Matteo nodded. "He's a good man. A fast learner. He'll be capable of heading your organization, and he'll always have our help behind him." Studying Yavin's face, I watched as the kind words struck him in the chest. It was no secret Yavin had separated himself from the Bellandis to some extent after Lino married Samara. The betrayal had been personal for him, to touch and take his sister when they'd all grown up together.
I suspected he understood the inclination a little more now that he'd felt that instantaneous desire for himself. I'd never understood it until Sadie, either.
Liam’s man who had followed Aoife into the office chuckled, trailing doubtful eyes over Yavin. With his leaner build that resembled Lino’s more than the rest of ours, he was easy to question when enclosed in a room with men like Ryker and Matteo. “He couldn’t handle Aoife,” the guard said, turning smiling eyes back to Liam.
Yavin moved quickly, like I’d taught him. His knuckles connected with the guard’s throat, making him sputter for the breath Yavin stole from him as he backed a step away from Aoife. When his hand went for the gun in his holster, Yavin shot his other hand forward and grabbed the barrel. Twisting it out of his grip, he pressed it to the guard’s forehead. His face didn’t so much as twitch to betray any emotion as he cocked his head to the side. “You were saying?”
The man’s glare settled on Yavin, hatred like ice between the two men. There would be no love lost there when Yavin took over O’Connell’s syndicate. Softening his expression only slightly, Yavin spun the gun in his hand and held it out for the other man to snatch back.
"It sounds like a promising match," Liam said with a pleased grin, jotting down a note to himself. "The Irish heritage pleases me, even if it is only half."
"You cannot be serious! I've never even met him!" Aoife snarled, her fingers tightening around his desk.
"I'll not leave you unprotected if something happens to me. Girls like you need husbands to keep you safe, Aoife. Otherwise you end up a casualty of war."
She straightened to full height, her long legs tensing as she pulled herself together and shoved down the surge of emotion that made tears sting her eyes. Yavin moved to step toward her, and she spun on him. Their eyes clashed in a silent battle, her blue against his grey.
I'd thought Sadie was stubborn, but the fury in Aoife's eyes made me wonder if it was possible for her to be worse. Finally storming toward the door to Liam's office, she paused beside Yavin long enough to lean in and whisper something into his ear. He reached a hand up, gripping her chin in his hand harshly and running his thumb over her bottom lip. Aoife grabbed that thumb, yanking it backward until I knew the angle must have been painful for Yavin. Still, he only released her when he was ready, the quirk of a smile transforming his face as he held her eyes. When he finally let go, she strode out the open door, and the sound of breaking glass echoed through the foyer as she disappeared.
"What did she say?" I asked, trying to hold my chuckle down.
"She said I should plan to guard my cock while I sleep," Yavin answered. His face split into a smile that he quickly suppressed when his eyes met Liam's. I was sure talking about his cock in his first conversation with his future father-in-law was a no go for most people.
But Liam just shrugged his shoulders with a boisterous laugh. "We Irish are passionate. She's her father's daughter, so you should probably be prepared for an uphill battle where she's concerned. Are you certain you wish to commit to a lifetime with her? I'll not tolerate a divorce staining her soul."
"I'm certain," Yavin said simply, meeting Liam's eyes.
"Your funeral." Liam tapped his pen on the desk. "She'll be pure on your wedding night if that is your request. Tiernan was adamant, and I've made sure she's protected with a guard that understands explicit instructions for her to remain untouched. I know some of you youngsters don't want an inexperienced bride. If I loosened the reins a bit, I can assure you that Aoife would be spiteful enough to ensure she is not virginal." He winced as if the thought was appalling. "Should that be your wish."
Discomfort flashed over Yavin’s face, discussing his wedding night with his future father-in-law. For men like us who weren't born into the life, Liam's generation was a real mind fuck. "Nobody touches her," the younger man growled.
Liam's face split into a blinding smile in response. "Splendid."
"Good luck," Bryan hissed under his breath, making Ryker chuckle next to him. He'd have his work cut out for him, that was for sure.
"I'll have the contract drawn up and sent to Tease tomorrow to make it official. I promised she could finish school, so there is that minor delay to us celebrating your nuptials."
"When does she graduate?" Yavin asked, his voice going hoarse as he stared at the open door. Aoife yelled somewhere else in the house, her scream of annoyance echoing through the space. Liam's men only laughed as if it was a common occurrence.
"I assure you, as horrible of an impression as she's given with her behavior today, she's not spoiled. She takes her schoolwork seriously. She's a good girl. She just has this ridiculous notion that she should be able to fall in love. As if I did not love her mother simply because our marriage was arranged. Hopefully, you'll be able to change her opinion. I cannot blame her for being hesitant, given that Tiernan was not the right
