Page 101 of Finlay

“Let’s continue with logic then,” Finn said. “I’d never expect you to mix your finances with mine. In fact, now that I know about it, I’m going to insist we don’t. I’d feel more comfortable knowing you have your own account and that you keep it topped up at all times.”

The old fears had questions bubbling out before I could stop them. “What about if we move in together? How would we split the bills? Or what if there’s a purchase that’s too much for one of us to pay towards?”

“In the interests of complete honesty and transparency, I’m going to tell you now that I have a ridiculous amount of money.”

“You do?”

Finn nodded. “When you live as long as we do, you tend to accumulate wealth. Plus, there’s a demon down in Southampton with a knack for reading the stock markets. He manages my investment portfolios, and those of the rest of my inner circle, for that matter. The last time I checked, I nearly fainted at the number of zeros.”

“That doesn’t make me want you more,” I blurted out. “That’s not why I asked any of those questions.”

“I know, m’eudail. What I’m trying to say, albeit it very clumsily, is that while I don’t expect you to share your money with me, I’ll happily share mine with you. If there’sanything we need that you can’t afford, I don’t want you to feel pressure to contribute.”

I stiffened. “That doesn’t seem fair.”

“Why not? It’s not money I’ve worked for. It just keeps rolling in. If we can use it to make our lives a bit more comfortable, then why not?”

I saw his point, but it still wasn’t sitting quite right with me. “Can I think on that?”

“Of course, Chester. I’m not expecting ye to jump into anything now. And before you start worrying, I’m not judging you for taking your time. I’m glad you are, given what you’ve been through.”

I kissed the side of his neck, the only part of him I could reach from this angle. “You’re too good for me.”

“Nope. I’m exactly as good as you deserve. Speaking of which, let’s move on to the next fear. I completely understand your fear of being trapped. Of loving someone and not wanting to leave them, but at the same time being unable to live like that anymore. But you have something now that you didn’t before.”

“What’s that?”

“You’re not alone,” he said simply. “You have friends. Reid, Logan, Evan, and Calan. Not a single one of them would allow me to treat you badly.”

“Aside from Reid, the rest of them are your friends. Why would they ever side with me over you?”

“It doesn’t work like that, m’eudail. If they ever suspected any foul play was happening, they’d take me down without hesitation.”

It just didn’t make sense to me. I’d seen how close they were. “But why?”

“Because we protect our clan. Our family. If you weremy mate, that would include you. I’d go so far as to say they already consider you as such.”

“They’d never hurt you.”

“They would if they learned I was hurtingyou. That’s how it works in a clan. Or, at least, that’s how itshouldwork. That’s why Evan’s struggling with what happened to Reid. He didn’t believe it was happening because it was such a foreign concept to him. A clan is only as strong as its most vulnerable member. You protect each other.”

I thought back to the cottage we’d left behind. “Not all clan members feel like that.”

“No,” he said softly, and I knew he was back at that cottage with me. “But when they’re found, they are dealt with. And that’s what the others would do. They wouldn’t allow you to be trapped in an abusive relationship with me, Chester. They just wouldn’t.”

Hearing him phrase it like that had me sucking in a breath. “You’d never abuse me.”

He wouldn’t. I knew that.

So why was this something I was struggling with?

“No. I wouldn’t.” Finn wasn’t upset. His tone was calm and even. “But it’s okay if your brain is sceptical. I wouldn’t want you to rush into anything given what you’ve been through, not even a relationship with me.”

I stopped, facing him. “How can you be this understanding? I don’t get it.”

“Because you’re my endgame,” he said simply. “You asked me earlier if I want you as my mate, and I do. I’m tired of denying it, even to myself. But we’re not on a deadline. We have time, m’eudail. I’m in no rush. I plan on staying in love with you forever, so why rush the journey to get there when we could enjoy it instead?”

He’d said so many wonderful things to me today, but that one was going straight to the top of the list.

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