Taking Risk Series

by Toni Aleo

  “I do and I’ll have my assistant call tomorrow to get her put back in the home, fully paid for.”

  She shakes her head. “No, I’ll do it with my money. I don’t want to make your dad mad.”

  Taking her hand, I kiss her palm before meeting her gaze. “Don’t ya worry about my da, I’ll deal with him. But, Amberlyn—”

  Her eyes start to water again. “Yeah?”

  “My money is your money, my love. Don’t ever forget that. And if doing this for that wanker’s ma will make you happy, then it’s done.”

  When the brightest grin comes across her face, I remember that I may never love her the same way her family did, but I’m going to try my hardest to love her even more.

  Chapter 19

  Declan

  I’ve never seen anything so beautiful in my whole life.

  I feel I say those words at least a dozen times when Amberlyn is in the room.

  But tonight, it can’t be because I’m biased and completely in love with her. No, it has to be because she is the sun, shining on us all. Blessing us all with her beauty. I mean, she’s fuckin’ sparkling.

  As she slowly comes down the stairs to meet me, I drink in every single detail. The way her hair is down to the side in a soft, loose braid that I know must have taken some time. There are little flowers throughout it, in the perfect spots to accentuate the braid. The dress she wears is formfitting, showing off all her curves and the parts of her that have me out of my mind for her.

  The dress is a color I’ve never seen on her before. The bodice is almost a soft pink rose color, very pretty, and has her skin glowing. It’s covered in stones and dips down lower than I know my mother would approve of along her breasts. It hugs her to the middle of her thighs and then the skirt is made of cream ruffles. It is a very stunning dress, but again, not something an O’Callaghan woman would wear.

  I like that though. I want her to have her own personality. She wasn’t born into this life, she is joining it, and I want her fun, quirky style to add in with the classic one of my family. I think she is gorgeous. Even though she is wearing more makeup than I like, it’s done very dramatically, but it works. She needs to stand out. I want the whole room, everyone, to know that my fiancée is downright magnificent.

  I hold my hand out and a grin pulls at my lips as she takes it, a small smile pulling at her light, nude-colored lips.

  “Dazzling, my love. Simply breathtaking,” I whisper before pressing my lips to the side of her mouth. She is so soft and smells like heaven. Pulling back, I look down into her grinning face and can’t help but fight for my next breath.

  “Thank you,” she says, lacing her fingers with mine. “I really like you in a tux.”

  I chuckle, liking that she approves of my attire. I can see the desire swirling in the depths of her stunning aquamarine eyes, and it takes everything out of me not to check the time. I’m giving this party an hour. After that, she is mine.

  Sucking in a deep breath, I tuck her hand between my ribs and bicep before letting it out. “Let’s go before I take ya against the wall, yeah?”

  She lets out a breathy laugh before saying, “I would applaud you for doing that, considering this dress is tighter than a little coat on a fat guy.”

  I laugh, loving her reference to one of my favorite movies, but then I set her with a look. “A dress doesn’t come between a man and his woman.”

  Grinning at me, she says, “Duly noted.”

  “Grand, now let’s go get this party over.”

  She hesitates and then glances at me. “I really don’t want to go.”

  The party is loud, not with music either, but with voices. It’s very intimidating and I don’t want to go either, but we both know we have to.

  “Me neither, but my ma would have both our heads if we don’t.”

  “I know,” she says, letting out a breath. “She has been schooling me on how a proper lady acts at her party. It’s been insanely boring. I may not be an O’Callaghan-raised woman, but I doubt I’m gonna get shit-faced and hang from the chandeliers.”

  I scoff. “You should for the show,” I say with a wink. “I love ya the way ya are. Ignore her, and let’s have us some fun for an hour before the real fun starts.”

  “Which is?” she asks, but we both know what I’m talking about.

  “Me peeling that dress off ya and making up for the first-time disaster.”

  She giggles, which sets my nerves on fire. I love her sexy giggle. “I love our first time.”

  “Bollocks, it was a disaster.”

  “Our disaster,” she says fondly before leaning her head against my shoulder. “Nonetheless, I’m counting down the next sixty minutes.”

  I cuddle in closer with her before kissing her temple. “Ah, me too, mo stór. Come on. Let’s get this over with.”

  She lets out a small sigh as we start to move to the door of the party. “Are there gonna be a lot of people?”

  I nod and I can’t chance looking at her. I know she doesn’t want to deal with people like I don’t. If we had our way, we’d send out a nice little announcement. But that isn’t the way the things are done in my family. Lena’s engagement party was so big and over the top, but I’m pretty sure mine is putting hers to shame. The estate was in full party-mode all day. The last time I saw this many people come in and out, setting stuff up, and moving things was for Lena’s party, and that was hell. So I’ve already prepared myself for a jammer. Poor Amberlyn, though, she has no clue.

  When we reach the door, Jimmy bows before smiling at us. “Ready, yous two?”

  “As ready as we’ll ever be, I guess,” I say, squeezing her hand to receive a small smile.

  “Yes, sir,” he says before pulling the doors open. From what I can see, the room is filled to the brim.

  Amberlyn takes in a sharp breath before saying, “My God.”

  “Yup.”

  “Well, let’s hope there is a chocolate fountain.”

  I send her a grin and wink. “I made sure there was one.”

  “You are the best soon-to-be husband ever.”

  I lean down, pressing my lips to hers as Jimmy clears his throat.

  As we part, I smile and whisper, “I love ya, Amberlyn.”

  “I love you.”

  Then with a bellowing voice, Jimmy yells, “Presenting Mr. Declan O’Callaghan and his fiancée, Miss Amberlyn Reilly.”

  With my head held high, I walk with my woman beside me inside the crowded ballroom as they all stand, clapping for us. I want to say that everyone is smiling, happy for my engagement, but I can’t. Each face has a different expression. They’re either smiling or scowling at us. They are jealous, of course. They want to be Amberlyn, or even me. While it’s very disconcerting, I ignore it. How can I care about anything when my soon-to-be wife is the only thing I see?

  She wears a large smile, her face bright and intoxicating, but I can see the nervousness in her eyes. She hates this stuff as much as I do. As I lead her to the dance floor, because it is customary for the couple to dance first, almost like they do at a wedding, I take her hand, standing away so everyone can drink in the beauty that I get to enjoy for the rest of my life. She smiles shyly as me, covering her mouth with her hand as the applause goes up an octave. When “Unbroken Promises” by Erick Baker starts, I turn her into my arms and grin at her as her arms come up and around my neck.

  As I hold her, you couldn’t slide a piece of paper between us, we are so close. Her eyes hold mine as we slowly sway to the music. I love feeling her this close to me; I love looking into her sweet eyes and knowing that she loves me with every fiber of her being. I’ve waited my whole life to be with a girl who would love me, all of me. And I would have never imagined that it would be a beautiful American girl who has been through the wringer.

  While it wasn’t what I wanted, I thought I’d marry some snotty, tea-drinking, money-blowing girl. One my ma picked out for me. I wouldn’t love her, but she would do. I needed someone to be my companion
. I was easy to get along with, anyone would do, and I was worried it would come down to that if I didn’t get out of the house and find myself a girl. As much as I wanted to find the love of my life, I didn’t believe I would. But that all changed when I set eyes on the girl across the lake who loved to read and had winter-bright skin.

  My Amberlyn.

  As people watch us or continue to what they were doing before Amberlyn and I came out, I wish we were anywhere but here. I hate being put on display, and as I gaze into her eyes, I find myself saying that.

  She nods, a grin pulling at her lips. “Me too. We should elope,” she suggests with a wink. I know she wants to come off as joking, not to disappoint me, but I can see it in her eyes. She wants just that.

  “My ma would kill us.”

  She nods, tangling her fingers behind my neck. “I know, and plus, I want a huge wedding.”

  “Yeah, I know,” I say with a nod. “But not this big, right?”

  She looks around as a nervous laugh escapes her. “No way. I don’t even want a fraction of this.”

  I look around and I agree. “I’ll talk with my ma.”

  She smiles as she cuddles into my chest. “You make me so happy, Declan.”

  “As do you, mo stór.”

  As her lips touch mine, the song ends and the expected applause comes. Taking her hands in mine, I kiss each one before leading her off the floor to where Fiona and Kane are standing. Like her cousin, Fiona is stunning in an orange dress that hugs her tightly. I can tell my best friend enjoys the view since he doesn’t even take the time to greet me, his eyes trained only on his beautiful girlfriend.

  “You look great, Amberlyn,” Fiona says, kissing her cheek. “Way hot.”

  Amberlyn’s face reddens as she waves her off. “Oh hush, you are the hot one.”

  “Well, duh, but so are ya,” she throws back at her, and I laugh as my arms snake around her waist.

  When drinks are presented, I take one for each of us as Fiona and Amberlyn fall into easy conversation. They are very comical and soon have both Kane and me laughing along at whatever they are speaking of.

  “I got everything packed by the door, and my da decides that’s when he wants to freak out on me,” Fiona explains, shaking her head as Kane chuckles. “I mean he is crying, Amberlyn, full out-cryin’, and I’m so confused that I haven’t a clue what to do. I look at Kane and he is just standing there!”

  “I had no clue what to do! I don’t do good with tears, ya know that!” Kane says in his defense.

  “I know, but still. He said to go if I please, so I’m going!”

  “I was there; he did say that. He got misty-eyed with me this morning, but it was more Aunt Shelia who was crying all over me,” Amberlyn explains, and I feel bad that I wasn’t there this morning. I had some work I had to finish before the party, and she guaranteed me she was fine bringing everything over. When I came home, she was there, in my, er, our bed, reading a book. I was about to crawl on top of her to make up for my poor performance before, but like always, a knock came at the door. Then my ma floated in with her makeup team, and I didn’t see Amberlyn until the moment she walked down the stairs.

  Looking over at my soon-to-be bride, I wouldn’t mind slipping away and then slipping into her.

  But like always, my ma ruins it.

  “Declan, Amberlyn, come now. We have to greet everyone.”

  Rolling my eyes, I groan loudly as Amberlyn laughs, holding my hand as my ma drags us from family to family, introducing Amberlyn to all of her friends. I just stand there, hoping I don’t look too bored, but apparently, I don’t do well, because Amberlyn elbows me in the ribs, scolding me with those sexy aquamarine eyes. I know she thinks she doesn’t really fit into my life, but as I watch her go from family to family, starting conversations, I know she is wrong. She’s a natural, and I can’t describe how excited I am to spend my life with this woman.

  When we get to the O’Malley family, I want to go the other way, but Amberlyn and my ma are already talking about the party and how excited Amberlyn is for the wedding. I nod my head to them as her hand slides into mine, pulling me closer.

  Leaning her head to my shoulder, she says, “How are you, Keeva?”

  Looking where she is, I am surprised that I didn’t notice Keeva in her runway-ready black dress, her hair falling down her shoulders with her lips painted red. When I send a dark look to my ma, she looks away, and I have every intention of having a talk with her later.

  “Grand, thanks. You look beautiful tonight.”

  “Like always,” I say, holding her closer as she grins up at me.

  “Thank you,” Amberlyn says before looking back at her. Keeva goes to say something, but her ma cuts her off.

  “Not to disrespect ya, Amberlyn, but…” She then looks at Keeva and me. “I always thought that yous two was gonna get married, yeah?”

  Keeva glances at me longingly while I scoff. My ma laughs, waving her off, and I go to tell her otherwise, but Amberlyn beats me to it.

  “I bet you did, but good thing Declan has a good head on his shoulders or the O’Callaghans would go broke.”

  I sputter with laughter as everyone else stares at us in utter disbelief.

  “Amberlyn,” my ma scolds, but I gather my girl in my arms, kissing her lips.

  Pulling away, I say, “Her humor and her honesty are what have me head over heels for her. Good seeing ya, but I want to go dance with my almost-wife.”

  Laughing, we head to the dance floor and I can feel them staring a hole in my back, but I don’t pay them any mind. “Ma is gonna be pissed tomorrow.”

  “I know. I don’t care though. I don’t like Keeva since she hurt you.”

  “How sweet. Defending your man’s honor and all.”

  “Always,” she promises as I swing her around before pulling her close into my arms. Dropping my head down, I take her lips again, dragging sweet kisses out of her as we slowly sway on the floor to the soft music. She tickles the back of my neck with her fingers, and I smile against her lips as we slowly part.

  “I love you,” she says, her eyes glittering with the promise of our future.

  “I love you,” I promise, holding her tight. “We have ten more minutes and then we are gone.”

  “What in the world could pull you from this amazing party that is celebrating us? I mean, we haven’t even hit up the chocolate fountain.”

  I smile. “A repeat performance, of course,” I tease, my eyes bright with laughter.

  She laughs. “A repeat performance. That sounds like a party, but so does that fountain.”

  “I’ll have them bring the damn fountain to the room if ya want, but I will have ya naked in my bed in twenty minutes tops,” I say, squeezing my arms around her.

  Her body shakes in my arms as she throws her head back, her laughter loud and so happy. Looking up at me, she cups my face, her thumb caressing my jaw as she searches my eyes.

  “I love you like this. So happy, no cares.”

  I nibble at her thumb as I hold her near. “Oh, I have cares, mo stór. I care what you feel, what you want, and what makes ya happy.” She smiles as her face warms, her eyes glazing over a bit. “But the reason I’m like this is because of ya. You’ve changed me. Bewitched me with your love and outlook on life. I want nothing more than to give ya everything and anything you might need.”

  It’s like she doesn’t even process what I say, but then she has to have because she says, “All I need is you.”

  Holding her close, I kiss her nose before falling into the depths of her sweet eyes. “Ya got me.”

  Chapter 20

  Declan

  It isn’t as easy as I’d like to pull her away.

  As much as she says she didn’t want the party, she seems to be enjoying herself. She talks up everyone at the party, ignores the questions about the trial that is in a couple weeks, and even all questions about her wedding dress. I don’t get what’s the big deal about her dress, but it seems every lady we
talk to, they want to know. I, for one, just want the damn day to get here so all this hoopla can be behind us for sure.

  Especially the trial.

  Every time I think about her sitting up there, reliving that night, I swear I want to come out of my skin. I don’t like the thought, not one bit, but she seems to be ready for it. I thought she was mad to wanting to pay for that gobshite’s ma’s housing, but I can tell it makes her happy. That pleases me, it does, but it’s not only that. She makes me proud. She has such a big heart. It’s one of the things I love most about her. While I could care less about helping that family, it does feel good to do something for someone who didn’t have control over her wanker of a son. Like Amberlyn said, it wasn’t her fault.

  I still won’t forgive the arsehole though.

  Sliding my hand down the inside of her arm, I lace my fingers with hers before kissing the spot by her ear. She looks up at me, and I can see the desire in her eyes. She is finally ready to leave. Taking her hand with my other, I let go of her fingers and place my hand at the small of her back as we head for the exit.

  But in true fashion, my ma stops us.

  She looks regal tonight, not that she ever looks any different, but tonight she really does look like a queen. Her hair is up in a huge bun, her whole body glittering with diamonds. Her dress is big and puffy, a light pink color. All she’s missing is a crown.

  “Where are you going?”

  “I’m dead on my feet, Ma, ready for bed,” I explain, my hand sliding against Amberlyn’s bare back.

  “But the party isn’t over.”

  “For us it is.”

  “But you were late!” she all but yells.

  “So? It’s our party. We’re ready for bed,” I say before reaching out to squeeze her shoulders. “Goodnight, Ma.”

  “Goodnight, Mrs. O’Callaghan,” Amberlyn says as we step around her and into the hall. I’m surprised she doesn’t follow us but thankful too. I want to take my fiancée to bed. Walking closely together, we head toward the stairs, saying goodnight to all the people who pass us. It wasn’t that bad, I guess, but still I’d rather be in bed than prancing around this damn party.