Page 115 of Ruthless Savior
Her fingers tighten around mine, a soft smile on her lips. “I love you, too,” she whispers, and I feel dizzy with an emotion that’s still so unfamiliar it’s startling. “And I was afraid, too, Ronan. Afraid of what being in love with you meant, of the world that you live in, and what it would mean to stay there. But I should have told you sooner, too. I love all of you, Ronan. The dangerous parts and the gentle parts and everything in between." She takes a slow, shaky breath. “Maybe we can be afraid together, and then it will all be okay.”
I feel my eyes burn as I look down at her—my brave, strong, beautiful wife. The kind of woman I never imagined I’d be fortunate enough to marry, who came into my life at the most unexpected time. Who, it feels like, was always meant to be mine.
I lean down and kiss her softly, careful of all the wires. “We’ll figure it out, Leila. I promise you. I’ll keep you safe. We'll find a way to make it work."
She tilts her head up, kissing me again gently. "Together?"
"Together,” I promise. And I’ve never meant anything more in all my life.
Before I can say more, Dr. Walsh appears in the doorway, her expression brightening when she sees Leila awake and alert.
"Mrs. O'Malley, how are you feeling?"
"Sore. Tired. But better." Leila's voice is getting stronger with each word she speaks. "The baby—you said the baby would be all right?"
"All indications are positive. The ultrasound shows a strong heartbeat, and there's no sign of injury to the fetus from the trauma." Dr. Walsh moves to check the monitors. "You'll need to take it easy for the next few weeks, avoid stress, and get plenty of rest. But barring any complications, I expect both of you to make a full recovery."
Leila closes her eyes, and I can see the relief wash over her features. "Thank you. For everything."
"You're very welcome. I'll want to keep you for observation another day or two, just to be safe?—"
"Actually," she interrupts, her voice stronger now, "how soon can I be up and around? My mom is here, and I need to go see her. At least for a few minutes.”
Dr. Walsh frowns. " I really don't recommend?—"
“Please.” Leila looks at her plaintively. “I need to see her. I need to know she’s okay.”
The doctor lets out a breath. “Rest. I’ll see about arranging a visit later today. If you are still doing well by tomorrow night, I’ll see about releasing you, only if there are no complications, no signs of infection or internal bleeding.”
Leila nods, looking relieved. “Alright.”
"And absolute bed rest once you get home. No stress, no excitement, no?—"
"I understand," Leila interrupts, "I'll do whatever you think is best for the baby."
After Dr. Walsh leaves, Leila turns to me, more alert now. "What happened after they took me to surgery? You look like you haven't slept.”
"I haven't." I consider how much to tell her about what happened, including my father’s part in it all. "Rocco is dead."
It’s in that moment that I know that Leila will be fine in my world, married to a mafia boss. The same look that I saw on her face the night I came home after killing Neil Sawyer is there again, a look of relief and satisfaction. She smiles, tension visibly leaving her body. "Good."
"And my father..." I pause, not sure how to explain what comes next. "There are things I need to handle. Family business."
Leila frowns. "Bad things?"
"I… yes." I lean forward, taking her hand again. "Leila, what happened to you—the attack on the house—it wasn't random. My father set it up. He used you as bait to draw Rocco out."
Her eyes widen. "He what?"
"He fed information to Rocco through contacts of ours, made sure he knew where to find us. He wanted Rocco in Dublin, away from his main forces, so we could end this war on our terms." The words taste bitter on my tongue. "He didn't care if you got caught in the crossfire."
Leila looks at me, understanding dawning in her face. "And you have to… handle this?"
“I’ll take it before the Dublin council. They’ll issue a verdict on how this is to be handled. They need to know what he did." I squeeze her hand. "I need to make sure something like this never happens again."
She presses her lips together. "Will you be safe? Will you be… okay?"
I know she’s asking about more than just my physical well-being. She’s asking about what she’s realized might be the outcome of this. For the second time in the last few minutes, I’m struck with surprise at how much more well-suited Leila is to this life than she probably ever guessed she would be. How much more perfect she is for me than I could have ever dreamed.
