Page 50 of Twisted Secrets (The O’Malleys #3)

“Good. I can’t abide monsters who hurt kids.” She pushed to her feet, and pinned Olivia with a look. “Those stitches will have to be taken out, so make sure you either call me or go to your normal doctor. If you don’t, it’s going to be a mess, and there’s no damn reason for it.”

“Okay.”

She crossed her arms over her chest. “If that’s all you need?”

“Yeah. Thanks, Doc.” He stood and walked her to the door.

Hadley looked up as he came back, and lifted her arms in a clear demand for him to pick her up.

Cillian didn’t hesitate, tucking her against his side and rubbing her back as if it was the most natural thing in the world.

He came to sit down next to Olivia. “What a day.”

“You can say that again.” She leaned her head against his shoulder. “I never thought I could be so tired.”

He tensed, which didn’t make any sense. “I’m going to send most of the men home and get us a hotel. You two need to rest, and another three hours of driving isn’t going to accomplish that.”

There was something off in his voice, but when she looked at his face, he gave her nothing. Olivia frowned, but he had a point. She was exhausted. They all were. A full night’s sleep might be just what they needed, and then they could start fresh in the morning. “Okay.”

He passed over Hadley. “Give me a few to arrange everything.”

She held her daughter tightly, and watched him walk away, unable to shake the feeling that she was missing something vitally important. Get a grip. He just killed a man. That’s enough to shake up anyone. The explanation should have made her feel better, but it didn’t.

The feeling only got worse as he drove them to a hotel and got them checked in. All the while, he wouldn’t quite look at her. Maybe he blames me for getting him into this mess. Can’t hate him for that . But it hurt to think that he wouldn’t look at her like she was something special again.

That he might never love her like she loved him.

Hadley had fallen asleep again, no doubt exhausted from her trauma, so Olivia tucked her in.

At some point she’d be able to walk out of the room without fearing that Hadley wouldn’t be there when she got back, but that day wasn’t today or any day in the near future.

It was hard enough to use the bathroom, even knowing Cillian was sitting on the opposite bed, in plain view of her daughter.

It’s over now. Hadley’s safe and you’re safe and he’s safe, and Sergei is gone for good.

You couldn’t have a better result than that .

So why did she feel like the other boot was about to drop?

She came back into the room to find Cillian looking out the window. “Are you going to tell me what’s going on, or do I have to guess?”

He turned, a manila envelope in his hands.

Without a word, he handed it to her. She tore it open and dumped the contents onto the bed.

Passports, birth certificates, social security cards—two of each—a driver’s license, and a truly impressive wad of cash.

“What—?” But even as she asked, she knew. “I told you I didn’t want this.”

“That was before.” He scrubbed a hand over his face. “I can’t keep you safe, not completely. Fuck, Olivia, you have no idea how much I wish I could. But if the past few days are any indication…I can’t let something happen to you because I was too selfish to let you go.”

A week ago she might have taken the documents and run as fast and far as she could.

But…so much had changed since then. She tried to focus on his words and not the fact that he seemed to be shoving her and Hadley out the door as fast as he could.

A knee-jerk reaction wasn’t going to do either of them any favors. “Selfish.”

If anything, he got more agitated. Cillian laughed harshly.

“Karma is a serious bitch, because that’s the only way to explain that the one woman I fall head over heels in love with is the one I have to let go in order to keep her safe.

I couldn’t deal with it if something happened to either one of you because I tried to find a way to let you stay, and failed.

” He paced from one end of the room to the other.

“Fuck, what am I saying? You want to go. So that makes me even more of an ass for wanting you to stay.”

“Cillian, stop.” She crossed to him and put her hands on his shoulders. “That was a seriously impressive monologue, but how about you let me get a word in edgewise?”

“What else is there to say?”

“Oh, I don’t know. You can start by asking me what I want.”

He looked down at her, agony and love written all over his face. “What do you want, sweetheart? Tell me and I’ll do my damnedest to make it happen.”

Her heart lurched in her chest. She’d run before.

It hadn’t been far or fast enough, but those weren’t the deciding factors.

The truth was that fleeing her problems wasn’t a good way to deal with them.

She might hold them off for months, or even years, but in the end they’d find her. And she’d have to deal with them alone.

Or she could take a different path.

Cillian wasn’t Dmitri. Every step of the way, he’d done what he could to put her before his family. He’d fight tooth and nail to keep her and Hadley safe—to keep them out of the line of fire. What was more, Olivia couldn’t imagine her life without him in it. She didn’t want to.

“I love you.” She wanted to hug him, but she needed him to see the truth on her face. “I never planned on it, and I still can’t quite wrap my mind around it, but I love you so much it hurts.”

“That would be the injuries Sergei gave you.”

She smacked his shoulder. “I spent my entire life learning that I could only depend on myself, and then you’ve come along and shot that all to hell. You’ve been there when I needed you—when we needed you. I know I’m not exactly undamaged goods—”

“Olivia, stop.” There was something terrifyingly like hope on his face. “What are you saying?”

“I’m saying I choose you. I know Dmitri is still a potential threat, but I’ve dealt with him up to this point, and I’ll keep on doing it—if you’re willing to hook up with the half sister of a Romanov.”

“Sweetheart, if you stay, I’m going to make damn sure that bastard can never get to you.” His expression turned to one of concentration. “In fact…” He pulled out his phone and dialed. He was close enough to her that she heard a familiar Russian voice pick up the other line.

“Da?”

“Romanov.” Cillian met her gaze, his voice cold. “I have a proposition for you, and don’t make the mistake of thinking it’s optional.”

“Cillian O’Malley. Such a pleasure to hear from you once more.” A pause. “I’m listening.”

“You will leave Olivia alone. She wants no part of the Romanov name, no matter what your father willed. In exchange, I’m willing to offer that the O’Malley family will let go of the fact that you tried to undermine us.”

A longer pause. “And if I choose to turn down this less-than-beneficial agreement?”

“War.” Cillian’s gaze turned contemplative.

“I happen to know that you haven’t magically found a wife in the last six months since my sister very publicly chose an enemy to her family over you.

That made some of your business partners a little nervous, didn’t it?

” The silence on the other end was confirmation enough.

Cillian snorted. “Yeah, I thought so. You can’t afford a war right now and you damn well know it. ”

Dmitri’s silky laugh made the small hair on the back of her neck stand on end. “While you’re not completely incorrect, I have a counteroffer.”

“And what’s that?”

“I am prepared to let my darling sister settle in with you—which is what I assume you’re planning, otherwise you wouldn’t be calling me—in exchange for two concessions.”

Of course he couldn’t just take what Cillian was offering.

Olivia didn’t even know if Cillian had the authority to make that threat in the first place, but if he said they would go to war over her, she believed him.

And he was right—war wasn’t something Dmitri could afford right now, not with him only having full control over the Romanovs for less than two years.

Her heart beat harder. This could actually work .

Cillian frowned. “What concessions?”

“You, Cillian O’Malley, will owe me a favor. It will not in any way undermine your loyalty to your family, but other than that, it is a free favor that I can call due at my convenience.”

No .

“Deal.” Cillian didn’t look at her. “And the other?”

“I would like to see my niece a few times a year.” His voice warmed to just this side of freezing. “I know you’re listening, Olivia. No threats. No bargaining. No underhanded maneuvering. But I will come to Boston and I will see Hadley for a few hours on an arranged date.”

No . She took a deep breath and stamped down on her initial knee-jerk reaction. Cillian was still watching her, waiting for her answer. She held out her hand for the phone and he passed it over. “Why?”

“She’s family.” Such a simple answer, and yet incomparably complicated.

Olivia took a deep breath. “If I agree to this, I can call off these visits at any point without repercussions from you or anyone associated with the Romanovs.”

“Only if I violate my part of that agreement.”

No threats. No bargaining. No underhanded maneuvering.

She didn’t like it. She had a feeling he was going to be holding that position in the Romanov family for her daughter as a way to keep his word to Andrei.

But…She took a deep breath. There would come a time when Hadley would have to know about her hi story.

Andrei waited until it was too late to try to start a relationship with Olivia.

Was she any better than he was if she denied Hadley a chance to know her uncle—especially if he was earnest in his intentions?

She thought hard, trying to see this from all angles.

The thought of leaving Dmitri in the rearview forever was an intoxicating one, but she couldn’t expect to stay in Boston without some kind of agreement in place.

This was as fair as it was going to get.

“I will be there for every second of the time you spend with her. I want your word that your intentions are true.” It wasn’t a foolproof guarantee, but it was as close to one as she’d get.

“You have it.”

She released her pent-up breath in a rush. “Okay.”

“Good-bye, Olivia.”

“Good-bye, Dmitri.”

She hung up the phone and passed it back, hardly daring to believe it. “He’s not going to try to force me to come back. He gave his word.” A smile pulled at the edges of her lip, and she let loose a giddy laugh. “I can’t believe it.”

“You didn’t have to agree to let him see Hadley. We could have found a different way.”

She didn’t think so. But, beyond that, her gut said that Dmitri wasn’t making a power play with that request. “He’s alone, Cillian.

Andrei is gone. His mother passed away when he was in high school.

Hadley and I are the closest thing to family he has, and while that wasn’t enough to stop him from playing dirty to try and bring us back into the fold, he realizes that this is the only way to fulfill his promise to our father.

” And she had his word. It was as close to a sure thing as there was in this world.

She laid her head on Cillian’s shoulder. “ I don’t know what the future will bring, but I do know that I want you in my life in a permanent way. The rest will figure itself out.”

“I love you so fucking much, it blows my mind.”

She lifted her head so she could see his face. “Then kiss me, Cillian O’Malley. We won today, and we’re safe. Tomorrow will figure itself out.”