This feels like a dream. Never in my wildest imagination did I think that Conn would be sitting opposite me smiling at me.
“Dick,” Caden laughs, throwing a muffin at Conn. “That’s all you’re going to say to her. Two years you’ve ignored her like she’s got the plague and now it’s ‘Hey Quinn?’ Are you for real?”
“Daithí,” Da grounds out and I pull in a sharp breath. I know that tone. That’s the one he uses when he’s beyond angry and usually it ends up with me getting beaten. “You were out of line and you went too far, if you?—”
“No Da, you all have gone too far. I have watched the way Quinn has been treated, and I have sat back for too long. Mam and Daire have used her as an emotional punching bag for years, and you,” he snarls, his voice lowering and becoming menacing. This is a side to Daithí that I very rarely see. “You have used her as a physical one. It all fucking stops.’
Da’s lips pull into a snarl. “Or what?”
Daithi grins. “I have enough men behind me to topple you. You know this already and mark my words. You carry on the mistreatment of Quinn and I’ll ensure that your time as the head of this family ends.”
The fury in Da’s eyes is something I don’t think I’ve ever seen. I’ve seen him angry, but this is different. This is unlike anything I've ever seen. “You shit,” he says through clenched teeth. “You wouldn’t be where you are if it weren’t for me and you want to take it from me?”
Daithi shakes his head. “No, Da. I don’t, but you’ll leave me with no choice if you continue with the shit you’ve been pulling. What the hell do you think is going to happen if the Mariano’s find out how you’ve treated Quinn? Hmm? Are you forgetting what Caesar did to Vittoria’s father for doing the same thing you’ve done to Quinn?”
Da rises to his feet, his cheeks heating as he stares at us. “No one is going to find out because none of you are going to open your mouths. Do I make myself clear?”
Silence spreads around us as we wait to see what happens next. No one ever goes against our da, not like this. But Daithi isn’t backing down and I’m not sure what the hell Da’s going to do in retaliation.
“No one will say anything as long as you don’t touch her or treat her the way you have been. She is your daughter, Da, it’s about time that you remember that,” Daithi tells him, that anger he has is still simmering.
I hate that he’s putting himself in our da’s firing line. He should have just left it alone. I’m leaving today, nothing good will come from this. I didn’t want him to do this but I’m so very grateful that he’s got my back, that all three of my brothers do.
Da glares at Daithi as he leaves the kitchen and I take a steadying breath before I turn to my oldest brother. “You?—”
Daithi shakes his head. “Don’t say it, Quinn, I should have fucking done it sooner. It needs to be done otherwise he’ll continue his bullshit and I’m not standing back and watching it happen any longer.”
I turn to Conn and see him watching me with so much sorrow. “What changed?” I whisper, I need to know why he’s suddenly on my side.
“A lot,” he says simply. “None of which needs to be discussed today. We have to leave soon, but I promise that we’ll talk soon.”
That sounds ominous, but I have to admit that I’m looking forward to it. Having someone else I can turn to when things get tough will be a welcome surprise. I have hated that Conn was distant when he needed to be close to his family after losing Orla, but because he thought it was my fault he distanced himself when he went away for college to learn the business side of the family organization. I’m glad he’s here now.
“Welcome home,” I say with a small smile, one that he matches and I feel the weight on my chest start to lighten a little.
We’re in the little room in the church, my heart racing as I wait for the moment that tells me it’s time to walk down the aisle. I’m not ready for it, but I’m here and there’s nothing I can do but go ahead with the ceremony.
Things have been tense since breakfast this morning, not to mention hectic. The moment I finished breakfast my brothers ushered me out the door to the hotel where everyone will be staying this evening. The reception will be held there after the church part of the day. I have been pampered beyond recognition. The stylists who came were efficient and made me look and feel beautiful.
Fiona came herself to help me put on my dress. Something she told me quietly was her honor as she felt a maternal instinct toward me and wanted to see me before I got married. I couldn’t believe it and was honestly blown away by her kindness. She helped me into the dress, made sure everything was perfect before she pressed a kiss to my cheek and promised me she'd see me again.
Today has been a weird day. I've never felt so much love and devotion in my life and I’m not really sure how to deal with it.
Now I’m waiting for Da to come into this tiny room that feels like a box and get me to walk down the aisle. My throat feels as though it’s closing. I feel as though I can’t breathe as the enormity of today hits me. I’m getting married to a man who believes that I’m evil and capable of hurting someone so deeply it caused them to harm themselves. I’m about to be tied to a ruthless man who hates me and I’m stuck. There’s no escape for me. This is my only option unless I seek death.
I stand in front of the full-length mirror and look at myself. The beautiful ivory dress looks stunning against my pale skin, but I don’t feel like I did in the store when I tried it on. I don’t feel perfect. Instead, that dread I felt this morning has intensified and it’s taking everything in me to try to beat it down to a dullness inside of me.
The door opens and I watch as Da walks in. He doesn’t even look at my dress, his gaze is fixed on my face. He's in his tailored suit. He looks so put together, there’s nothing out of place, but the anger from this morning is still whirling in his eyes, it’s like looking at a storm waiting to break out.
"You look well," he says thickly, still not moving his gaze from my face.
"Thank you, Da," I reply softly. I know this man. I know the tells to look out for and right now, I’m on edge. He’s close to lashing out and I know that it’s going to hurt when he does. Daithi infuriated him this morning and he hasn’t released that anger at all.
I just pray that I’m wrong and he’ll leave me be.
"Today matters," he says as he steps toward me so that he’s standing behind me in the mirror.
I nod and swallow. "I know."
