking his head a bit as he sat up straight.
“Like I said, it’s really none of my business. I do think my dad saw the error of his ways after Lianna left. Not in his opinion of your history, but in how he handled it with both of you.” Rémi looked at Lianna with a sad smile. “He wanted you to come back very badly. I think you being here would make him very happy, despite the circumstances.”
“I wish I’d left him differently,” Lianna whispered, sniffling. “I was angry, but I could have been more... reasonable. I could have at least listened to his side of things before I left, and maybe if I’d explained what I saw with Marc I could have—”
“There’s no use speaking in ‘what ifs,’ Lianna. You reacted with your heart, and I know my dad understood that. He was guilty of thinking with his heart often.”
Nodding, she was quiet for a long moment before she squeezed his hand a little harder. “I just have to say one ‘what if.’ I really think my life would have been very different if I’d known someone like Jean-Luc my whole life. If I’d known all of you… grown up around you. I don’t think I would have been so lonely, and maybe he could have stopped my father before he hurt so many people.”
“Well, I can tell you that my father wished he’d known you longer as well. We all feel the same way about you, and your invitation here is a permanent one. You will always be welcome, and I hope you’ll come back.” Rémi took a deep breath, looking David in the eye for a moment before he glanced back at Lianna. “And… I am sorry for accusing you. Everything seems so clear in hindsight. However, my uncle was very convincing that you had done this, using your father’s connections.” Shaking his head, he leaned back in the chair. “But part of me never believed it. I should have looked at him harder.”
“I’m grateful you trusted me as much as you did. You could have just reacted, and it would have made sense because you were in pain, and while I know we don’t know each other well—”
“But I hope we will,” Rémi interrupted, smiling a bit. “You are family, Lianna, and I hope you’ll stay through the funeral. My father would be comforted to have you at his graveside, finally with your family.”
Lianna glanced at David, but he knew she needed to do it. She needed the closure. So, he squeezed her hand, giving her silent permission, or at least silently promising he wouldn’t be a dick about it, and she smiled at him before she turned back to Rémi. “I’d be honored to attend the funeral. We both would.”
“Thank you, both of you,” Rémi said, standing up and waving at one of the goons in the hall. “I just have one more thing that Lianna left behind.”
The guard carried in the gift bag from her birthday, and David hadn’t even realized Lianna had left the bracelet behind. It was just one more way she’d chosen him over everything else, but he didn’t need her to choose that again.
“Thank you.” David nodded, accepting the bag, and Lianna looked at him in surprise. “It’s an heirloom.”
“That’s right,” Rémi agreed. “We really did discuss what of our grandmother’s jewelry would fit you, and everyone agreed on the bracelet. If you’d like, I can hold onto the stocking for Christmas?”
Lianna glanced at him again, smiling before she faced her cousin. “That sounds wonderful.”
Taking the stocking back from him, Rémi held it in his hands, nodding at them both. “You can stay as long as you like, I hope you know that. You’ll both always have a home here.”
“We appreciate the offer, but after we lay Jean-Luc to rest… I think we need to go home to our family for a while.” Looking over at him, Lianna smiled and warmth spread in his chest as she called Harry her family. “Because I want to get to know them too.”
“That sounds like a good plan, angel,” he replied softly, and she leaned over to press a quick kiss to his lips before she faced Rémi again.
“I still have more things to handle, but I’ll have the staff prepare a room for you both.” Rémi took a few steps to the door before he paused, chuckling a little. “And, David?”
“Yeah?” He looked over at the man, seeing a glimpse of the guy he’d gone four-wheeling with in the half-smile he wore.
“I’ve still got that suit if you need to borrow it... since you didn’t bust the seams on it last time.”
Laughing under his breath, David nodded. “I think I’ll take you up on that.”
Twenty-Four
Lianna
Two Weeks Later
“Dylan, take that out of your mouth!” Claire said, giving an apologetic smile before she rushed out of her seat. Lianna watched Tommy’s wife chase down their two-year-old, scoop him up, and fearlessly reach into his mouth to pull out a Lego before she set him down beside his brother again and leaned down to talk to them.
“I swear, seeing how wild their kids are has me nervous about having our own.” Jessica shook her head, laughing a little as she faced Lianna again and picked up her iced tea to take a sip. “So, I have to ask. How long have you and David been seeing each other?”
“Um, almost a year?” she answered, and the realization surprised her. Time had flown by with everything going on, but it was already November, and January was just around the corner, which would be a year. Not that him abducting her from her father’s penthouse was really an anniversary worth celebrating.
“Well, you guys look good together,” Jessica said, leaning back in her seat as she shrugged. “
And he seems really happy. I’ve only met him a few times since Liam and I got together, but he was always so... serious. Had that whole tall, dark, and brooding thing down to a science.”
Lianna laughed. “You’re right about that. He’s still got it down to a science, by the way.”
“Who has what down to a science?” Claire asked, dropping back into her seat. “Sorry, I swear if they act up again, I’ll send them to go harass their dad.”
“It’s okay.” Toying with the strap on her purse, Lianna took a breath, because she’d known this line of conversation would happen at some point. “I was just answering some questions about me and David.”
“Oh, yessss.” Claire clapped her hands together, leaning forward with a big smile. “I have to hear about this, because I was pretty sure David would be a permanent bachelor.”
“They’ve already been together a year,” Jessica filled in, and Lianna felt a blush rising in her cheeks.
“Wait, how haven’t we seen you before now?” Claire asked, before shaking her head and reaching over to pat Lianna’s leg. “Never mind. I’m sure that wasn’t your decision. He probably didn’t even tell you about the guys, even though they’re basically brothers.”
“Yeah… I didn’t really know about them until David started working for Harry, but this is the first time I’ve met them.”
“Well, don’t feel bad about it. They’ve got some secret cabal when it comes to David,” Claire continued. “I mean, the guys have always been close to David — they practically grew up together from what I understand — but that guy doesn’t let anyone into his private life. I’ve been with Tommy since I was twenty-one, and after nine years I probably still couldn’t fill a page with information about him.”
“That doesn’t surprise me,” Lianna replied, hiding her awkward smile by drinking some of the iced tea Harry’s wife had made. She just... couldn’t quite remember the woman’s name. There were a lot more McConnells than she’d expected to be around at once... or maybe it was just having so many people in such a small space. Lianna was still trying to get everyone straight, but the two wives had been talking to her for a while now in the front room of Harry’s house and so she felt solid on their names, and the names of Claire’s two kids — mostly because of how often Claire had to shout them.
Now, she just needed to memorize faces and names for everyone else, including the three McConnell brothers. The family wasn’t really that complicated, Lianna just felt overwhelmed by it — which had to be exactly how David felt in France, so... she didn’t really have room to complain. But she was trying a lot harder to learn everyone’s names and connections than David had.
So far, she’d learned that Claire was married to the oldest McConnell, Tommy, and they had the two kids currently sitting on the floor with a massive bin of Legos. Both were incredibly cute, but extremely mischievous toddlers and Claire had already missed half the conversation chasing them, changing them, bringing them back into the room, and doing a hundred other mom things that made Lianna tired just thinking about it. Jessica had kept her company though, and she was pretty hilarious, which worked out well since she was married to the middle McConnell, Liam, who was apparently a constant joker.
Not that Lianna actually knew how Liam or Tommy acted. They’d introduced themselves when she and David arrived, and then quickly dragged David into the living room to watch a football game, which was where all the guys still were — laughing and cheering and shouting at the TV, and each other, in equal measure. Today was supposed to be about her getting to know the McConnell clan, but she had no idea how she was supposed to get to know everyone if the women and men sat in separate rooms the whole time.
“So, this might be a weird question, but is this... normal? The guys in one room and us in another?” she finally asked, and the two women laughed.
“Not at all. Normally we’d be in there, and Jessica would be shouting at the TV more than any of the guys.”
“I like football!” Jessica rolled her eyes. “Claire is just annoyed because Tommy never pays attention to the boys when football is on the screen.”
“Did you see Dylan try to eat a freaking Lego? He’s two, which means he’s pretty much constantly trying to kill himself or following his brother around to figure out how Connor is trying to kill himself so that he can join in!” Groaning, Claire threw her hands up. “If I could tie them to him, I absolutely would.”
“They do have those leashes for kids,” Jessica suggested, and the visual had all three of them laughing.
“There’s your Christmas idea, Jess. Get us some leashes for the boys!”
“Wait, wait, we were talking about Lianna and David,” Jessica said, leaning forward. “I have to know—”
“What were you saying about me?” David asked from behind her, and Lianna twisted in her seat to look up at him as he lifted his eyebrows at them.
“Only good things, baby,” she answered, winking at him.
“Actually, I was just telling Lianna that it’s basically a miracle you brought her here since you’ve always tried to be so mysterious and private,” Jessica corrected, and Lianna turned to stare at her, eyes wide before she couldn’t hold back the laugh.
“Oh, really?” David said as he stepped into the room to rest his hand on the back of her neck. He slipped his fingers under her hair to squeeze the tense muscles, massaging her neck, which had her sighing in relief.
“You don’t get to act surprised, David. I’ve been with Tommy for years, and you’re always quiet if we’re around!” Claire added. “But I know you and the guys mess around and talk whenever we’re out of the room or not there. I’m just glad Lianna was finally able to crack open that silent mystery man thing you’ve had going for so long.”
“I called it brooding,” Jessica said, and Claire snapped her fingers.
“Yes! Brooding, that’s the right word.”
“Am I brooding?” David asked, leaning over her to catch her eyes, and she tried to bite back her grin, but she failed miserably.
“Well...” Lianna tilted her head a little before she nodded. “Yeah, baby, you are, but you’re very handsome when you do it.”
“At least I’ve got that going for me,” he mumbled, leaning down to press a kiss to her lips before he stood up to look at the girls. “Sorry if I’ve been an asshole to you guys. I’m working on it.”
“Language,” Claire groaned, glancing over at her kids to see if they’d heard.
“And that is why I tend to keep my mouth shut,” David replied, and Lianna looked up at him as that lopsided smile lit up his face. He looked so... relaxed. Happy. And it was strange in the very best way.
Reaching up, she pulled his hand away from her neck to hold it. “Did you come in here because you missed me?”
“The guys are busting my ba—” He caught himself, glancing over at the kids before he continued. “They’re busting me over hiding you from them. Apparently, Sean and Tommy have a bet right now that I hired you to pretend to be my girlfriend.”
“And you want me to go and convince them otherwise?” she asked, grinning.
“I’m surprised Liam didn’t get in on that action.” Jessica waved an arm at Lianna, laughing. “Because she’s gorgeous.”
Heat took over her cheeks as the blush burned higher, and David rescued her by pulling her to her feet. He slipped his arm around her waist and said, “And that is exactly why I’m going to bring her back in there, so they shut up and I get my fifty bucks.”
“Tommy can be such an idiot,” Claire muttered. “He only made that bet to screw with you, David, but we should head in there anyway. See if Shannon needs any help with lunch.” Claire stood up, moving over to the kids, and Jessica shooed Lianna out of the room.
“Go ahead, I’m gonna help her clean up. We’ll be there in a minute.”
“Okay.” Glancing up at David as he led her down the short hall to the living room, she whispered, “Did they really make a bet?”
“They’re i
diots, so yes, they did.” He paused at the end of the hall, holding onto her waist. “You doing okay?”
“The girls are really nice. Everyone has been super nice. I just wish I knew more about them.” Wrapping her arms around him, she let him move her back against the wall as she tried to figure out how to ask the question on her mind. “Why... didn’t you tell me that you guys grew up together?”
“I told you I’d known them since we were kids.”
“That’s different. Claire said they’re like your brothers.”
David sighed, reaching up to push a hand through his dark hair. “Yeah, they’ve always been that way... I just didn’t recognize it.”
“What do you mean?” she asked, keeping her voice quiet.
“Let’s talk about it later, angel.” David turned toward the living room, but she pulled him back.
“Come on, you’re throwing me in the deep end here, and I can see how important Harry and his family are to you.” Hooking her fingers through his belt loops, she tugged him closer. “Give me a little insight, please?”
“Harry used to pick me up and bring me here when things got bad with my dad. Like if the bills didn’t get paid or there wasn’t food in the house.” David shrugged like the confession wasn’t a big deal. “I liked hanging out with the guys, but...”
“But?” she pressed, and he looked down at her, his intense gaze narrowing for a moment before he shook his head.
“I just felt like a charity case, okay? Once I got old enough to make money on my own, I pulled away from them, and Harry. Before I started working for him again, I hadn’t seen them since Liam’s wedding. Before that? I think I only saw them a few times after Tommy’s wedding. I haven’t been a good friend to them, and I definitely haven’t been like a brother in a long time.” David leaned his forehead against hers, his voice almost too soft to hear. “I had a lot on my mind the last few years... specifically you.”
Redemption (A Dark Romance) (Fragile Ties Book 3) Page 23