Page 34 of Dirty Legacy

He turns back to me. “Two minutes. We’re in a hurry. Father Charles, would you mind?”

“Not at all. Take your time.”

I grimace as the priest stands quietly in the corner. I’d forgotten all about him.

“Please, Father, help yourself to the sandwiches in the kitchen. There’s soda… water… Mom can make you tea… we’ll be right back.”

I grab Connor’s hand and pull him down the narrow hall. I’m extremely aware of how small and dumpy our apartment is. The place is cramped and old, and about the only good thing it’s got going is the rent control. Without it, even this much space would be unaffordable for us.

I slam my bedroom door closed. Connor looks around curiously. He lifts a photograph on my desk of me and some friends from the high school soccer team. I snatch it from his hand and toss it on my pillow.

“What the hell are you doing here?”

“I told you earlier. We’re getting married.”

I throw a hand at the door. “Is that why you brought a freaking priest?!”

“Father Charles is a good friend of my family. He agreed to take care of the ceremony and all the paperwork.”

“Connor. Please listen to me.” I rub the tension spot on the bridge of my nose, gritting my teeth. “We. Are. Not. Getting. Married.”

“Yes, we are.”

“I know you’re doing the whole knight-in-shining-armor thing, but please, I’m begging you, stop. I don’t want to marry you. I don’t want that sort of relationship. We can co-parent, we can be friends and partners, but we are not getting married, okay?!”

“You don’t understand.”

“No, you clearly don’t. I told you today because it was the right thing to do, not because I wanted to force you into making some grand gesture. And honestly—“ I bite my lower lip, looking him up and down. “You look amazing. It means a lot that you’re doing this and taking it seriously and it’s sweet in a freaky sort of way. But we are not getting married. We just can’t. It’s bad enough you told my mom. That’s enough damage for one day.”

He stands silently listening. When I finish, he moves forward, stalking toward me. I back up until I hit the edge of my bed and end up sitting on my ass, eyes fixed on the massive beast as he looms over me, all his amusement gone.

Replaced by pure menace.

“If you’re done, now it’s time for you to listen.”

“You ass⁠—“

He drops to a knee. One hand snakes out and grips my hair. I gasp in shock, it happens so fast. Pain flares in my scalp, but he doesn’t pull too hard. I try to push away, hands into his chest, against his warm muscles, but that only makes the pain worse.

“Time to listen. I don’t want to force you like this, but there’s no other option. I’m supposed to walk down the aisle with another woman in about two hours, and unless I have a very good excuse for not being there, all hell is going to break loose. As it stands, marrying you is going to cause a lot of trouble, but it’s the only way I can think to protect you through everything.”

I gape at him, stunned. His fist in my hair is forgotten. Mom and Father Charles and everything disappear. There’s only Connor down on his knees, looking me in the eye, and I realize something.

His anger isn’t rage—it’s desperation.

The suit he’s wearing is his wedding suit.

“The ring,” I whisper, hoarse and confused.

“Meant for another woman. I’ll get you something better, something special for you, but it’ll have to do for now.”

Fuck. Another woman.

What the fuck is going on?

“How… I mean… were you…”

His grip on my hair loosens. “I was not engaged when we slept together. I didn’t even know her at that time.”