Page 145 of Beautiful Revenge
Four weeks later
The Donnelly family reunion has been delayed twice.
When you still have a sibling working as an MI6 operative, you have to be flexible. And not flexible like we need to move up dinner by an hour when a bride decides not to walk down the aisle because malevolent and sinful plans were made to take her out while on her honeymoon.
I’m talking flexible like when your older brother goes off grid, you can only assume he has no time to take holiday.
No one was really worried. Not even Mum, so she says. The Donnellys don’t know anything different than this life.
But just like we knew he would, Archer finally surfaced, and the family meetup was back on the calendar. Life forever takes a backseat to the schedule of an operative.
Do I miss it?
Every day.
Would I go back if I had the chance?
No fucking way.
Buying a rundown estate and turning it into a luxury resort is the last thing I would’ve ever imagined for myself. Somehow, I have amassed the most diverse team ofemployees dedicated to the manor as if it’s their own. We learn as we go, and I wouldn’t trade a single one of them.
Even Lennon is looking promising as a general manager. I found her a room in town, even though it is in the basement of the Winslet Library, she hasn’t complained. She’s about a third of the way into her tryout period. I’m not ready to make an official offer yet, but I have a feeling she’ll work out. She does exactly what I need and is the added layer I want between me and the guests. The place hasn’t burned down, and everyone seems to like her. I call that a success.
She really stepped up since the Donnellys have taken over the private top floor of the estate. With Bella and Cole’s family, we’re busting at the seams in two suites. Since they arrived, I haven’t walked into my office once or opened my laptop. Lennon has shit under control. I’m not worried about the next calamity.
That was the plan.
One goal I never had was finding someone to do life with. Even so, no goal I could’ve dreamed up would have lived up to the woman I stumbled upon.
Life with Harlow started out balls to the wall. We didn’t have time to breathe with shit flying at us from every direction. The way we fell into each other was as natural as it was essential. Like our next breaths depended upon it.
When every menace and felon were taken care of, we somehow settled into a state of normal. If chaos was good with Harlow, normal is bloody fantastic.
She went back to work. It seems Harlow doesn’t always zip around the world in Patrick’s private planes. She prefers commercial if it works. So the first time I dropped her at the airport for a work trip, I was unwell. It went against every fiber of my being to send her off into the world without having her back. Being close to Harlow—hell, being her shield—has become something so ingrained in me, I almost insisted on going with her.
She must’ve known.
And as much as I know she needs me, she’s still formidable all on her own.
She saved herself from Albert, after all. I came along after the fact to tidy things up when shit got messy.
But that’s done. Life won’t be chaotic for her ever again. And the woman who has taken over my suite, my every thought and motivation, and other organs I haven’t admitted aloud yet, is getting on just fine with the Donnellys. For the first time since I bought the place, I’m experiencing The Manor at Winslet in a whole new way—as a guest.
Since my family arrived, we’ve had the full experience. We sailed, hiked, fished, and dined like royalty. I even had my first tennis lesson from Rob. He’s great when bullets aren’t flying in his general vicinity.
But when Felicity called and said there was a special delivery, I broke the promise I made to Harlow about staying away from the office while my family was here.
I know what this delivery is, and it can’t wait.
This is too important. It’s been weighing in my gut for weeks.
It feels as heavy as an anvil even though it’s a basic overnighted envelope. I maneuver the last twist and turn of the labyrinth and take in the sight ahead of me—Mum, Dad, Archer, Bella, Cole, Abbott, Isaac, and Harlow.
AndHarlow.
Fuck.
I like the way that sounds as much as I like the easy way she fits in with the Donnellys. We’re taking it easy today and spending it at the pool.
