Page 32 of Beautiful Trauma (The Irish Rogues #5)

A fter we stuffed ourselves with delicious Thai food, I had the planetarium specialist come back in, so Mila could work the telescope.

As I sat back and watched Mila’s interaction with her, I couldn’t help smiling at the way she appeared to be in her element.

Gone was the prickly Mila who didn’t play well with strangers.

Instead, she had the specialist laughing and even nodding her head in agreement.

Fuck me, it was an amazing moment.

The fact that I had brought such happiness to Mila sent my ego into overdrive.

Once she was able to work the telescope on her own, Mila became so engrossed that I feared I might have to pry her off of it at the end of the date.

After making small talk with the specialist about the shows the planetarium put on, Mila was still engrossed, so I began scrolling on my phone. I’d just checked in on Bandia when she called my name.

I glanced up to see her waving me over. “Do you want to take a look?”

“Sure.”

“Okay, so you want to use your more dominant eye. And you’ll lean in here.”

The corners of my lips quirked. “Mila, I have used a telescope before.”

At the blush creeping across her cheeks, I felt a twitch in my chest above my heart. She gave me a sheepish look, “Oops!”

“I’ll forgive you. Just this once.”

She swatted me playfully before pushing me down to look. When I peered through the opening, the heavens appeared before me. Stars that had once seemed so far away appeared much closer. “That’s amazing.”

“Did you know we can even see the red spot on Jupiter or the Cassini Division on Saturn?”

“What on Saturn?”

“Basically, it’s the dark gap between two of the rings.”

I pulled away from the telescope viewer to smile at her. “I didn’t know there was one.”

She gave me a cheeky little smirk. “Stay with me, and you’ll learn something.”

Fuck me, I was really starting to enjoy that smirk of hers. The truth was, I enjoyed everything about her. Maybe a little too much.

“Why do I get the feeling I’m going to need to buy us a membership to this place?” I teased.

Mila laughed. “I think that would be amazing.”

Since I knew the cellist only had another fifteen minutes left on her contact, I held my hand out to Mila. “Come dance with me.”

Although I expected her to protest about leaving the telescope, she didn’t. Instead, she gave me a shy smile before sliding her hand into mine and letting me pull her into my arms.

As we swayed under the dome of stars, Mila exhaled a contented sigh. “This has been an amazing night, Kellan.”

“I’m glad you enjoyed it.”

She cocked her brows at me. “This was about more than enjoyment. Tonight is like one of the best nights of my life.”

Her admission made me feel like the fucking man of the year. Before her, I couldn’t say if I’d ever given any woman the best night of their life. Well, at least out of the bedroom.

But this was about so much more than sex. Tonight had been about spoiling Mila. Although she didn’t think she deserved it, I knew she did. She deserved a night that was all about her.

The cellist changed songs, and I recognized it as Elvis’s Can’t Help Falling in Love. Unable to stop myself, I sang into her ear. “ Wise men say only fools rush in .”

Mila jerked her head back to stare wide-eyed at me. “Stop it right now.”

I blinked at her in confusion. “Excuse me?”

“You’re seriously standing here crooning in my ear.”

Furrowing my brows, I countered, “Yeah, I was.”

“So you’re a singer now, too?”

As I stared at Mila, I couldn’t help wondering what the fuck had gotten into her. “I guess.”

“A fucking good one, too.”

I shrugged. “I can carry a tune.”

With a roll of her eyes, she grabbed me by the throat with both hands and playfully choked me. “Stop being so perfect, Kavanaugh.”

Knowing that she was joking filled me with relief. “Not that bullshit again,” I countered with a laugh.

“Just admit that you’re ridiculously perfect, and I’ll let it go.”

“But I’m not,” I protested.

“Yes, you are.” She slid her hands back into place at my neck like she’d had them before. At what must’ve been my doubtful look, she asked, “Should I list all your perfect qualities?”

With a groan, I replied, “I can assure you that isn’t necessary.”

“Oh, I think I need to make a believer out of you.”

“Mila,” I grunted in frustration.

“First of all, you make women of all ages cream their panties just at the sight of you.”

Her description of my looks sent an embarrassed flush to my cheeks. “Did you just have the audacity to blush?”

“I can’t help it.”

“There’s yet another reason.”

“I blush when I’m embarrassed?”

She shook her head. “Despite looking the way you do, there’s not a conceited bone in your body.”

“Are you finished now?”

“You are sweet, kind, and compassionate. You’re brave and fearless. You adore your family, and you respect women.”

“Mila–”

“You’re a fucking amazing lay. I mean, even without the piercing, you fuck like an animal.”

When I shot her an exasperated look, she grinned. “What? Most men would die to have someone say that to them.”

“I’m not most men, remember?”

“Trust me, babe. I do.”

“Okay, are you done now?”

“Almost.” When I tried to protest, she slapped her hand over my mouth. “You’re ridiculously romantic for planning this amazing evening for an undeserving bitch like me.”

“Hey now, you’re talking about my girl,” I replied, with a cheeky grin.

She snapped her fingers. “And you have a sense of humor.”

“If I promise to never sing again, will you stop?”

“No. Because you have an amazing voice, and I want to hear more of it.”

“Then I’ll sing for you.”

“Whenever I ask you to?”

“Yes.”

“While you’re fucking me?”

I jerked my head back in shock. “Seriously?”

A shiver went through her. “It’s hot.”

Before I could answer, my phone started ringing. With a grin. I said, “Saved by the bell.”

Mila narrowed her wolf-eyes at me. “You better not answer it while we are on our date.”

“Fine,” I relented.

“Good. Now, where was I?”

When the phone went off immediately again two more times, I groaned. “I’m sorry, but I seriously have to take this.”

“Fine,” she huffed.

After glancing at the ID and seeing Quinn‘s name, I didn’t say hello. Instead, I demanded, “What is it, Quinn?”

“Why the fuck aren’t you answering your phone?”

“I was busy.”

“We need you here. Now.”

Fear crashed down on me at his words. “What’s happened?”

“Nick Carras was murdered tonight.”

“Ava’s nephew?”

“Yes.”

“Fuck. I hate to hear that.”

Although I’d only met the guy a couple of times, Nick was one of those larger-than-life guys who you always had a good time with.

“There’s more. The killer is after a necklace that belongs to Ava’s family. If she doesn’t produce it in twenty-four hours, he’s going to continue taking out members of her family.”

I slid my palm over my face. “Seriously?”

“Unfortunately.”

“How’s Dare taking it?”

“Not well. At least Ava and Piper are safe now.”

“Okay, I’m on my way.”

“What’s your ETA?”

Inwardly, I groaned. “I’ll be there as soon as I can.”

“No. You’ll get here now. ”

“I’m not in Boston.”

Quinn’s growl echoed through the line. “Where the fuck are you?”

My eyes met Mila’s. There was no way I could admit that I was in Philadelphia. “New York. I came to see Maeve,” I lied. When I went back to get my things, I’d have to make sure Leo didn’t say anything about my visit to Callum.

“Last time I checked, we cleared all travel outside of Boston with the family.”

“I forgot.”

From the pause on the line, I knew Quinn wasn’t buying my lie. “Just get the fuck home.”

“I’m on my way.”

When I hung up, I jerked a hand through my hair. “I’m so sorry, but I have to go.”

“No. I totally understand. I couldn’t help hearing your brother.”

“You’re welcome to stay–”

She shook her head. “I’m coming with you.”

“Okay.”

After telling the specialist that we were done and tipping the cellist, I ushered Mila out into the hallway. As we started to the exit, Mila said, “How horrible that a child was murdered.”

“It is horrible, but Nick was in his thirties. Ava was a late-in-life child, so her nephew was actually two years older than her.”

“Oh, I see.

Once we got outside, we hustled over to the waiting SUV and jumped inside. As we started to go to her apartment, I glanced over at Mila. At her nibbling on her bottom lip, I knew something was wrong. “Talk to me.”

“I just can’t shake this nagging feeling within me.”

“About what?”

“Ava is the woman Dare broke the contract with Annika to be with, right?”

“That’s right.”

“And now a family member of hers is dead.

“Let me guess. You’re thinking that it had something to do with Nick’s murder?”

Mila swallowed hard. “I am.”

I shook my head at her. “This hit tonight wasn’t part of retaliation. It’s something much darker and sinister than that.”

“While that sounds terrible, I hope you’re right.”

“I can’t always reveal everything I know to you, Mila, but trust me when I say, this isn’t your father.”

“Promise?”

I nodded. “If I didn’t know everything about the situation, he would be my prime suspect.”

A relieved breath whooshed out of her. “I’m glad to hear that.”

“So am I.”

Mila snuggled against me, resting her head on my shoulder.

I would’ve given anything in the world to be able to stay in that moment.

To not have to rush back to Boston because my brother’s girlfriend had been the target of a hit that ended in the murder of a loved one.

To not have my girlfriend’s family try to kill me the other day.

To not have her father’s wrath end up paralyzing his son.

Just to be a normal couple with normal problems.

But as long as I was a Kavanaugh and she was a Korolova, there would be nothing normal between us.

Only danger and death.