Page 56 of Cage
“What’s going on?” Declan asks, suddenly all business.
They may not trust me personally, but professionally, they do. If this had anything to do with a job, I know they’d lend their assistance without question. Then again, I guess it sort of has something to do with a job.
“I’m protecting a woman from a threat. She’s staying at my home,” I tell them.
Declan and Kieran stare at me like they don’t know what I’m getting at. No wonder they need my help sometimes. They all might be a bunch of good-looking, rich mafia bosses, but I’m starting to wonder if the brains aren’t all there. Hopefully, they know how to make their women orgasm.
I glance from Cali to Paisley, observing the smitten expressions when they look at their men. Okay, at least they know how to keep their women happy.
“You like her,” Paisley finally says.
“I do,” I answer slowly. “She’s Little. I’m her Daddy. Temporarily.”
“And does she know this? Or is this against her will?” Declan asks.
When I flip him off, he shoots me a smug smile. Fucker.
“So, what’s the problem? Does she like you? Oh, can we meet her?” Cali perks up, her attention no longer on the movie.
The back of my neck tingles as a wave of possessiveness washes over me. There’s no fucking way I’m bringing my girl around these men. I don’t give a fuck if they have wives. I don’t want Ember around any men other than my family. She would adore Cali and Paisley, though, so I might have to make a compromise at some point.
I run my hand over my eyebrows, trying to soothe the headache I’m fighting. “Settling down has never been my plan. It wouldn’t be fair to her. The way she would have to live if she was mine permanently. She wouldn’t have a normal life.”
Cali raises her eyebrows. “Who does have a normal life? Besides, what is normal anyway? There’s no right or wrong way to live as long as you’re happy.”
Declan stares lovingly at his wife and then presses a kiss to her temple. It’s a sweet gesture that, a few years ago, I never would have thought I’d see the man do. But here we are, theleader of the entire North American Irish mafia, gently kissing his wife and watching Beauty and the Beast.
“Why don’t you ask her whatshewants?” Paisley asks.
Probably because I’m afraid of what her answer might be. I don’t want to think about the end until I truly have to. If she confirms that it’s all just a temporary game for her, I don’t know how I’ll feel.
“What if I can’t keep her safe?” I hate how vulnerable I feel as the words come out.
I’m not an insecure man. I have abilities that most people can’t even fathom. But the tiny sliver at the corner of my brain that keeps asking that is what’s stopping me from diving headfirst because I’d give up Ember forever as long as it keeps her safe.
“We all worried about the same thing when we met our girls,” Declan answers, his gaze pinned on Cali with a tortured expression. “And while we do everything possible to keep them safe, there’s always a chance that something could happen.”
I stare at him. “Exactly. I’m not willing to take that risk. Risks aren’t part of my life. Calculated plans are what I do. Sure things. Leaving nothing to chance. I’d never be able to live with myself if something happened to Ember.”
Kieran clears his throat. “You have at least a dozen brothers who are trained the same as you. The risk of anything happening to her is pretty much non-existent.”
“I guess that’s true,” I mutter. “We’ve kept Rowie safe all these years.”
Declan’s eyebrows draw together. “Who is Rowie?”
I glance up and take a second to process his question.
“Rowie is our sister. I thought I’d told you.” That’s a lie. Now that I think about it, I know I never told them. Damn. I guess I really haven’t let these men into my life at all. Maybe I need to start. At least then, they might trust me more.
“You have a sister? Oh, how old is she?” Cali asks.
“She’s around your age; she’s Little too. We found her when she was a kid. Long story, but she’s in Little Space most of the time. It’s therapeutic for her.”
Paisley and Cali exchange a look before Paisley grins at me. “Okay, we need to have a playdate with Ember and Rowie. We could do something fun like a tea party with real tea and snacks. Would that be Little enough for them?”
For the second time since I’ve arrived here, my chest warms. These girls aren’t even age players, yet they still want to make friends with my sister and my girl.
“We’ll see,” Declan says before I can answer. “So you’re here because you want advice or…?”