OWEN
Fuck.
This is unnerving.
Just because I’ve been around these sort of men for most of my life, doesn’t make me any more comfortable right now.
Usually I’m in a man’s home because I’ve been hired for a job. I’m wanted. Needed even.
But this is different.
This is me in a man’s home because I’ve fallen in love with his daughter.
God, Dorian isn’t going to be impressed, is he? No wonder he looks so mad. I’m way older than Emma, and we didn’t exactly meet in a conventional way.
Worst of all, I’m a mercenary. A hired man for contracts, with no real loyalty to anyone.
I doubt the O’Connell’s will like that.
But every time the nerves threaten to consume me, Emma brings me back down to earth with her hand on my leg. She’s with me through all of this, so at least I’m not alone.
“So, you’re the big hero, right?”
A giant guy with the broadest shoulders I might have ever seen claps his hands down on my shoulders.
“Owen, this is Cillian. My oldest brother.” Emma rolls her eyes. “And this is Loch and Keegan, the twins, and Fionn too.”
The introductions are brief, but I do my best to make a good impression on Emma’s family. Her brothers aren’t looking at me like they want to kill me, which is a good thing.
I hope.
“Did you really foil Vinnie?” Fionn asks me with a playful smirk. “That asshole has been causing us issues forever. I can’t believe you outsmarted him. That’s unheard of.”
I kinda nod, because I don’t want to brag or anything. But I guess I did.
Mind you, I wouldn’t have done it, if it weren’t for Emma.
If I didn’t fall for Emma, this could have had a very different outcome.
“So, you took the Flynn’s down, huh?” Keegan laughs. “You really are a bad ass.”
“And killed Hudson too, right?” Loch says proudly. “That was something else. I heard all about that. You definitely saved our sister doing that.”
Okay, so it feels like her brothers don’t hate me, which is great. But I can still feel Dorian’s hard eyes on me. He has a few things he wants to say to me, I’m sure.
He has a reputation for not being easily impressed anyway, and Emma told me that he might take a while to come around, so I’m not going to get too panicked about it.
Even if I am freaking out a little bit.
“Yeah, well I had to make sure Emma was okay, didn’t I? I couldn’t let a scum bag like Hudson get anywhere near her. He was bad news.”
She holds my leg again under the dinner table as the compliments continue. I truly don’t know what I would do without her right now.
She really is keeping me going. I reach under the table and curl my hand around hers, squeezing her to let her know how truly grateful I am.
“Actually, Emma, will you give me a hand in the kitchen?” Dorian suddenly asks, which causes ice cold tension to flow through the room.
I don’t know why this causes everyone to fall into silence, but it definitely does.
Shit, is something about to happen here that I’m definitely not prepared for?
My spine stiffens.
“In the kitchen?” Emma cocks her head to one side curiously. “Erm, sure.”
Her brows furrow as she follows her father into the hallway. I can see them from where I’m sitting.
They definitely aren’t going to the kitchen.
The chatter starts back up around me, and I can sense Emma’s brothers trying to pull me back into a chat, and I do my best to give them what they want, while still keeping my eyes on them.
There’s tension between Emma and her father. I don’t like the look of that.
I can see Dorian’s shoulders are pretty much up around his ears.
I feel sick to my stomach; this might be the moment that everything goes all wrong.
I really wish I’d bugged Emma, or that I could be a fly on the wall, just to give me a moment to overhear what’s being said. I would love to be prepared somehow…
But then everything changes.
I don’t know what Emma has said, but there’s a smile spreading across Dorian’s face. She’s relaxed him, calmed him down, and now he’s embracing her.
Shit.
Relief flows through me as I see them looking happy.
I might be able to keep my head after all.
“All good,” Emma whispers under her breath as she takes her seat back where she belongs, right beside me. “I’ll tell you all about it later.” I would much rather hear everything now, but this is a family dinner.
What I want doesn’t matter.
I try to sneak a look at Dorian, but he’s smiling right at me.
Okay, this is good.
Really good.
“Before the next course comes out, I would like to do a toast.” Dorian surprises everyone as he rises to his feet. “It’s been a long time since we’ve all been together as a family, don’t you think? And it’s something I have missed out on, as I’m sure you all have.”
There’s a murmur of agreement around the table.
Much to my surprise, Emma even seems in agreement.
I hope this means things are better with her family now, and better from here on out as well.
“I’m also grateful that my eyes have been opened to the Flynn’s and their plans. I was blindsided by the idea of a more peaceful life, and that allowed me to be blinded by those assholes. I let them trick me into thinking that things would be better with Emma and Rickie married, but that was a mistake.”
He mouths the word ‘sorry’ to Emma, which brings tears to her eyes.
“I am so grateful that I didn’t send Emma into the hands of those monsters. Not only have all ties been severed with them, but they will also
pay. I will not let them get away with any of this. No way.” He shakes his head, regret rolling off of him in waves.
He seems like a good man, much better than his reputation suggests.
I’m sure he cares a lot about his family, about his daughter, and that he just let greed and power get in the way for a little while.
But never again.
Or at least I hope never again.
“Family is the most important thing,” Dorian continues, his voice cracking just a little. “Family, love, and loyalty. That’s all we need to focus on here. First and foremost.”
As Dorian turns to me, my heart stops beating for just a moment.
Shit, where is this about to go?
“None of us need to worry about the Lucchese’s anymore. Debts have been settled, differences have been sorted, everything is fine on that front.
We no longer need to worry.”
I have to admit, that loosens a knot that had tightened in my stomach.
I didn’t know what was going to happen with Vinnie, but I definitely feared the worst.
“So, Owen, you can calm down a little and maybe enjoy life.” I try to smile, but I feel too anxious to really make that happen.
“Emma, there are some things that I want to say to you.”
Emma straightens up. Her spine stiffens. It’s her turn to panic. I squeeze her hand, trying to reassure her just like she has done me, but she seems too worried to receive that.
“You haven’t always done what I wanted you to do, but you have always done what’s right for you. I can see that now.” Dorian smiles sweetly at his daughter. “Just like your mother. You remind me of her so much. She was stubborn, too, but she always knew that she was doing the right thing for her, which was the most important thing. Just like you.”
Dorian moves around the table until his hand is on Emma’s shoulder.
“Your mother would be proud of the independent woman you have become. Someone who puts others first and looks out for them. Caring and sweet, but strong headed too. It’s great to see. I might have tried to control the direction of your life a little, which I now realize I don’t need to do anymore. You are more than capable of looking after yourself and making the right choices for you. What I need to do is step back and let you grow. Watch you become the woman that you were always meant to become, the woman that your mother would be proud of every single day. But…”
There’s a collective holding of breath as we wait for what’s next. A ‘but’ is never good.
“I do need to make sure that you’re cared for, Emma. Always. Which is why I want to hire a full time bodyguard for you.” Now his hand rests on my shoulder. “Owen, what do you say about taking on that role?”
I nod happily, glancing over to Emma, who also looks like she’s soaring higher than air. “I wouldn’t like it any other way. You know you can trust me with Emma. I will do anything to keep her safe.”
Dorian nods with satisfaction. “You have already proven yourself, Owen. I know I can trust you. With my daughter’s life, and my grandchild’s too.”
I rest my hand on Emma’s belly, grinning from ear to ear.
She smiles right back at me with love in her eyes. I can feel her gratitude rolling through the room because this meeting has gone so much better than either of us could have hoped. I’m not dead, and now it seems like I’m trusted too. Maybe even respected.
And if I’m working for the O’Connell’s then I never need to take up dangerous stupid jobs for men like Vinnie again. I can keep my family safe and happy. I can finally give Emma the life I think she deserves. The life I have been wishing for her, but with me.
Who would have known that life could turn out so perfect?
And honestly, it feels like it’s only going to get better from here.