Reluctant Bride

by Sam Crescent

  Her enthusiasm was infectious, matching her hair drying into riotous waves around her beautiful face, and she resembled the young woman he’d admired and wanted for his wife—before he had to up his game.

  “Can you take those courses online?” he asked.

  “Yes. I think so.” Her green eyes studied him. “But I thought…”

  “I’m not totally inflexible, and I want you to be happy.”

  She folded her arms and hunched her shoulders. “Why didn’t we have this conversation before?”

  Because he’d likely been maneuvered like a chess piece, but he couldn’t tell her that until he found out for sure. “I might not have approached things in the best way, but I was … scared.” Terrified, but it was hard enough to say the s word.

  Her brows lifted, and her mouth slackened before she recovered from her obvious surprise. “I see. My dad, too. And men act like jerks when they’re scared.”

  Jesus. He could live with this woman forever and continually be impressed with her insight. “I’m not letting anything happen to you.”

  ****

  She melted a little more—like into a freaking puddle. It had to kill this strong, macho man to admit he was scared, and his concern for her well-being kind of made up for his previous assholery. And she could admit his possessiveness thrilled her a little, as long as it didn’t get old. Which it would, but she figured she could work around that.

  She would have to shelve the environmental lawyer idea unless there was some way she could wield that degree within the Family. And Flanagan wasn’t likely to let environmental interests get in the way of business. Though, if she wanted to effect change…

  Aware Luke was waiting on her, a strange hint of vulnerability lurking in his eyes, she said, “I have a lot to think about.”

  He encroached on her space, and she fought to control her breathing. He said, “I have to go out. Will you promise not to leave?”

  She found she had no issue with his request. “I promise.”

  Relief softened his features, and the sight made her want to smile. “Thank you.”

  “Will you be gone long?” She probably sounded needy, but she found she wanted to be with him. They needed to get to know one another—and—

  Her thoughts stuttered as he rounded the counter and swept her into his arms. His mouth took hers with that spine-tingling effect she was beginning to crave, and she clutched at his shirt.

  He took his lips away, and she mourned the loss. He said, “If it wasn’t important to us, I wouldn’t leave.”

  Dropping another kiss on the top of her head, he then straightened and headed for the door. She watched him go and wondered at her change of heart—not that it was a sure thing. He was still the large-and-in-charge type. And leaving with that cryptic comment…

  She hopped down and gathered the dirty plates, pausing to think. Now, what was so important to them?

  Chapter Ten

  The smaller man stared at him from behind the imposing desk. Luke couldn’t read much on his craggy old face other than a certain wariness.

  “I’m surprised to see you, Luke.” Sean tugged open a drawer and pulled out a flask. He poured out a couple of drams of the golden liquid and passed one over. “To a long and fruitful marriage.”

  Luke accepted the toast and threw the whiskey back.

  “I take it your bride has accepted her lot?”

  No wonder this archaic bullshit had grated on Sorcha. It had suited Luke because it hadn’t impacted him before. He had no reason to look for change until recently, though now that the blinders were off, he recalled other instances.

  Was it enough for him to rock the boat? For Sorcha—and the others, it was.

  “Sorcha’s fine, thanks. Looking into picking up her university course again.” He couldn’t accept her being on campus, at least, not yet, but surely that was progress.

  “What? Is that a joke? But you just put a stop to that nonsense. We have no need for educated women in the Family!”

  “Why not?”

  Sean’s face reddened. “There’s a need for children amongst our ranks. We have plenty of educated men available.”

  But none with his particular skill set, Luke mused and thought about how Sean had built his empire, including the loss of his son in the course of it. Luke had replaced Sean Jr.

  Sean interrupted his thoughts. “Why are you here, Luke?”

  “For some honest answers.”

  “About?”

  “The intelligence you received regarding Sorcha.”

  Sean smirked. “I have my sources. Besides, Niall couldn’t bear for her to be so far away, and you wanted her as your wife.”

  “Her father can’t meet his own needs at the expense of his daughter. And I could have waited for her.”

  “And if she hadn’t returned, being all educated?” Sean’s voice was full of condescension. “Would you have gone chasing after her? Would I have lost my Hunter?”

  “We’ll never know, will we?” He figured had his answer, and the esteem he held for the old man dwindled further.

  “We won’t. She’s in your bed with your ring on her finger, and you’re still my man. I have faith that you can guide the little miss, keep her on the straight path.” Sean’s smile was closer to a sneer.

  “My relationship with Sorcha is my own.” His returning smile felt deadly on his lips, and Sean stiffened. “And I’d like to share some observations.”

  “About what?”

  “About the number of infiltrations of late. And the increasing number of banishments. People accused of similar crimes against the Family. Are people dissatisfied with their lot, Sean? Are they questioning your leadership?”

  “Malcontents, the lot of them.” The old man waved a hand imperiously. “We’re better off.”

  “And the infiltrations? It suggests that the Family is under scrutiny. Who is Taggart, anyway, and what information did he obtain?”

  “I don’t answer to you. You work for me.” That hand was now working convulsively on the desktop.

  “I work for the Family, Sean. And you can’t hold off the outside world forever, especially if you’re overtly breaking their laws.” The man appeared to view—and treat—the outside world, much as said world had viewed the original Irish immigrants. With mistrust, distaste, and … ignorance. It was the latter that was the most concerning, and he should have recognized it sooner.

  “I’ll handle it. The other Families went soft, relaxing their strictures and forgetting why we Irish closed ourselves off in the first place. Tell me, Luke, do you think we haven’t done well for ourselves?”

  “We aren’t hurting, no, but I think we’re trending in the wrong direction.”

  “Bah, that girl has taken your balls and your brains with them. Leave the thinking to me.”

  Luke pushed to his feet, and Sean flinched before collecting himself. Luke said, “There was no threat against Sorcha, and you’ve cost me something with her I might never retrieve. Her trust. And if you scoff, I might forget my respect for my elders.”

  The other man didn’t deny the lie but stayed silent until Luke reached the door. “I might have need of you in the coming week.”

  Without bothering to look back, he said, “I’ll let you know if it works.”

  Alex hovered by the front door, his keen gaze on Luke. “Heavy convo?”

  Next to Luke, Alex was the most likely to be considered Sean’s successor. Though Sean would hang on for a long time yet. “It wasn’t the best discussion.”

  “He’s been … difficult of late.” Alex’s broad face was anxious. He was loyal to the head of the Family, so sharing that had to be difficult.

  “He has a lot of balls in the air,” Luke suggested.

  “Seems so.”

  “Had Graeme been around?” Graeme was their enforcer, a loner who was well suited for his job. He was an attack dog. Luke operated with the man on occasion, but he didn’t have a taste for the work. It circumvented the marginal j
ustice that existed in the outside world, but not if it meant the outside world was looking at the Family. As he’d told Sean.

  “He has. Often. Too often, maybe.” Alex’s eyes were troubled.

  He took a chance. “There’s a Council meeting coming up. Could be things will be addressed then.”

  They exchanged a long, speaking look, and then Luke hastened home to his bride.

  ****

  “That sneaky, manipulative old goat!” An outraged, indignant Sorcha was a sight to behold, and he wanted to take all the fury straight to bed. “That fucker.”

  “He had a point.” Luke made sure his tone was mild, though her language made him wince.

  Her hands on her hips, eyes blazing emerald fire, she asked, “How so?”

  “He’d have lost me.”

  “Oh. Right. Well.”

  “He hasn’t covered himself with glory, Sorcha, especially this past while.”

  “What are you going to do about it?”

  That she saw the situation so clearly despite her young age didn’t surprise him. That she saw him as someone to set it to rights… His heart swelled. “What are we going to do about it?”

  She wasn’t disconcerted by his response. Her shoulders squared, and her face reflected that look he’d come to recognize as speculation, followed by planning. And now, she had a far more skilled partner than the last to assist her.

  “I think—”

  Chapter Eleven

  She shrieked and lost track of what she was going to say when Luke dipped a shoulder into her belly and straightened with her. She stared at his fine ass, then recovered enough to ask, through a hank of hair, “What are you doing?”

  “Sean can wait for a bit, sweetheart. I can’t.”

  She held on as he strode to the bedroom and shrieked again when he dropped her on the bed.

  He was on her before she could scramble away, although, in truth, she didn’t want to. A playful Luke was hot. And that conniving old man wasn’t going anywhere, though he might be plotting. But he could wait. They were more than a match for him.

  Turned out she was pretty adept at removing clothes—his—because he’d already shucked hers. She rolled him, under no misapprehension that he allowed it, and straddled his hips, her damp core resting on his heat.

  Staring down into his dilated eyes, she dipped her head and nuzzled along his cheek, drifting a kiss over his mouth and then down the strong column of his throat. He tasted of salt and Luke.

  She blazed a trail over his pecs, noting the tiny dark nipples tightening, marking from her touch. His corded abs rippled at every kiss and lick. As she neared his groin, scenting his musk, she faltered.

  Luke touched her head. “You don’t—”

  “I want to. But I don’t know how. Exactly.”

  “Do whatever you want.”

  He trusted her, though she hadn’t given him much reason. With a deep breath, she grasped him, feeling him throb in her hand. She set her lips around the wide head and nearly smiled when he groaned.

  Taking him at his word, she experimented and played, knowing she was both teasing and tantalizing him with her actions. He was too big for her to take all of him in her mouth, but she tried, marking his flavor and how his hardness swelled at her intimate touch.

  When his hands threaded through her hair, guiding her, she closed her eyes and went with it. His thighs trembled beneath her hands, and his throaty sounds got louder as she bobbed her head and worked his flesh with her tongue and lips.

  He tried to draw her away, but she hung onto her prize, doubling her efforts.

  “Sweetheart.” It was a pained warning right before he released, pulsing against her palate.

  Feeling vaguely triumphant, she raised her head to find him staring at her. He didn’t have to say what she saw reflected in his eyes. Something in her chest stirred in response.

  Epilogue

  In the end, Sean’s reign ended not in a bloodbath but as a meaningless protest that fell on primarily deaf ears.

  Sorcha met with most of the wives, who proved to be a veritable font of information gleaned from listening to their husbands. Luke had a quiet word with most of the men.

  Pieced together, it painted a picture of a man more out of touch than anyone realized, had they taken in the big picture. And would credibly bring danger and ruin from the outside world on the Family without significant adjustment in approach and accommodation.

  There were a few who worried about change but were willing to concede a switch in leadership was warranted, and all were concerned to one degree or another with Sean’s erratic behavior. It was a mark of how blindly rules were followed that people hadn’t talked to one another—except for the women. He’d do well to remember that, an invaluable source of discerning information.

  Alex, with his overall knowledge gained from his role as personal assistant to Sean, was a natural choice for the leadership. He knew where the bodies were buried and understood most of the intricacies of current business dealings. Luke agreed to pair with him. There might be no need for a Hunter, but his expertise would prove valuable.

  Graeme said little at the Council meeting, but at a look from him, Sean subsided and handed over the reins.

  “Well?” asked Sorcha, cooling her heels with the other wives. She’d known it was too soon for a mere woman to attend a Council meeting. “What happened?”

  “Alex and are I co-ruling.”

  “Ruling?”

  He laughed. She rose to his teasing without fail. “Okay, leading.”

  She slugged him in the belly but graced him with a wide smile. “It’ll be good for everyone in the Family. You’ll see.”

  He already did, not that there wouldn’t be challenges. Reining his wife in to keep her safe would be one of them, but he figured he was up to it.

  Capturing her hand, he yanked her close and nuzzled her temple, whispering what were definitely not sweet nothings into her ear. Rewarded with a pretty blush and a sultry look, he laughed and said, “I’ll go set an example.”

  “You do that. I’ll sic a couple of the women on Alice. Make her think retirement is a good deal, so she can support Sean.”

  ****

  Sorcha returned to Morag’s side while Luke joined Alex for a drink to set an example. The older woman raised a brow.

  Sorcha said, “It’s all in hand. Luke and Alex are sharing the head of the Family for now. We need to recruit Alice before she thinks to undermine their efforts.”

  “I know just the ladies,” Morag said.

  Sorcha noted Luke had paused to speak to a couple, the man looking deferential and the woman— The blonde was gazing up at Luke in an unmistakably flirty manner, not that he seemed to notice.

  As if the woman felt the weight of Sorcha’s stare, she glanced at her and stilled. She then dropped her gaze to the floor. Sorcha smirked. Luke gave her a smile in return, and she lifted a casual shoulder. No point in giving him a big head.

  It was enough not to dwell on the promise of the sexy times he’d just murmured in her ear. Their love life was private, and she didn’t want people noticing and gossiping about Luke’s obvious prowess—too much.

  “My little brother. Who would ever think,” Morag commented.

  Now that she’d come to know him better, Sorcha could. Easily. Luke was many-faceted, and while he retained some of that I know what’s best for you mentality, she figured she could handle it, particularly when he was mostly right. He just needed to learn how not to serve it up with a garnish of arrogance.

  Morag was studying her. “You’re proud of him.”

  “I am. Change is hard.”

  “He’s a good man.”

  “He is.” And he was hers.

  The End

  Explore more books by Allyson Young

  RELUCTANT LOVE

  Arabella Sheen

  Copyright © 2021

  Chapter One

  Amal Khan pinned her handwritten notice to the bulletin board in the staff roo
m.

  Housemate Wanted

  Bedroom and shared use of Kitchen and Bathroom

  Her name, mobile, and address were at the bottom of the card, and she thought if anyone was interested, they could reach her without too much trouble.

  Amal weaved her way through the crowded, noise-filled room and returned to the dining table where Cathy sat waiting. Debris and the aftermath of their hastily eaten lunch lay strewn on the table’s surface, and pulling out one of the hard wooden chairs, she sat down, opposite Cathy.

  “Are you sure?” Cathy asked. “Won’t you regret having someone invade your space, again?”

  Amal had known Cathy for over a year. She was a good friend, and on many occasions, she’d offered a shoulder to cry on and some solid, sound advice to swallow. Amal had always listened, and until now, she had usually gone along with Cathy’s suggestions.

  “It’s not about being sure,” Amal explained. “It’s about being unsure. I’m not certain I can meet the mortgage payments any longer. The company has been making cutbacks, and if I lose my job…”

  “So, you need extra income?”

  “More or less.” Amal lifted her half-drunk mug of coffee and took another sip. The coffee had grown cold, and with a scowl, she set the mug down. “When I lived with Kelvin, we had two incomes to cover our expenses. Being single is a whole different ballgame.”

  “What? Are you saying you regret leaving Kelvin? I thought—”

  “No, anything but regrets. When I discovered he was cheating on me, moving out was the best thing I ever did. Staying with him wasn’t an option. It’s just that … I’m thinking perhaps I ought to have bought a more affordable house. One that doesn’t swallow most of my salary. And one that leaves me with enough cash in my pocket to pay the bills and allows me to eat.”