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Sweat coated my body. My head was pounding, and I swung my fist. It was when I hit nothing that I jerked.

My eyes flew open. I raised and scanned the room.

Recognizing where I was, I leaned over and grabbed my phone.

Checking the date and time, I had to lie back for a minute and wait for my heart and head to stop pounding. Anger still coursed through me.

Chíost , that dream had been so real. I would’ve sworn it was happening to me.

But my phone said it was Tuesday morning.

The date was correct, which meant everything I had just lived through with my family, including our disagreement and fighting about Gianna, never happened.

But it had been so vivid, like a movie. I swore I’d lived it.

Finally, after a few minutes, I was able to move. I got out of bed and headed into the shower. I needed to wash the sweat from my body and get ready for work. It was another day managing the Chalet.

An hour later, I walked into the headquarters of Kin of éireann Inc.

, the family company. Several people greeted me.

I returned them, but I kept feeling déjà vu.

It was hauntingly similar to my dream. I made it to my desk, where I looked at my to-do list. The first thing on my list was to call Monty in Aspen.

My desk phone rang, causing me to jump. I knocked the pencil holder onto the floor. I looked at the caller ID. It was Darragh’s extension. I answered it reluctantly.

“Hello,” I said slowly.

“Morning, brother. You sound like you just woke up. Hey, we’re meeting in the family conference room in half an hour. Can you join us?” he asked.

Oh shit, it was almost verbatim what he said in my dream. What the hell?

“I, uhm, yeah, sure. I can do that. Is everything alright?” I asked.

“It is. See you then,” Dar said.

“Okay, see you then,” I said before we hung up.

I was so distracted by the meeting and wondering if it would turn into what my nightmare dream was like early this morning that it was hard to concentrate on what Monty said.

Thankfully, he told me that the uproar seemed to be dying, and visitors were booking their stays or rebooking in a few instances.

Word was getting around that there was nothing wrong with Crystal Castle. The legal team was dealing with Clay.

Walking into the conference room, I was trying not to act weird.

It was mostly full and had coffee, juice, and pastries set up.

The pastries weren’t exactly like those in my dream, but they were similar enough that I wondered, had I suddenly inherited Mama’s seer abilities?

It was often alluded to how she seemed to have this ability to know things.

If it was like this for her, how did she stand it?

The parents were here, just like in the dream, which wasn’t an everyday occurrence.

I took my regular seat. There were smiles, good mornings, and chatter all around.

They seemed to be in a good mood. Eventually, the last two, Shane and Cathal, entered and shut the doors.

They hurried to get coffee and a bite to eat.

Once they were seated, Darragh started the meeting. I held my breath.

“Thanks for rearranging your schedules to be here. I thought we should do this immediately and ensure we tackle issues without delay,” Darragh said.

I scanned the table. The others were nodding like they knew what this was about. Fuck, it was going to be ugly. Or was I caught in a repeating loop of a dream and not actually here? I discreetly pinched my arm. Ow, nope, I was awake.

I asked, though I should have kept my mouth shut, “Dar, what issues are you talking about? What did I miss?”

“We want to talk about you and Gianna. After we left your house last night, we thought talking to you was important. You sure surprised us. Well, most of us.” Darragh looked over at Alistair and then Aidan. He continued, “We thought it would be a good idea to talk as a family about it.”

“I’m not sure what there is to discuss. Gianna and I are together.

We’re working on our relationship since it’s so new.

We want it to be like the couples in this room have, as you have with Ashlynn.

It might surprise you, but I’ve thought a lot about us over these past four months since we first met.

I didn’t rush into anything.” I defended myself, although I shouldn’t have to.

“We know you, Rian. You take your time and have answers to all your questions. We’re just stunned that we didn’t catch on to your feelings. We had no idea you two had been seeing each other,” Darragh said.

“We hadn’t been. Other than when we’d meet due to work, that was it. But we’ve had a lot of time to think of each other and our feelings,” I explained. I was tensing up for the debate to start.

“It sounds like you’ve thought it out. We’re happy for you. We did see that her family was less than excited about it. Do you think they’ll cause issues for you?” Darragh asked.

His attitude was completely different from my dream. I hoped it stayed that way, and the others felt the same way.

“We’re hoping that with some time, they’ll get used to the idea, see how we are with each other, and learn to accept it. We hope they’ll change their minds once they learn we’re committed to this. My feelings for her aren’t sexual only or fleeting.”

“We know that, Rian. You’re too methodical to go off half-cocked,” Shane said.

“Although you will have a slightly different situation with her than I or the others. Gianna will be in the thick of things with her regular work, and when there are missions with the Hounds. You’ll be peers, then.

Have you two discussed that? I don’t see her agreeing to stay home.

” Darragh grinned. My cousins and other brothers chuckled.

“I know she has a dangerous job, and what we do with the Hounds is the same. One thing that attracts me to her is her bravery and ability to protect herself and others. It’ll be hard to tamp down my protective instincts, but she’s well-trained.

If it causes friction, we’ll figure out how to handle it,” I assured them.

“Do you think her family will let it affect the partnership? I hope not, but it’ll be their loss if they do. We’ve done it without them for years. We’ll continue as we were if we have to. It was nice to have extra help, but not necessary,” Tiernan stated.

“We’re hoping it won’t mess that up,” I told him.

“We’re here to help in any way we can. Whether it’s to help Gianna feel part of the family, get her family to accept the inevitable, or anything in between. You can count on us. We’re so thrilled for you, little brother.” Darragh smiled.

“And we’ll help her adjust to the differences from how she’s used to living and what it’s like to have people follow you and to have bodyguards. I think that last one will be a big adjustment for her. It was for me. We’ll show her the ropes of dealing with an O’Sheeran man,” Karizma said, smirking.

“It will take adjusting as it did for the others, and it can be stressful and sometimes hard to acclimate,” Daid added.

“Gianna acts tough, and she is, but she’s terrified.

She stressed so much about us telling our families this soon.

She was more afraid of what you would think of her, that she wouldn’t be accepted as good enough for me.

Gianna knew her family would push back on us being together.

She’s anticipating they might gang up on her today at work.

If they do, I asked her to call. I don’t want her facing them alone. I’ve got to tell you, I’m relieved.”

“Relieved by what?” Sean asked.

“That my vivid-ass dream this morning wasn’t true.

For a while, until you started talking, Dar, I thought I’d suddenly inherited Mama’s sight abilities.

In my dream, you started the exact same way by calling me into a family meeting, and the whole thing.

Even some of your words were almost verbatim.

I swore we had a huge discussion like this, only it went the opposite direction, and you were against Gianna.

I walked out, almost hit Alistair and Dar, and said I’d leave the family.

It was so stinking real, I worried it was a premonition. ”

There were several gasps and even shocked looks.

Mama smiled. “Rian, you’ve always been my most logical child.

I admit that when I see things, they can be very vivid and real.

My abilities developed over time, though I did know things before they happened when I was younger.

However, what you dreamed would never happen.

We’ll always support you and your choice.

The only way we wouldn’t is if she somehow betrays you. ”

“Well, if they’re anything like what I dreamed, I’m sorry, and you have my sympathy,” I told her. Mam a laughed.

“Was there more we needed to talk about?” I asked.

“Only that we’ll have to proceed with caution with Gianna’s family and gently help them see that the two of you together is a good thing. I get the feeling they don’t trust many people, and maybe with cause,” Cormac said.

“Thank you. This eases the stress for both of us. We’re having dinner together this evening when she gets off work. I’ll see how it went with her family unless she calls me sooner. Rocco is a hothead and mouthy shit. I can see him giving her a hard time,” I muttered.

“Yeah, he is. His ‘we’re pretty ornaments’ mentality made me want to kick his ass and then ask him if he still thought we were useless fluff,” Siv muttered darkly.

This made several chuckle, and others snickered.

My sister could be very vindictive when she wanted.

Rocco better watch himself. We spent a few more minutes just talking before we got up to get back to work.

I was in a much better frame of mind. I watched my phone for a call or message from Gianna, but I didn’t get any.

I thought about calling her, but I didn’t want her to feel smothered, or that I thought she couldn’t handle her family.

When it was time to leave, I hurried from the office.

She agreed to come to the compound again. I had dinner already planned.