by A. Zavarelli
“I’ve been awful to you,” I tell him. “I didn’t even stop to think what might be happening with you. I had no idea. I’m sorry about your grandfather. And I’m sorry about Ivan too.”
“I don’t want ye to be sorry,” Lach says. “I just want ye to be mine. It’s time to put it behind us. Do ye think ye can do that, butterfly?”
“You still want me?” I ask. “After everything?”
“I want you, Mack,” he says. “I’m never letting you out of my fecking sight again.”
I smile and blink my eyes a few times. He’s right. I can’t keep living in the past, and neither can he.
“What about Niall?” I ask.
Lachlan sighs. “He’d like to meet with us. I’ve smoothed things over with the Russians, but we still have the issue of you and me to discuss.”
“What do you mean you’ve smoothed things over with the Russians?” I whisper. “Are you going to marry one of them?”
“No,” he replies. “I told Niall to let Sean have the position.”
My throat works when I realize what he’s saying. “You’re giving it up… for me.”
“Aye.” He nods. “It’s not a big ask, Mack. I’m mad about ye, in case ye haven’t noticed.”
I give him a shaky smile and kiss his neck. And then I start to tear at his clothes because it feels like it’s been forever and I need him inside of me. Lachlan lets me dispose of his tee shirt and slide his jeans down enough so that I can get to the part of him that I need.
“How is it possible that I miss you when you’re right here beside me?” I ask.
He groans and buries his face into my hair, kissing his way down my throat. “Tell me, Mack.”
“Tell you what?” I toss off my own shirt and wrap my arms around his back. He’s so warm and strong and solid, and I never want to let him go. I’m afraid to ask the hard questions between us. To figure out where we go from here. But I have a feeling that’s exactly where he’s going with this.
“Tell me that ye’re mad about me,” he says. “And you’d do anything for me.”
“I’m mad about you,” I repeat between kisses. “And I would, without a doubt, do anything for you.”
“And ye’re mine, now and for always.”
“I’m yours, now and for always,” I echo. “For as long as we have together.”
Lachlan lifts my hips and then sinks inside of me with an agonized sigh. “Fuck me, sweetheart,” he says. “And forget everything else.”
And I do.
***
I’m still lying in bed an hour later when Ronan knocks on the bedroom door. I glance at him in confusion because I was certain he left with Lachlan only thirty minutes ago.
“I still don’t like ye,” Ronan grumbles. “But I guess I’ll have to get used to ye, pain in the arse that ye are.”
“Gee, thanks.” I smile. “Did you come back here just to deliver that lovely sentiment?”
“Nah,” he says. “Thought ye might like to see what Crow’s doing for ye tonight. What we’re all doing for ye tonight.”
I frown, because I don’t like the tone of his voice. “What’s he doing?”
“Get dressed and I’ll show ye.”
He disappears down the hallway and I hurriedly throw on some jeans and a hoodie before scrambling after him. Conor is still on the couch, and he doesn’t even look up as we wander past.
“I saw nothing,” he says, holding a magazine up in front of his eyes.
Ronan escorts me to his beamer and we drive in silence. It isn’t long before I recognize where we’re going. The old warehouse where Johnny holds his fights.
“He’s fighting?” I ask in confusion.
I’ve heard some of the guys talk about how good Lachlan is, but he’s never fought here before. It seems odd that he’d be doing it now.
“Aye,” Ronan answers. “And he’s not the only one.”
I still don’t get what he’s saying, but I follow him inside and we find a spot in the crowd to watch from. The entire building is full of people watching the spectacle that’s already begun. I have to shoulder past a few tall men to get a good look at Lachlan.
Sure enough, there he is in the makeshift ring, fighting one of the Russians. A big guy that goes by the name of Boris. He’s a decent fighter, and I’ve seen him win his fair share of fights. But I’m not really worried, because I know Lach is better.
At first glance, he seems to be doing well. He’s holding his ground and blocking most of the shots his opponent throws. Every once in a while he gets in a couple himself. But there’s something off about the whole thing. It just looks canned, like he’s not really trying. Sure, the audience is buying it, but I’m not.
I’ve sparred with him, so I know his fighting style. And this isn’t it.
“What’s going on?” I ask Ronan.
“Keep watching,” he says in answer.
So I do. I watch Lach go round after round with Boris, taking punches that I know he could have easily blocked. After a while, I start to grimace. His lip is split, and he’s bleeding from a gash on his forehead too.
“Why isn’t he fighting?” I demand.
Ronan remains silent beside me, his jaw locked.
Boris hits Lachlan another four times, and he isn’t even bothering to try to deflect them at all anymore.
I open my mouth to yell something to him, but Ronan stops me.
“Don’t,” he orders. “You’ll only make it worse. He wouldn’t want ye to be here.”
Suddenly, it dawns on me what’s happening here. He’s taking a fall. For the Russians. Because of me. I glance at the chalkboard hanging up on the wall and see the huge amount of money in the pot tonight. Lach’s money. The Irish have all placed huge bets to keep up the pretense. I have no doubt whose money they are betting with either. But worse than that is Lach’s pride.
“Oh my God,” I whisper. “I can’t let him do this.”
“It’s already done,” Ronan says. “I want ye to know what he’s giving up for ye. The things he continues to give up. Ye hurt him once. I won’t stand for ye to do it again.”
I glance up at Ronan with a newfound respect. “I love him, Ronan,” I assure him. “I don’t ever want to hurt him again. I can’t watch this. Please tell me there’s something we can do.”
He just shakes his head.
“This is the payment. What we agreed to. Three lads for your freedom.”
“Three?” I ask in disbelief.
Ronan nods, but he doesn’t look bothered by it. “I had it coming for what I did. Rory will fight next month. Crow asked this of us so he could keep ye.”
I swallow down the emotion in my throat and focus on Lachlan. I can’t believe they have to do this, because of me. It’s painful to watch, and I’m pissed as hell that Lach didn’t tell me about it. Before things get too bad, I take out my phone and send a quick text to Sasha to let her know what’s happening. Even though Ronan won’t admit it, I think it would mean a lot to him if she took care of him after.
The way that I plan to take care of Lach.
I shove my phone back into my pocket and cringe when Boris throws out a hook and socks Lachlan right in the jaw. He goes down with this one, and Ronan has to hold me back as I watch the Russian climb on top of Lach. He throws another series of punches, and blood is flying off of Lachlan’s face from every hit.
“Tell him to tap out!” I yell at Ronan.
But Lach won’t. He’s too fucking stubborn for that.
I’m sobbing now, waving my arms across the room at Johnny, trying to get his attention. I need him to stop this. I need him to call it. He sees me waving frantically and gives me a sad shake of his head.
It’s not over yet. Not until Lachlan taps out or knocks out.
I watch in horror as the guy pummels Lachlan into the ground relentlessly. Ronan is holding me back, and I’m screaming hysterically while people around me look at me like I’m ins
ane. When his arms go limp and he stops fighting, I start screaming at Johnny again.
And finally, he calls the match.
I barely make it into the ring before I collapse onto Lachlan, pleading for him to be okay.
Chapter Forty-Two
Mackenzie
Lachlan is on a good dose of Oxy and whatever else the new doc at the fights pumped him full of before he sent us on our way.
Now I’m sitting in the bedroom with him, stroking his hair beneath my fingers. I know he’s okay, because he briefly woke up on the way home a few times. He refused to go to the hospital, but Conor’s got another doctor coming over to check up on him and Ronan. Sasha is in the parlor with him, and he’s in about as good of shape as Lach is.
I’m not expecting any other company, nor do I want it. So when Niall pokes his head into the room, it catches me off guard.
“Mind if I have a seat?” he asks.
I give him a tight smile. Like he even needs to ask. I’m still not sure what to make of this guy. But Lach respects him, and so I will too, for his sake.
“It was a very noble thing he did, wouldn’t ye say?”
“Noble,” I mutter. “Or stupid. Depending on who you ask.”
Niall smiles at me.
“His loyalty to ye has surprised me, I must admit. I didn’t see that coming.”
“That makes two of us,” I answer. “Is that his payment finished now?”
“Aye.” Niall nods. “They’ve agreed to wipe the slate clean. And ye know what Lachlan has agreed to give up for ye.”
I stare at his face in its relaxed state of sleep and wonder if I’m being selfish by wanting to hang onto him. But I can’t let him go either.
“Do ye love him too, then?” Niall asks.
“Yes.” I blink back my tears. “More than anything.”
“Would ye stand by him then,” Niall says. “No matter what may come?”
“Yes.”
“Give him children and be loyal to him for the rest of your days?”
“Of course.”
“Are ye not afraid to walk this path with him?” Niall asks.
“Not if he’s by my side,” I reply.
Niall smiles, and it’s genuine. “Then I believe the lad has chosen well. He’s proven his loyalty beyond measure. And for that, he will be rewarded.”
It takes me a moment to catch on, but when I do, I feel pride swelling in my chest. “You’re going to promote him?”
Niall stands and walks towards the door. “I think he’s earned it.”
And with that, he disappears down the hall.
***
A week has passed since Lachlan took the fall at the fights. He’s mostly better now, except for a few bumps and bruises. After I chewed him out, I spoiled him in every way that I could think of. Which included a lot of makeup sex and pancakes.
Niall stopped by to see him again when he was in a more lucid state of mind to break the news. In fact, the house has had more people in it these last few days than it ever has.
Scarlett’s been hanging out around a lot. She’s in this world now too, whether I wanted it or not. And Rory can’t seem to take his eyes off her. It’s too bad for him that I know Scarlett won’t let him in. She never lets anyone in.
Tonight’s the night it all becomes official. The syndicate will promote Lach in some sort of private ritual and then we’re all going to celebrate at Slainte. I’ve spent the last two hours getting ready and trying to pick a dress out. When I finally feel like I’ve decided, Lach appears in the doorway, looking as handsome as ever in his normal clothes.
“I’ve got something to say to ye,” he announces.
I tear my eyes away from the closet and move towards him. “Okay, what is it?”
His fingers are tapping against his thigh again.
“I know ye didn’t want this life,” he says. “Ye had no desire to be a part of this world…”
His words drift off and he looks at me, his face uncertain as he continues.
“And maybe it’s selfish of me to want to bring you into it,” he says. “But I do. I want to take care of ye, and protect ye, and any future children we might have as well. I swear to ye that I will. That I will do right by you, and the syndicate will too. You’ll never have to worry about that again.”
“What do you mean?”
“I want ye to marry me, Mack,” he says.
His words send a jolt of both terror and excitement through me. I never thought I’d be the marrying type. I’m so not that girl. But looking up at Lachlan, and after everything we’ve been through together, there’s no question in my mind. I would marry this man today if he’d still have me. I don’t care what anyone else thinks or says. But there’s something else weighing down my hopes.
“Is it because you have to?” I ask. “To keep me alive?”
“No.” His face grows serious. “There’s an out if ye want one. A whole new identity. Alexei can set ye up elsewhere if that’s what ye want.”
His entire body is tense, and I can see how much he wants this. Wants me. Maybe it’s crazy, but I want him too. I can’t let him go. I reach up and stroke his face, and he closes his eyes and relaxes beneath my touch.
“Every King needs his Queen, right?”
“What?” his eyes fly open and he pulls me closer.
“Yes, Lachlan.” I smile. “I will proudly be your wife.”
Forgetting his injuries, he kisses me hard and then groans.
“How much time do we have before we go?” I ask.
Lachlan pulls me over to the bed and starts to undress. “When it comes to you, Mack, I’ve always got time.”
Epilogue
Mackenzie
“This is crazy,” Sasha whispers. “I can’t believe you really did it.”
“I know,” I agree.
I think I’ve gone half mental. “I’m in it for life now.”
This afternoon, in front of all of these people, Lachlan and I got married. I swore a blood oath to remain loyal to my husband and followed it up with a hand fasting ceremony. I’m not the flowers and white Cinderella dresses type of girl, which turned out for the best. He made me wear blue. An Irish thing, apparently. There were also some bracelets that involved bells and something about fairies, most of which I didn’t understand. But it didn’t matter. All that mattered to me was the man standing at the end of the aisle, vowing to love and protect me until his last breath. I know he meant it too.
After everything that’s happened, I was honestly pretty gobsmacked at how easily Niall accepted me into the fold. And even though I can’t help it, there’s still a part of me that feels guilty for all of this. Because Talia couldn’t be here. It’s a bittersweet moment as I look out at the new family that has accepted me as one of their own. The thing that I always wanted, and now I finally have. I know that every single one of these men will kill for me now if need be, and my future children as well. They’ve already fought for me. For Lachlan. And for that reason alone I will stay loyal to the organization that protects him.
Lachlan grins at me from across the room and beckons for me. Everybody is here. Literally, like every frigging member of their outfit and their wives and girlfriends and kids and anyone else they could squeeze into the club.
“You better go to him,” Sasha teases. There’s a note of sadness in her voice and loneliness in her eyes. “He’ll just come to you if you don’t.”
“That’s the way it should be,” I tell her with a grin. “Make them work for it every once in a while.”
She laughs, and I glance across the room towards Ronan. He still hasn’t fully forgiven me, but he is grunting responses now instead of the full on silent treatment. So I guess we’re getting somewhere.
“You should go dance with Ronan,” I suggest.
Sasha laughs and shakes her head. “Naw. He’s not the dancing type.”
“Yeah, you’re probably right,” I agree.
“He’s more of the sit in the corner and brood type. Maybe you could go brood with him then?”
She smiles and shrugs, but I know she won’t. The two of them are both more stubborn than Lachlan and I by far, and that’s saying a lot.
Speaking of the devil, he snakes his arms around my waist and kisses the side of my neck. “Come with me.”
I don’t have much of a choice since he practically drags me down the hall to his office. He shuts the door behind us, and a minute later he’s got me on his desk, rubbing his hands all over my body.
“Mrs. Crow.” He unzips his pants and holds his cock in his hand like a weapon as he stares down at me seriously. “Are ye ready for me to put a baby in you?”
I bite my lip to keep from laughing and nod instead. He’s acting so serious. Like his sheer determination and will is what’s going to do it. I’ve been off the pill for months, and once things finally settled between the territories, we agreed to start trying. Now we go through this every other week when he gets it into his head that this time is going to be the time.
Maybe it’s wrong to want to bring a baby into this life. But I want these things with Lach. I can’t deny that. I want the whole package. And Lachlan is more protective than ever. We even moved into a new house with full time security. It’s a little over the top, but after everything that’s happened he’s not taking any chances with me.
He cups my face as he positions himself between my legs and pushes inside of me. He only just had me this morning, but I knew he wouldn’t be able to wait. I don’t want to either. I grab his ass and pull him deeper with a groan.
He takes his time with me, even though we have a room full of people out there waiting for us. I wait until his breathing grows harsh and then I reach up and bring my lips to his ear.
“Lachlan.”
“Aye, sweetheart?” he grunts.
“You’ve already put a baby inside me.”
I smile when he comes unexpectedly and then blinks open his eyes, staring at me in disbelief.
“Ye’re joking.”
“Nope,” I laugh. “I took a test this morning. Five of them in fact.”
