Twist of Fate (The Donovans Book 1)

by Callie Quigg

  A strand of Ronan’s hair fell into his forehead, and Quinn’s fingers itched to push it back. Who was she kidding? Her fingers itched to pull his hair while she straddled his lap.

  No, no, and no. He was Brady’s friend, and that was enough to make her stay away for life.

  Lead filled her chest, and she glanced at Ronan. He smiled at her. She scowled back, which made his smile grow wider. Bastard. She turned away. He could keep his nipple-hardening-bra-melting smile all to himself. She didn’t want him here. But she was glad he was. God, her whirlwind emotions were enough to create a tornado.

  When Ronan and Lily reached the top of the aisle, he placed a kiss on Lily’s cheek and presented her to Brendan. At the sight of Lily, Max yipped and his tail went into overdrive.

  Quinn hoped when she got married, when life got crappy, or when she fought with Ro—her husband whoever that would be—that she’d always remember the love they felt on their wedding day.

  While the happy couple exchanged vows, a movement caught Quinn’s eye. She turned her head and saw Ronan watching her full on. His gaze devoured her, stealing her breath, and her heart lurched like a leashed puppy desperate to get to its owner.

  Cheers of congratulations and Max’s barking distracted her, and Quinn averted her gaze toward the altar. A smiling Brendan grabbed Lily by the waist and lifted her in the air. Her hands found his shoulders and he lowered her until their lips met, which caused the congregation to cheer even louder.

  They were lucky to have found each other, and a twinge of envy rippled her heart, but at the same time, she couldn’t be happier for them.

  Ronan crossed the aisle and stood by her side, but she didn’t look at him. No matter how much she wanted to lay her head against his arm, to feel the warmth of his body seeping into hers, she wouldn’t. Not yet. Maybe never. She needed answers. He’d made it clear he wanted nothing to do with her; that she, like all women, couldn’t be trusted. And then there was the whole Brady connection she still didn’t understand or comprehend.

  The back of Ronan’s hand grazed against hers, stunning her momentarily. She swayed and glanced at him. A frown creased his forehead but then he gazed at the floor like a scolded child. She shook her head and pulled her hand away. Not now.

  Ronan walked up to the altar, tapped the microphone, and called for attention. A murmured hush fell over the room. “On behalf of the bride and groom, thank all of you for coming with little or no notice.” The guests cheered again, and Lily gave a regal bow. “I also want to thank Quinn Marshall for pulling this off at the last minute. Even under immense pressure, she didn’t crack.” He turned to Quinn. “I lov—”

  Quinn bolted up to the altar and grabbed the microphone from Ronan before he said something they’d both regret. “If everyone would like to go to the foyer, we have buttered whiskey, champagne, and hors d’oeuvres.”

  Whatever Ronan was about to say, now was so not the time. The L word was something she didn’t want to think about or deal with right now. Quinn stepped away from Ronan without looking at him.

  She thought she’d wanted to talk to him. Thought she wanted answers. But right now, with him standing a heartbeat away, she didn’t want to deal with the emotions those answers would expose. She wanted to make the most of the day and not wonder about what would’ve been. Sneaking away and having her wicked way with a sexy man who made her scream in ecstasy wasn’t allowed. Nope. Nuh-uh. Not happening.

  Regardless of the all-out war taking place inside of her, a smile stretched across her face, and she pushed past Ronan to congratulate her friends. She clasped Lily and Brendan’s combined hands between hers. “You two would melt the coldest of hearts. I can’t believe you’re married, or committed, or whatever you are. ”

  “You and me both, chickadee.” Lily pulled Quinn into a hug.

  Brendan leaned down and whispered, “Let him explain. You two are meant to be, just like my darling wife and me.”

  Quinn looked at the beaming couple and shook her head. “It was a fling. A hookup. Nothing more.”

  “And I’m a monkey’s uncle,” Lily said.

  “Quinn! Quinn, over here.”

  She glanced to her left to see who called her name. Sammy, wearing what looked like a brand new navy suit and a white open-necked shirt beamed at her, then pressed a kiss to her cheek. She’d never seen him so happy. Christmas miracles were happening all over the castle. “Sammy. Look at you. You look amazing.”

  “You found Max a new owner. Thanks a million.”

  “Don’t thank me,” she said with a laugh. “Max was the one who found himself a new owner with zero help from me. How’d you get here?”

  “Your man, the one who thinks he’s important, tracked me down and brought me here.”

  “Ronan?” The ice shielding her heart melted a little.

  Sammy nodded. “Said you’d want me to see Max was okay.”

  “He’s more than okay.”

  “I’ve never seen him as happy.”

  “Do you still have a place to stay? Please don’t tell me your on the streets in this weather.”

  “I have a bed, but the fella that owns this place told me needs someone to help him in the kitchen and the job comes with somewhere to stay. Since I have nothing else going on, I said I’d take it. He’s dying about you, y’know.”

  “Max?”

  “Your man. Didn’t stop yakking about you the whole way here. I had to put me earbuds in to make him shut up.” Tears filled Quinn’s eyes but before she could get any words out, the crowd of guests swept Sammy, Brendan, Lily, and Max into the foyer for the cocktail reception.

  She sniffed back her tears and moved to the grand hall to inspect the tables and direct the wait staff on what they needed to do. She relegated Ronan Donovan to the back of her mind, where he’d stay until she had the emotional reserves to deal with him.

  ****

  This wouldn’t be easy. Not that Ronan blamed her. He’d been a complete fecker. If Lily hadn’t sent him the video of Quinn’s god-awful singing, he might never have come back. He didn’t believe in fate and all that crap like Quinn did, but serendipitous events seemed to be at play. He didn’t even know if it would work between them. His life was in New York. Hers was here.

  Could their relationship survive that distance? He’d thrown around the idea of opening an Irish branch of Donovan Events to handle European clients. He might come over for a few months and look into the possibility. Getting on a plane after Christmas and never seeing Quinn again made him feel as if one of Santa’s reindeer had kicked his chest.

  From the doors of the banquet hall, he watched Quinn work. She was as efficient as she was creative, and that was the real reason Donovan Events hadn’t won the event. Not because she’d lied. Her work was solid, and she let little, if anything, fluster her. He’d questioned her ethics and her morals, and compared her actions to Abbey. And worse than all of that, he’d listened to the man who’d done everything to ruin her life. If given the opportunity of a do-over, he’d take it with both hands and never let go.

  She didn’t deserve what he’d put her through.

  He didn’t deserve her.

  The red dress she wore illuminated her golden skin. What kind of underwear did she have on beneath the silk layers, or did she wear any at all—he hoped not and he hoped he’d find out. But first, he needed to get her alone to apologize.

  To kiss her.

  To touch her.

  To make her his.

  He strode into the banquet hall. This was it. The moment he’d put everything on the line.

  “Quinn. We need to talk.”

  She ignored him for a few seconds and inspected a place setting, picking up nonexistent flecks of dust. “Thanks for bringing Sammy here. That was sweet, but other than that, we’ve both said enough.”

  “There’s more I need to say—” he glanced around the room at the bustling wait staff, “—bu
t not here. Somewhere private. Let me explain about Brady.”

  Quinn thinned her lips. “You have five minutes.”

  “We go way back. He conned my sister. Said he was going to marry her. Stood her up at the altar and cleared her bank account. When I caught up with him, I broke his nose.”

  Her eyes widened and she sucked in a breath. “How does any of that involve me?”

  “He read your emails. Saw a chance to get back at me through you and took it. I shouldn’t have listened to him. I was wrong.”

  “I’m sorry about your sister.” Her lower lip trembled for a millisecond before it stiffened. “You can leave now.”

  “You said five minutes.”

  “I changed my mind.”

  He stalked around the table and before she could get away, he wrapped his arms around her waist and leaned down until his mouth was level with her ear. He couldn’t help noticing how the hairs on her body stood on end at his touch. “We’re going to talk about us, and we’re going to talk now.”

  If she didn’t talk to him, he wouldn’t leave her alone. He wouldn’t give up.

  Giving him a put-upon sigh, she lifted his hands from her waist and inclined her head toward the library. “In there.”

  Ronan watched the sway of Quinn’s hips as she walked into the book-filled room and stood by a bay window. Snow drifted outside, and the twinkling pine tree in the corner gave the room the feel of an old-fashioned Christmas Card.

  “What is it, Ronan?” she asked, her voice tired. “There is no us to talk about. The whole thing with Brady—”

  “He’s going to prison.”

  “What?” Quinn pressed her fingertips against her lips.

  “He tried to get me to pay him a hundred grand to keep his mouth shut and put cameras in the castle bedrooms. I set him up. He was arrested.”

  “When?”

  “The day before you told Lily the truth. He’s the reason I hurt my head.”

  “You got into a fight?” Her mouth fell open and she rubbed the heal of her hand against her chest.

  “Of sorts.”

  “Why set him up? Why go to that trouble?”

  “Because you didn’t deserve any of it. Him stealing your money. Me blackmailing you. I wanted to make things right for you.”

  She held her fingers to her temples and sighed. “By lying? By making me feel like I was the only one in the wrong? Were you ever going to tell me?”

  “As soon as the wedding was over, I would have. I swear.” He locked the door. “I’m sorry. I was angry and should never have accused you of unethical business practices or trying to ruin my reputation. I did that all by myself.”

  Her arms fell to her side, and she turned toward him with wide eyes. “Is that all? Don’t forget the kitten I kicked? The child I stole candy from?”

  “Someone once told me sarcasm is the lowest form of wit.”

  He waited for a response, a laugh, but none came.

  “I like you, Quinn. It’s more than like. I might lov—love you, and that terrifies me. I never thought I’d have these kind of feelings again.” His voice sounded rougher with each word, like he was losing control of his emotions. “Abbey left me in a dark place. Since then I haven’t allowed myself to feel, to remember what it was like being with someone who gave me chills from walking into a room. Someone who gave me hope. Challenged me. I didn’t believe in love at first sight, but we could be great together. There’s a chemistry I can’t explain.”

  Quinn heaved out a breath, and Ronan’s heart clutched painfully. Every muscle in his body went on high alert, ready to bolt. But no matter how much he wanted to run, he wasn’t going to. Not this time. Never again.

  “You were a jerk and an asshole.” Quinn turned back toward the window. “But I’m as much to blame. I should’ve told you everything about Brady and I should’ve talked to you before I said anything to Lily. I’m sorry.

  “I don’t know what’s happening here either. Maybe this castle has some sort of voodoo Christmas love power. And I-I guess I might… be falling in love with you. But you live in New York, and my home is here. A long distance relationship isn’t going to be easy.”

  He walked toward her and rested his hands on the swell of her hips. The way her body shivered in response stopped his breath for a moment and told him everything he needed to know. Quinn was his future.

  He swallowed hard. “I can move here for a few months.”

  She slowly turned to face him. “You’d do that?”

  “I’d do anything to give us a fighting chance.”

  The sadness lifted from her face and was replaced by a quizzical smile. “What made you come back? And don’t tell me it was to give Lily away.”

  Ronan reached into his jacket pocket and took out his phone. “This did.” He pressed play on the video. It showed Quinn in the middle of the foyer with her hands gripping a microphone as she shout-sang, “I will always love you, Ronan Donovan, even though you’re a douche canoe.”

  When the video ended, splotches of red colored her cheeks and chest, and she hid her face in her hands. “Oh no. Oh no, no, no. Delete immediately.”

  “No chance.” Ronan chuckled and slid the phone back into his pocket. “This is what I’m going to show our grandkids. I’ll tell them it was the moment their grandma admitted she was falling for their granddad. You can explain to them what a douche canoe is.”

  He pried Quinn’s hands from her face and tipped her head up until their lips were less than a centimeter apart. He closed the distance between them and pressed his mouth to hers.

  No more lies. No more pretending. Only truth.

  ****

  Quinn ran her hands down his chest, marveling at how much she missed touching him. All thoughts of anything other than being here with him evaporated, and she placed her hand on top of his thundering heart. He loved her. He wanted to be with her. There were no more secrets between them. Everything would be okay. They would be okay. More than okay.

  Ronan walked her backward until her bottom rested on the edge of an antique desk.

  “What are you doing?” she asked.

  “Making up for lost time.”

  “I like how you’re making up for lost time.” She unbuttoned his tuxedo jacket, then ran her hands lower and pulled his crisp, white shirt from the waistband of his trousers. She dragged her nails over his abdomen until he hissed. She was already turned on beyond recognition, and once again, the power her touch had over him exhilarated her.

  “Clothes off,” she commanded and grazed her teeth over his lower lip.

  “Uh, uh.” He sounded gruff. “Time for that later.”

  Ignoring him, she tugged open his bow tie and reached for the buttons on his shirt, but before she even got to the second one, Ronan restrained her hands against the desk and pressed himself against her.

  “Later.”

  Quinn wiggled her hands free and skimmed her knuckles along the crotch of his trousers. “I’ll hold you to that.”

  His hands explored the exposed skin on her shoulders. Teasing fingers swept over her chest and pushed down the bodice of her dress. The coarse edge of his thumbs grazed her nipples, sending rushes of blood to her clit.

  His lips left her mouth to find her breasts, where he licked slow, tightening circles around one of her already puckered nipples. This wasn’t the time to be slow. Was he trying to drive her insane again? She wanted rough, hard, fast. To feel how much he missed her. How much he wanted her. She wanted him desperate, hard, and panting. Arching her back, she pushed her nipple deep into his mouth, and he released it with a pop.

  Her breath whooshed out. “I might die.”

  “I think I already have.” He took the tip of her breast back into his mouth.

  When he moved his attention to her other breast, her head lolled back. This time, he wasn’t slow or deliberate. He sucked hard, trapping her nipple in his mouth, tormenting her with the
flat of his tongue. Her body hummed beneath him, and even though he’d hardly touched her, she was already close to coming.

  “More.”

  With his mouth still fastened over her nipple, he pushed up the layers of her dress. And when her legs fell open, he stepped inside so her thighs framed his. His fabric-encased cock pressed against her damp underwear, and if he didn’t touch her soon, she really might lose her mind.

  He tore his mouth from hers. “Miss me much?”

  “Not that much.”

  “I think you’re lying.”

  “I’d never lie to you. I learned my lesson, remember.”

  “Liar.”

  He lifted her legs by the ankles and curled them around his waist. He eased her shoulders back until she lay on the desk. His fingertips stroked along the tops of her stockings and slid over the lacy hem of her panties.

  Quinn gripped the edge of the desk, writhing and grinding against the heel of his palm. Molten fire licked low in her belly, ready to engulf her.

  “Is this what you want?” His dilated eyes shone, and his chest rose and fell quickly.

  “Not one bit.”

  “Are you sure?”

  She gasped. “Very sure.”

  “So you don’t want this either?” He nudged the material of her underwear out of his way and slipped two fingers beneath the fabric, his eyes not leaving hers.

  “Don’t want it.” She wanted to stay locked in this room with him forever. To lie down in front of the Christmas tree and have steamy, body-clenching sex all day, but they had a wedding to go to. Slow could come later.

  “If you don’t fuck me and do it fast, I’m going to lose my mind.”

  “Thought you couldn’t tell me what you wanted.”

  “I’ve changed.”

  Ronan laughed and touched his fingers to her clit, making her soar. She wanted more and brought her hands to her breasts where she teased, pinched, and pulled her nipples. A savage groan came from deep within Ronan. His mouth mashed against hers, and pressure coiled inside of her and frenzied lust took control.