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“Agreed.”
“And what of this Siobhan Daley?”
“I cut her out the night of the charity fight. She’s no longer one of ours. Her duplicity has caused enough damage.”
Samantha sighs on the other end of the line. “I can’t say what will happen next, but I appreciate knowing the truth.”
“Again, I am deeply sorry for loss.”
When the line goes dead, I set the phone down. “I want to know the moment Aiden is found, and if Siobhan ever has the nerve to come to our side of the river, I want her picked up and taken straight to the holding cell at the clubhouse.”
“Got it.” Bryan turns and is about to leave when he stops and turns back. “And congrats, by the way, big brother. That ring looks mighty nice on your finger, Laine. I wish the two of you nothing but the best.”
I abandon the chaos of the moment and stand to take Laine in my arms. Holding her and knowing that our future will be spent together gives me the strength and peace of mind to face whatever clusterfuck is rising up to kick us in the teeth.
“Thank you, Bryan. Despite everything that’s happening right now, we’re very happy.”
CHAPTER FORTY-TWO
Laine
The next week and a half is a lonely affair. Tag spends most days tucked away in his office making phone calls and smoothing out the perceived betrayals of the other families. An unprovoked attack of a child within a crime family is unforgiveable and, unfortunately, the moment Declan died, Tag was deemed guilty until proven innocent.
But by the time the weekend rolls around, it seems everyone understands that Aiden’s vendetta blurred lines between personal and professional.
And while the Quinns lost points in popularity with the other families in Ireland, our proposal to create a business relationship with the Tessiano family in Chicago went very well.
Apparently, me knowing about their operations as a local attorney was a threat to them, but the moment Tag claimed me as his woman, I fell under the umbrella of protection as all the other wives.
Now, the Quinns have a new gun supplier and I’m standing on solid ground with the Tessianos. It didn’t hurt that Tag killed Marco and snipped that loose end for them, as well.
That also established what would happen if anyone else came looking for me with the same intentions.
My guy will kill for me.
And while that likely shouldn’t make me as happy as it does, with another ten days behind us and me still with no period, I like that Tag is all in to protect me—and possibly us.
“What does it say, lass?” Rose asks.
The two of us are hiding away in the kitchen of her new country home, waiting for the three home pregnancy tests I peed on to dictate my current status.
I check the countdown on my phone and set it back down. “Three more minutes.”
Rose chuckles and slides another slice of angel food cake with whipped cream and pineapple toward me. “You’re a stickler for the rules.”
I laugh and accept the dessert without complaint. “I just don’t want to jump to conclusions.”
“Thus the three tests?”
I nod. “This one makes a plus sign. This one gives us two solid blue bands. And this one actually says the word pregnant in the window. If all three agree, then it will really be happening.”
Rose returns the lid of the cake keeper and smiles out the kitchen window. Tag is out there, directing the landscaper, pointing out all the issues he wants cleared up.
Just half an hour north of Dublin, the two-acre property needs a lot of TLC, but the old house has been nicely renovated and modernized.
“Are you sure this is what you want? Tag would be just as happy to have you living in the main house with the rest of us.”
Rose chuckles. “Och, I know he would, duck, but I’m a woman of my ways and need my space. And, if you and Tag are getting married and starting a family, the two of you don’t need me underfoot.”
