Total pages in book: 107
Estimated words: 100086 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 500(@200wpm)___ 400(@250wpm)___ 334(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 100086 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 500(@200wpm)___ 400(@250wpm)___ 334(@300wpm)
If anything, he got more agitated. Cillian laughed harshly. “Karma is a serious bitch, because that’s the only way to explain that the one woman I fall head over heels in love with is the one I have to let go in order to keep her safe. I couldn’t deal with it if something happened to either one of you because I tried to find a way to let you stay, and failed.” He paced from one end of the room to the other. “Fuck, what am I saying? You want to go. So that makes me even more of an ass for wanting you to stay.”
“Cillian, stop.” She crossed to him and put her hands on his shoulders. “That was a seriously impressive monologue, but how about you let me get a word in edgewise?”
“What else is there to say?”
“Oh, I don’t know. You can start by asking me what I want.”
He looked down at her, agony and love written all over his face. “What do you want, sweetheart? Tell me and I’ll do my damnedest to make it happen.”
Her heart lurched in her chest. She’d run before. It hadn’t been far or fast enough, but those weren’t the deciding factors. The truth was that fleeing her problems wasn’t a good way to deal with them. She might hold them off for months, or even years, but in the end they’d find her. And she’d have to deal with them alone.
Or she could take a different path.
Cillian wasn’t Dmitri. Every step of the way, he’d done what he could to put her before his family. He’d fight tooth and nail to keep her and Hadley safe—to keep them out of the line of fire. What was more, Olivia couldn’t imagine her life without him in it. She didn’t want to.
“I love you.” She wanted to hug him, but she needed him to see the truth on her face. “I never planned on it, and I still can’t quite wrap my mind around it, but I love you so much it hurts.”
“That would be the injuries Sergei gave you.”
She smacked his shoulder. “I spent my entire life learning that I could only depend on myself, and then you’ve come along and shot that all to hell. You’ve been there when I needed you—when we needed you. I know I’m not exactly undamaged goods—”
“Olivia, stop.” There was something terrifyingly like hope on his face. “What are you saying?”
“I’m saying I choose you. I know Dmitri is still a potential threat, but I’ve dealt with him up to this point, and I’ll keep on doing it—if you’re willing to hook up with the half sister of a Romanov.”
“Sweetheart, if you stay, I’m going to make damn sure that bastard can never get to you.” His expression turned to one of concentration. “In fact…” He pulled out his phone and dialed. He was close enough to her that she heard a familiar Russian voice pick up the other line.
“Da?”
“Romanov.” Cillian met her gaze, his voice cold. “I have a proposition for you, and don’t make the mistake of thinking it’s optional.”
“Cillian O’Malley. Such a pleasure to hear from you once more.” A pause. “I’m listening.”
“You will leave Olivia alone. She wants no part of the Romanov name, no matter what your father willed. In exchange, I’m willing to offer that the O’Malley family will let go of the fact that you tried to undermine us.”
A longer pause. “And if I choose to turn down this less-than-beneficial agreement?”
“War.” Cillian’s gaze turned contemplative. “I happen to know that you haven’t magically found a wife in the last six months since my sister very publicly chose an enemy to her family over you. That made some of your business partners a little nervous, didn’t it?” The silence on the other end was confirmation enough. Cillian snorted. “Yeah, I thought so. You can’t afford a war right now and you damn well know it.”
Dmitri’s silky laugh made the small hair on the back of her neck stand on end. “While you’re not completely incorrect, I have a counteroffer.”
“And what’s that?”
“I am prepared to let my darling sister settle in with you—which is what I assume you’re planning, otherwise you wouldn’t be calling me—in exchange for two concessions.”
Of course he couldn’t just take what Cillian was offering. Olivia didn’t even know if Cillian had the authority to make that threat in the first place, but if he said they would go to war over her, she believed him. And he was right—war wasn’t something Dmitri could afford right now, not with him only having full control over the Romanovs for less than two years. Her heart beat harder. This could actually work.
Cillian frowned. “What concessions?”
“You, Cillian O’Malley, will owe me a favor. It will not in any way undermine your loyalty to your family, but other than that, it is a free favor that I can call due at my convenience.”