Free Exhaling: A Mafia Romance (The O'Keefe Family Collection Book 3) by Tuesday Embers, Mary E. Twomey

face, Killian sighed. “Okay, then. I believe you’re not using her. I still think she could’ve done better, but I guess I can do better by taking a firmer hand with the guys. Give me a few days, and we’ll set up a rotation of one of us checking in on her at the bakery every day. Give you a bit of a break.”
    Vince leaned back in his chair, watching Fallyn breathe as if he thought turning away for a second might cause oxygen to cease its flow through her. “Thanks for coming. I know you didn’t want to.”
    “Thanks for calling. I know you don’t want me here.”
    Vince motioned to the sleeping woman. “She did it again. Got the families to get along just by existing.”
    Killian waited until he was certain Fallyn was in a deep sleep before leaving Vince to his watchful night. He clapped his old enemy on the shoulder before exiting the hospital, knowing it would be a long night for the man. Despite everything, Killian finally believed that Fallyn was in good hands.

13

The Lion’s Den
    O nce week later , Fallyn and Vince stood on the O’Keefe family home’s front porch, desserts in hand and resolute expressions turning their faces stony. “Don’t knock yet. I’m still psyching myself up.”
    Vince rubbed her back. “We don’t have to do this, you know. You can call them on the phone and tell them just fine.”
    “That’s the coward’s way out. We don’t have anything to be ashamed of.”
    “Then why do you look like you’re about to walk down death row? It’ll be fine, Fal. The worst that’ll happen is they’ll throw a few punches.”
    She turned to stare up at her husband with a wry smile. “Oh, is that all? Just you getting hurt? Well, then that’s fine. I don’t care about you or your body or your wellbeing, so they can go to town. So long as they don’t knock over my desserts.”
    Vince pressed his finger to the doorbell, squeezing Fallyn’s hand as she opened her mouth to protest. “Might as well jump into the deep end now. You’re never going to be ready for this.”
    “You know me,” she mused.
    “You own me,” he admitted, leading her inside when Killian opened the door for them. “Hey, Kill.”
    Killian shook Vince’s hand, leaning in to kiss both his cheeks, setting a precedent for the others that Vince was not to be harmed. “Good to see you both. Come on in. We’re just getting the food on the table.” Killian led them into the dining room, taking his usual seat at the foot of the table and motioning for Vince to sit to his right with Fallyn. There was more protection next to Killian, and as blasé as Vince was about an attack from the O’Keefe boys, they significantly outnumbered him.
    Declan handed his sister a beer and peeled back the foil on the serving trays Killian had brought from his restaurant for the family dinner, but no one started serving themselves. They each glared at Vince with varying degrees of hatred.
    Killian cleared his throat to garner everyone’s attention. “Vince is here as my guest, and you’ll all make peace with it. He’s our brother-in-law now, so like it or not, he stays. In fact, he just became the most well-guarded D’Amato ever, because Fallyn picked him to marry. He’s an O’Keefe now, so deal with it.”
    Seamus scoffed. “He’s not an O’Keefe. He stole an O’Keefe. Not the same thing, Kill.”
    Killian turned to stare at Seamus, who shrank visibly, despite his bravado. “Fallyn has every right to get married. We don’t have to like it, but she’s an equal part of our family, isn’t she? Do you want us picking out your girlfriends, Seamus?” He raised an eyebrow at Seamus’ blanch. “That would actually bring the quality of the girls you see up a few notches, I think.” Killian took a drink of his beer, wishing his father was doing more to back him up than sitting at the table and staring vacantly at his fingernails. “Fallyn comes with Vince now. Any of you touches a hair on his head, you’ll have me to answer