“Ivan,” I whisper. “I have to tell you something.”
He stirs, moving to his side so he can face me. He rests his hand on my hip, squeezing me as though to urge me to go on.
“A few days ago, the day you came over, a package arrived in the mail.” I run my hand over my face, pushing my messy hair behind my ear. “It was from my mother-in-law’s estate.”
His brow wrinkles. “What was it?”
“Declan’s ring.” I tuck my bottom lip between my teeth as soon as I get the words out.
His response is immediate. He chuckles, a low rumbling sound from deep in his chest. “The ring?”
“Yeah. Derek’s cousin said they found it in her bedroom with a note that it belonged to Derek. He must have given it to her to hold, I’m not really sure. Why are you laughing? This is bad.”
He lifts a shoulder, as if to dismiss the danger. “It’s fine.”
“How is it fine? If Declan finds out I have it, or he decides to come looking for Kieran and he finds me…I’ve brought the Irish mafia after you.”
He rolls back to his chest, pulling me into him and kisses the top of my head. “Declan’s dead.”
I push up to look him in the eye. “You?”
“No.” He’s firm in his denial. “There was a change in his organization. His cousin, Killian, took over. As far as I know, he took out Declan.”
“Did he send Kieran here?”
“Kieran was loyal to Declan until the bitter end. He ran away before Killian had a chance to deal with him. He was hiding here.”
“But the ring, it would be Killian’s then, if they’re cousins.”
“No one gives a fuck about the ring, Vee. Everything’s in chaos over there. The last thing he’s thinking about is that. You’re not on his radar. He has much bigger problems to deal with.”
“That’s where you’ve been these last few days?”
“I didn’t approach him. I only wanted to be certain you were safe.” He traces my bottom lip with this thumb. “You are.”
“So.” I run my tongue over the tip of his thumb. “What happens now?”
He grins, shoving his thumb past my lips, hooking my cheek with it. “Now, we discuss our future. I want you to move in here. I won’t pressure you to marry me– yet, but I don’t want you in that awful apartment anymore. You need to be here.”
“Because the DeAngelos are still a problem.” I bite down on his thumb.
“They are, but no, that’s not why.” He rolls me onto my back and covers my body with his. “I never want to wake up without you in my bed again.”
“I’m going to get a new job,” I say.
His nostrils flare. “What does that have to do with where you sleep?”
“I’m giving you my terms.”
His jaw stiffens. “Your terms?”
“Yes, I’ll move in here with you if you don’t try to stop me from getting a job. And you let me pay for things.”
“Pay for whatever you want. Work wherever you want—no, I take that back. You won’t work at anymore bars or clubs.” His eyes sparkle. “I remember you said something about not wanting me to go to prison for mass murder when we’re just starting our relationship.”
“It would be very inconvenient, yes,” I say with a laugh.
“I wouldn’t want to do anything that would inconvenience you.” His eyes are intense, full of love as he leans into me, brushing his lips across the shell of my ear. “Now, be a good girl and spread your legs for me.”
