I hadn’t thought of the auction house since taking Gabby away from it. While I wasn’t usually sappy about things that elicited bad feelings, it had brought her to me and held some sentiment.
Nevertheless, a deal was a deal.
“You can swing by my office tomorrow afternoon. I’ll have the paperwork ready to be signed.”
Tiberius didn’t smile, a fact that made me like him all the more. But he nodded once more and offered me his hand again.
“I really am happy for you and Gabrielle,” he said solemnly. “She didn’t deserve the things that happened to her. Not even the death of her family.”
Little did he know that their deaths — except for David’s — had made little, to no impact on her. She had buried each of them in the family plot, left David’s body to the city, and took claim of the Thornton fortune before the end of the week.
“I think I earned it,” she’d said when signing the paperwork declaring her the sole successor.
The manor was sold with every piece of furniture still inside. We never went back, not once and that suited us both. The place was crawling with memories neither of us wanted to visit. The money from the sale was divided and anonymously donated to several organizations and shelters for abused women and children. It was the only way we could think of where the Thornton family could actually make up for some of their past cruelties in life.
But to the man standing before me, I simply nodded and mumbled a thanks.
“Kieran?” Tiberius stopped me before I could walk away. “Does she know what you did for her?”
Muscles going rigid I pivoted on one heel and glowered at him. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
There wasn’t malice or humor on his face to suggest he was trying to get to me, but it didn’t appease my nerves.
“I have many friends.” He pushed to his feet. “In many high and low places.” He took another step closer and lowered his voice. “I know what you did. I know about the nurse you paid a small fortune to inject David with an empty syringe. I know he suffered horribly. I know you did it for her, and I don’t blame you. I would have done the same if given the choice between Lady and the monster hurting her. I would have done worse. I have.” His gray eyes glimmered in the bright afternoon. “It’s our job as men to protect our women, our family. It’s a trait as old as time. We hunt, kill, and provide.” He paused to peer past me to where she sat, alone now. I hadn’t seen Mother leave the table, but her chair was empty. “He needed to pay for what he did, and he needed to be stopped.”
I allowed nothing to show on my face when I replied easily, “I really have no idea what you’re talking about.”
Tiberius blinked and focused on me. The seriousness gave way to a bright smile.
“Of course not.” He offered me his hand again. “Enjoy your day and I’ll be by your office tomorrow.”
Gabby’s beautiful face lit up when she spotted me walking towards her. It brightened her eyes and radiated around her in a golden halo of light. I wondered if she would still look at me like that if she knew what I’d done, would she still love me.
Part of me said yes. Part of me knew she had some idea that David’s death wasn’t accidental, but she never asked, so I never told her. Not that I would if she did. Plausible deniability was on her side and I would rather it be me who got in trouble than her.
Yet I still couldn’t help trying to picture that conversation. I tried to envision her reaction, her words, but I couldn’t. The idea of her being angry, or worse, scared pushed my curiosity back into the closet.
Besides, was it really that important? She wouldn’t gain anything by knowing. If anything, it would be a burden she didn’t need and that bastard had already terrorized her enough. His death was her peace and I wouldn’t change that.
“Hey,” she whispered as I claimed my seat. “Everything okay?”
“Perfect,” I replied, mimicking her earlier response. “Did I miss anything?”
Her smile widened until I could almost count each of her teeth. “Actually, I was hoping you would return before Norah did.”
I felt myself frown. “Did she say something to you?”
“No! It’s nothing like that.” She nibbled on her bottom lip, big eyes searching mine. “I’ve been wanting to talk to you for a few days now, but it’s been so crazy what with finals and graduation. I was going to tell you today over lunch, I just didn’t realize Norah was going to join us. Not that I don’t love her company!” she added hastily. “Really, she’s very sweet in her own way.”
“Sweetheart, you’re freaking me out here.”
She winced and lowered her gaze. “Sorry. I’m a bit nervous.” She cleared her throat and fixed her gaze to mine once more. “I, uh...” She shifted in her seat. “Well, it happened by accident. No, wait, that’s ... that’s not it...”
She was trembling. It was hard enough that her hair seemed to be vibrating. Her chest rose and fell in rapid, almost hyperventilating pants. The exertion had her cheeks turning pink beneath the pallor. Her throat muscles flexed with her every hard swallow.
“Gabby.”
“I’m sorry!” she blurted, hand flying up to cover her eyes. “I’m messing this up. I had it all planned out in my head, but I want to tell you before your mom gets back and I’m forgetting everything I—”
I reached over and captured her face, stilling her words and forcing her to meet my gaze. “Just tell me.”
I could feel the tremors coursing from her to me, then pause when she caught her breath.
“I’m pregnant.”
Of all the things she could have announced, that wasn’t one I’d expected. It took me a full second to properly register the full weight of those words. Then half a second to burst from my chair and snatch her out of hers.
I crushed her to me, ignoring the staring eyes around us. My mouth slanted over hers in a deep and ravenous kiss that I couldn’t stop until we were both gasping for air. Even then, I busied my lips scattering kisses along her cheeks and down her neck, murmuring all the while how much I loved her.
She was glowing when I finally pulled back to peer at her.
“Okay?” she whispered.
I laughed. “Oh sweetheart, I’m so much more than just okay.”
She beamed and her squeal of delight tangled with my chuckles. I had so many questions, so many things I needed to know, but all I could do was grip her close and take greedy gulps of her happiness. Every sip from her lips drove me to madness. It was all I could do to keep from tossing her over my shoulder and making a run for it.
But Norah took that moment to return, looking horrified at the sight of her son on the verge of nearly fucking his wife on the table, in front of so many witnesses. She squeaked and sputtered, but no actual words left her.
I saved her from the heart attack I was sure she was about to have.
“We’re having a baby!” I told her, hoping the news would excuse my behavior in her eyes.
“That is no excuse to be fornicating on the table where we are about to eat!” she hissed in return.
“Mom.” I turned to face her with Gabby still securely clasped in my arms. “We’re having a baby,” I repeated slower, just in case she missed it.
“I’m not deaf, Kieran,” she muttered. “I heard you and I’m delighted, but what do you suppose people are thinking right now?”
The grin pulled my face nearly in two as I peered down into my Gabby’s radiant smile. “That I’m one lucky son of a bitch.”
MORE DARK & DELICIOUS ROMANCE...
They're hot, they're foul mouthed, and they are just far enough on the other side of the law to make them delicious. The Crime Lords are the men your mother warned you about.
⭐⭐⭐★★★⭐⭐⭐
❤️ TRANSCENDING DARKNESS ❤️
Can the lamb tame the wolf? Can he protect her from the darkness threatening to consume him?
» Get your Irish → http://bit.ly/2gkIasA
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