The sight of Ronan, sweaty and apologetic, sends a shiver of relief through my ribcage. He’s okay. We’re okay. My disappointment he got delayed dissipates. He’s here now. He’ll always be here for me. I don’t need him, but I want him more than ever.
I turn to Finn, who’s eyeing Ronan with a wary trepidation, and rightly so. ‘You didn’t call once. You never sent a single cent. Not that I’d have taken it. I didn’t need it and I certainly didn’t want it, but you didn’t know that. What kind of a man are you?’
‘Not the kind we want representing Coral Chic.’ Lucas steps forwards with a thunderous expression furrowing his features.
‘You’ve got to be kidding?’ Finn’s face is furious. ‘I flew in from London for this. I cancelled a one-to-one training session with one of the Spice Girls, and tonight’s slot on The One Show, and now you’re telling me because of some slu–’
Ronan’s fist connects with Finn’s face and a sickening but satisfying crunch cuts through the air as Finn’s nose breaks. Blood gushes across the front of his chest, crimson liquid flowing like a waterfall.
‘You broke my fucking nose,’ he screeches, catching it inhis hands, gazing at it like he’s never seen blood before. ‘You’ll pay for this. You and your who–.’
Ronan steps forwards with a murderous expression glinting in his ice-cold irises. I place a hand on his heaving chest to steady him. The last thing I want is a lawsuit. He’d lose his job teaching, all because of a pathetic little shit and his sharp tongue.
Ronan growls. ‘Don’t you ever talk about my woman that way again. Or it won’t just be your nose. It’ll be every bone in your gutless body.’
‘You’ll be hearing from my lawyer,’ Finn shouts over his shoulder as he staggers across the beach and up to the main road.
‘I didn’t see anything, did you?’ Lucas inhales heavily and blows out a breath. ‘Savannah, I am so sorry. I had absolutely no idea you’d had a previous relationship with Finn.’
‘You weren’t to know. But I couldn’t let you go into business with him not knowing.’
‘And I’m sorry if I misjudged you, too.’ Lucas extends a hand to Ronan. Ronan eyes it for a second, then shakes it resignedly. ‘You clearly care about Savannah a lot.’
‘I love her,’ Ronan says simply.
‘It’s not hard to see why.’ Lucas crooks his lips and plucks his phone out of his pocket. ‘I just need to make a quick call.’ He backs , leaving Ronan and me alone.
‘Where have you been?’ Though truthfully, wherever he was, he’s here now. And breaking Finn’s nose more than made up for it.
‘It was Jake calling on repeat this morning. Jess got airlifted to Dublin Maternity Hospital. He was out of his mind because he couldn’t go with her, so he asked me to get there as quickly as I could.’ Ronan rakes his fingers through his hair, genuinely distraught.
‘Is Jess okay? The baby?’ He didn’t abandon me. He’snothing like Finn. He’d never hurt me. He’s the best man I know.
‘She is now. She’s out of surgery. They had a baby boy.’ Ronan’s eyes well with emotion. ‘Jake just sent me a picture. You should see him, Sav, he’s the tiniest thing I ever saw, but my god he’s so gorgeous.’
‘You’re gorgeous.’ I take a step towards my man and his hands hook around my waist.
‘I’m so sorry I let you down, baby.’ The sincerity in his tone leaves no room for doubt or insecurity. Especially given he just punched my ex in the face. There was something so fucking hot about having Ronan stick up for me.
Lucas steps closer, having finished his phone call. ‘So, it looks like I’ll be needing a new male ambassador…’ Lucas says to Ronan.
Ronan’s eyes capture mine with an unspoken question, and I nod. This shoot was what brought us together. It’s only fitting that we do it together.
‘In that case, get over to hair and make-up.’ Lucas points to the marquee. ‘And separate changing rooms, you two. This is a family-friendly brand.’
‘There’s nothing family-friendly about what I’m going to do to you later,’ Ronan murmurs, his hot breath tickling my earlobe.
‘I heard that.’ Lucas tuts. ‘You are one lucky, lucky fucker.’
‘Believe me, I know.’ Ronan’s lips land on mine and the rest of the world melts.
Chapter Forty-Four
RONAN
For a man who hates the camera, I’m doing a good job of hiding it. The crew instructs us to strike a million different stances.
‘Now, Savannah,’ the lead cameraman shouts, ‘if you could lie on your back and float with your arms stretched wide and a grin up at the sky like you’re living your best life.’
