The small confirmation we’re talking about Tally girl is a big moment between us. I, along with my pack, am dealing with a lot of fucking resentment still when it comes to my parents. It makes the time we’re together uncomfortable, and incredibly difficult, but it’s not the first time the O’Connors have dealt with the rippling effects of tragedy. I sure feckin’ pray it’s the last time, though.
I sat by Paddy and Jeanie’s bedside for as long as could, or at least until the doctors confirmed they’d both survive. By sheer luck, and an incredible surgical team, the injuries they suffered were stitched back together. Jeanie recovered fast, while Paddy was put in a medically induced coma. He’ll never be the same physically or mentally, and I can’t help but sometimes think that’s his penance for being such a stubborn fucker.
In my silence, Ma starts talking again. “Everything’s under control. You stay as long as you need. Maeve is doing a grand job. She’s a natural.”
Jeanie’s touching on lots of sore points in our catchup. But maybe it’s time too. Her comment about Maeve acting for me as head of the Irish would be a hard thing for Jeanie to admit, considering my parents have only ever seen at me for that role. I knew from the day Maeve was born that she had everything needed to run the Irish as well as I could, which is why I asked her.
“Right, then. Will you let Maeve know to give me a call?”
“Aye.”
I squeeze my eyes shut, trying to keep the bitterness from my voice. “And Paddy, how’s he doing?”
“He’s a’right, Ronin. I’ll let him know you rang too.”
“Right, then.”
“Love you, son.”
“I know.”
Jeanie hangs up before I do. Keegan’s hand on my shoulder is a show of his support. He knows how much of a struggle it is, how much effort being their son takes.
Joe’s careful not to be intruding when it comes to me doing my job, considering his. Weirdly, once we got over the fact there’s nothing we wouldn’t do when it came to his adopted-in-spirit daughter—escape any fucking prison he looked at putting us in, or fight every goddamn charge leveled our way, or killing any person who’d even look sideways at our wife, him included—we came to a stilted gentleman’s agreement.
I find him downstairs, talking with Harris. All the careful preparation I went through before calling home was only so I had the grace to do this. It’s a might hard not ripping both these Alphas to pieces with my bare hands. The need to remove them from anywhere near my darling wife is growing stronger with each second that passes. And it only hasn’t happened because of her.
“I appreciate you giving us space,” I say, looking at them. I’m not ashamed of how I feel obsessively protective of my pack. No damn way. I’m also not apologetic for being less than friendly or inviting.
Joe, well, Joe’s got the advantage of being family, so he can look me in the eye despite the level of aggression I’m throwing his way. Harris barely manages to look my way for a few seconds before his eyes drop and his hands lift in surrender.
Logically, I know Harris has done nothing but protect my wife since the moment he was assigned her case. But this isn’t about logic; this is about me trying to shield my wife from the fucking world. Whether it’s warranted or not.
Some people say once an Alpha takes his Omega as his, things settle down, but I know from experience, my need to protect Tally, and Rafferty, is going to cause issues. It’s a tomorrow problem, though. Like the Russian’s are.
“I’m going in to see Tally now. So I need you staying down here until one of us gives you the all clear.”
Joe goes to say something, and as if to prove my point, in the next blink and without cognizant thought on my part, Harris has a gun pointed my direction while I’m pressing my finger into Joe’s forehead. My fingers around his throat ache to squeeze the life from him.
“I’d never fucking hurt her, so don’t you even think it.”
I was playing nice until they stepped over a line. I’m not one hundred percent where the line was, but I feel good knowing we’ve addressed the elephant in the room.
“Stay fucking down here,” I bark over my shoulder before storming back up the stairs.
I wanted to go in quietly, but I’m pretty sure I just woke the dead with how loud I roared.
TALLY
Ronin’s hand is buried in my hair, the steady beat of his heart the only thing I can hear. Each long, slow breath he takes in his sleep adds to the cloud of scent I’m in.
Waking up is disorientating. I’m lying across the bed, not in the same spot I was when I fell asleep. Tynan’s hand is in mine, and Ronin is covering me with his body, becoming the only blanket I need. It’s easy to admit, I feel like I’m a part of the world again, as opposed to having been existing in a different dimension.
Tynan twists around, quickly finding me awake. I always knew we shared a deep connection, and him waking the same time as me today is a necessary reminder.
He stares at me, holding nothing back. I essentially get a rundown on everything he’s gone through, without the need for words. And once he’s done sharing, he leans over, giving me plenty of time to push him away. Him resting his forehead on mine is like finding a piece of me again. Blowing out a slow breath to buffer the enormity of our reunion, Ty ghosts his lips over my skin before he goes into the bathroom.
The shower starts up, and it’s not in invitation. Ty is showing me he’s not going anywhere, but he’s also getting himself ready for what’s coming ahead, looking after me.
