Total pages in book: 78
Estimated words: 75585 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 378(@200wpm)___ 302(@250wpm)___ 252(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 75585 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 378(@200wpm)___ 302(@250wpm)___ 252(@300wpm)
“Because in the last year, power has shifted again, and the O’Keefes regained control.”
“But I didn’t do anything to the McConnell family. I didn’t even know who my father really was.”
“They don’t care. You’re his son, his legacy. They don’t want anyone from his line to be in power again.”
“This is so fucking stupid. I’m not a part of this.”
“When you’re in the family, you don’t get a choice.”
“No, I—” I realized what I’d been about to say, that I didn’t want to be part of that kind of family, but didn’t I? Didn’t I want to be with Val?
“Whether you want to or not, you’re in this.” He looked away like he was thinking, but I knew I’d hurt him.
“Val.” I laid a hand on his arm. “I’m scared. I don’t know what’s going on. I don’t know who my parents really were. Nothing makes sense. But I…” I had to pause. I wasn’t sure I could tell him how deep my feelings went, so I said the closest thing I could. “I still want you.”
“Good because I’m not giving you up.”
“You’re not?”
“No. Never.” He caressed my cheek, and I leaned into his hand.
“Even if the Irish mob is after me?”
He huffed. “We’re going to put an end to that.”
“How? I won’t let you put yourself and your family in danger for me.”
“My family is always in danger. That’s the nature of our business.”
I knew that was true, but they shouldn’t be in danger from each other. “But you can’t even tell your father about me. If you go after the Irish, he’s going to want to know why. What will happen when you tell him?”
“We’ll find out soon.”
I shifted so I was facing him more fully. “What do you mean?”
“I’m going to talk to him tonight.”
“What? You can’t.”
Val pulled me onto his lap and wrapped his arms around me. “It’s better to face this straight on. He’s going to find out, that’s inevitable. If I tell him before I take any action, then I have a much better chance of convincing him I’m right.”
My heart slammed against my chest. “You’re really doing this now?”
“Someone is after you. They have a vendetta against you, and they are the enemies of the current family in power. This can’t wait.”
I tried to draw in air, but my chest was tight with fear. “I don’t understand why they think I’d be a problem for them.”
“For exactly the reason you’re about to be—or rather I’m about to be.” I stared at him in confusion. “I’m going to find them all and end them. I’m your protector now. What they didn’t realize was that they are too late. You’d already earned my family’s loyalty before they tried to get to you.”
“Your loyalty, not your family’s.”
He cupped my face in his hands. “That’s not true. Vito is prepared to kill to protect you and so are the other guards I assigned.”
“And your father?” He was really the person I was worried about.
“He has no love for the McConnells, and they are too weak to fight us now. They’ve made a fatal decision.”
“What about the head of your family? Lucien? Won’t he have a say.”
“My father works autonomously most of the time, but on this…yes, I’ll likely have to convince Lucien you’re worth the trouble too.”
“But I’m n—” Val laid his fingers against my lips.
“You are. I won’t hear anything else, not from you or my father.”
“What if he won’t support you?” I couldn’t ruin Val’s relationship with his family. I couldn’t take any more guilt.
“Your life is on the line. I will make this work.”
35
VALENTINO
Ikissed Liam, using gentle pressure, wanting him to feel love rather than lust for now. Later, I would make sure he came so hard he forgot all about his past and the danger he was in, but for now I wanted to give him comfort.
When the kiss ended, Liam took my hands in his. “Before you go see your father, will you please tell me more? Why do they have a vendetta against my father?”
I nodded. “He killed the eldest sons of the McConnell family boss.”
“Oh my God.”
“The man betrayed the O’Keefes after pretending to be an informant. Disloyalty is the one thing that will get you eliminated faster than anything else in my world. He was helping his family make their power play, which ultimately worked.”
“But now they’re out of power again?”
“Right, and they’re angry, so they are still looking to finalize their revenge on your family.”
“Should Ava leave school? Does she need to hide?”
“I’ve got someone watching her. I don’t want to take her away from her classes unless we have to. So far, no one has approached her. They will most likely dismiss her since she’s a woman. They’ll assume your father would never have set her up as his heir. Therefore, they’ll see killing you as ending his legacy. To them, women are pawns to use to make alliances.”