Page 104 of Sins of Innocence

Kieran takes my hand again.

And this time, I don't pull away.

Chapter twenty-one

A Shocking Proposal

ÁINE

Disneyland.

I'm with my girls at Disneyland, something I thought we'd never be able to do after Kenneth Shaughnessy took over our lives almost six years ago.

No going out of the City, much less the state.

My heart so full it might burst, I grin at Kieran. He made this possible.

He jerks, like the delight on my face surprises him. "What?"

"Just happy." Despite everything. I am so happy to be having this moment with my daughters.

Joy vibrates with impatience beside me, because Main Street USA is right there and she wants to run down it and touch everything, but we're riding the horse drawn trolley because Kieran wanted to. None of us wanted to tell him no. Not even Joy.

Neeve is taking everything in, her usually serious gaze alight with curiosity. Even Sadie is all little-girl enthusiasm, no preteen cool evident.

Mom has her phone out taking photographs. Ellie is suspiciously looking everywhere but at me. She's been doing that since we got in line at the park entrance. When I narrowed my eyes at her in the way I do to get her to fess up, she gave me her most innocent expression. Which is her tell that she is absolutely up to something.

But what?

I already know her secrets, don't I? Is she still hiding stuff from me?

Kieran's hand finds the small of my back as the trolley slows.

All morning it's been there, like a compass needle finding north. He's very touchy-feely for a mobster who doesn't date. According to Ellie.

I got very little sleep last night because of that big, proprietary hand. I kept thinking about it on my body and not my back. When I finally did get to sleep, I woke up at two and then again at four a.m. from dreams that left me wet and sticky between my legs.

Both times, I had to talk myself out of sneaking out of our suite and knocking on his next door.

I did not get out of bed, not even to go pee because I didn't trust my self-control if I left the bedroom.

I am choosing to consider this a personal victory.

We disembark in front of Sleeping Beauty's Castle, which Joy immediately identifies as the most important structure she has ever seen in her life. I fully expect Kieran to steer us toward it, but his hand at my back guides me to the left, along a path that curves away from the crowd heading toward the Castle.

"Where are we going?" Joy asks.

"Snow White's Grotto," Kieran says, but offers no further explanation.

No surprise there.

There's a wishing well on the way into the grotto and the girls want to make a wish. Of course.

I don't have any coins on me. There were a few in the bottom of the purse I switched from, but I didn't transfer them to the new backpack style purse I got that matches the girls' Minnie Mouse luggage, not to mention the cute white sundress with bright red cherries all over it I'm wearing.

Naturally, Kieran is prepared for the wishing well and offers each girl a penny. Who even has pennies anymore? I bet he got them special just for this.

Or had one of his minions do it. But he thought of it.