LOGINShannon sighed and leaned back against the sofa. “My father finally agrees, and now you’re the difficult one.”“I’ve always been difficult. You were distracted by my face.”She gave him a look.He kept her hand in his. “Let’s plan it,” he said.She looked at him again. “The small ceremony?”“If that’s what you want.”“The garden?”“Yes.”“No business guests.”“Agreed.”“And you don’t get to turn this into an engagement that lasts five years.”“We’ll choose a date together. We won’t choose it tonight because you’re frightened or because someone thinks a pregnant woman ought to hurry.”Shannon considered him for a long moment then she nodded. “All right.”“Are you sure?”“I’m allowed to be disappointed and still understand.”His expression softened. “Yes, you are.”She moved closer and settled beneath his arm. After a moment, she said, “We can still look at dresses.”Sean looked down at her. “You have already looked at dresses.”“I’m a designer. Looking is research.”“How many?”“That f
Sean took her outstretched hand. “What question?”Shannon glanced towards the doorway Kennedy had disappeared through. “Close the door first.”His eyebrows lifted. “Should I be worried?”“Probably.”Sean closed it, then returned to her. She was still standing beside the window, smiling in a way that made him forget the questions waiting on his phone. He rested his hands at her waist. “What have you and your father agreed to without me?”“Nothing. He told me to ask you.”“That sounds worse.”Shannon smoothed the front of his shirt, taking longer than necessary.Sean caught her fingers. “Sweetheart.”“I want us to get married.”His expression softened. “We are getting married.”“Before the baby comes.”His hands became still.Shannon watched him carefully. “Nothing big,” she continued. “Just a small ceremony. Our family, someone to marry us, dinner afterwards. We could do it here.”“Here?”“The garden is beautiful.”“And your father agreed?”“He said if you wanted it too, then it was fi
Kennedy drew a breath. “I was wrong to decide that Sean and Aria should answer for Edward.”Her expression changed.“I had reasons to distrust their father. I still do. But Aria did nothing except love you, and I made her leave this house as though that meant nothing.”“She misses everyone.”“I know.”“She asked whether she could come back.”“I heard.” Kennedy looked down at his hands. “I also heard Sean tell her to stay where she was. After what I said to him, he is still making decisions to keep both families safe.”Shannon’s eyes softened. “He never wanted to fight you.”“I made that difficult to believe.”“You were hurt.”“I was afraid.” Kennedy glanced towards the window again. “I had only just found you. Every time someone showed me another record, all I could think was that I had missed something before. That if I doubted it this time, I might lose you again.”Shannon reached for his hand.He closed his fingers around hers. “I thought keeping you close meant I was doing better,
Aria reached for her bowl again.He glanced at it. “Careful, fatso. You’ll need your own cargo flight at this rate.”Aria lowered the spoon slowly.Shannon turned towards him. “Sean.”But Aria was already moving her phone. “For your information, I go to the gym now.”Sean looked interested. “Do you?”“Yes.”“Walking past one does not count.”“I actually go inside.”“For the café?”Aria gasped.Shannon burst out laughing.“You’re both horrible,” Aria declared.“I didn’t say anything,” Shannon protested.“You laughed.”“Only because...”“No. Don’t defend him. I have a trainer now.”Sean’s eyebrows rose.“And soon,” Aria continued, pointing her spoon at him, “you won’t be able to call me fatso anymore.”Sean laughed. “That’s impossible.”“Keep laughing.”“You could win a bodybuilding competition. I would still call you fatso.”“Then I’ll be strong enough to beat you up.”“You tried that when you were twelve.”“I was a child.”“You bit me.”“You deserved it.”Shannon looked between them.
After breakfast, Shannon followed Sean into the smaller sitting room overlooking the garden. He closed the door behind them and took out his phone.“What time is it where she is?” Shannon asked.“Late enough for her to complain that I interrupted something.”“You sound like you miss being complained at.”Sean glanced at her. “You’ve been doing an excellent job.”She nudged him before settling beside him on the sofa.He called Aria.She answered on the fourth ring. Her face filled the screen, hair pulled into an untidy bun and a spoon held between her teeth.Sean frowned. “What are you eating?”Aria removed the spoon. “Hello to you too.”“It’s a simple question.”“Something I paid for with my own money in a country you sent me to. Do we need to discuss it further?”Shannon laughed before she could stop herself.Aria froze. “Wait.”Sean turned the phone slightly.Shannon lifted her hand. “Hi.”For a moment, Aria only stared. Then her gaze shifted between them. “You’re sitting together.”
Shannon left Sean’s side and crossed to her father.Kennedy stood before she reached him.She wrapped her arms around him, pressing her cheek against his chest. “I’m here.”He held her carefully.His eyes closed.Sean looked away, giving them the moment.A guard knocked at the study door.Kennedy’s arms tightened before he seemed to realize what he was doing.Sean answered it.“Mr. Harris is asking to speak with you, sir.”Sean stepped into the hallway and took the call. “Is something wrong?”“Your parents are secure. Mrs. Vale has been examined. Some bruising, but no serious injury.”“And my father?”“He declined an examination. We convinced him to let the doctor check him anyway.”That sounded more like Edward.Sean leaned against the wall. “Keep them inside. If someone contacts them, I need to know immediately.”“Your father is asking for you.”“Put him on.”There was a brief rustle then Edward said, “Did they find him?”“No. He moved before our men arrived.”Edward exhaled. “I sho
The guest room was at the end of the hall.Shannon paused at the doorway, her fingers resting lightly against the frame before she stepped in.It used to be a storage room now it was neat, cleaned and prepared.A bed, fresh sheets and a wardrobe that looked barely used.Shannon exhaled slowly and s
The hospital discharged them the next day.Shannon didn’t know whether that was fate or cruelty.She stood just outside the building, her fingers gripping the thin discharge papers in her hand as the sunlight hit her face. Too bright. Like the world hadn’t just ended for her.A few steps ahead Rowa
Shannon’s knees weakened beneath her. Three months of silence. Three months of absence. Three months where she wasn’t there. Her breathing grew uneven. Three months where someone else was. Her gaze slowly shifted back to Rowan. And this time she understood. Rowan watched her, something sharp
Rowan sat on the bed, his arm wrapped loosely around Evelyn.Evelyn stood close, too close, and Rowan leaned in, pressing a soft kiss to her cheek like it was the most natural thing in the world.Like he had done it a hundred times.Like it belonged there.“Stop!”The word tore out of Shannon befor







