Free Escaping: A Mafia Romance (The O'Keefe Family Collection #2) by Tuesday Embers, Mary E. Twomey

faking a smile she knew convinced no one. “I made a cake but I dropped it, so I didn’t bring dessert tonight.”
    Declan wrapped his arms around her, taking in her apparent frailty and deciding not to squeeze her too tight. “Hey, that’s alright. Vince brought some cake from his restaurant. Lucky coincidence.”
    Fallyn swallowed thickly. She had called Vince in hysterics when she’d dropped the cake, begging him to elope so they didn’t have to tell her brothers. In hindsight, she’d known that wasn’t a great option, but standing in her father’s house surrounded by her armed brothers, it didn’t seem like such a silly idea after all. Vince had talked her down in his steady way, and of course brought dessert, picking up the slack where she dropped it.
    Vince and his family were already there, each man feigning ease on the couches in the living room. They were braced for the impending war they were all prepared to back Vince up for. Fallyn had worked the whole evening through in her mind, deciding on dessert being the best time to announce their engagement.
    As she stood in the living room, her knees shaking so terribly, she was sure she would pass out, she knew she had to tell them before the words stayed stuck inside of her forever. “Guys, I have to tell you something,” she began, but no sound came out. Her brothers were talking shop and planning their next trip with the D’Amatos to the cabin, and didn’t hear a thing.
    Fallyn dipped into her pocket and slid her engagement ring onto her finger, letting the two carats speak for her. The carats were quiet for a while, letting the men enjoy what they could of their evening. When the nurse brought her father out from the bedroom where he’d been having his breathing treatment, Fallyn wished beyond anything that her father would recognize her. She met his eyes and nearly sobbed when Patrick’s usually glazed-over eyes fell on his only daughter. “Fallyn?” he asked, as if he hadn’t seen her face in months.
    “Daddy? Hi!” She ran to her father, crashing into his arms that felt strong, despite their weakness that came from age. “Daddy, I missed you so much.”
    Patrick kissed the top of his daughter’s head, snuggling her like she was his favorite doll. His Irish brogue was thick, and warmed everyone in the home with its familiarity. “Then ya should come visit yer old Daddy more often. Such a pretty face. Now my house is perfect.”
    Fallyn was beside herself with relief and joy. Her father knew her face, and no matter what else devolved in the evening, she had that nugget of priceless treasure to cling to.
    “Um, Fal? Tell me that’s fake jewelry you’re wearing,” Danny said, breaking the tender moment.
    Fallyn refused to let go of her father, holding onto him for every second that he knew her, willing this moment to be forever in his memory that was quickly fading. “When have you ever known me to wear fake jewelry?” she responded, finally finding her voice, quiet as it was.
    Danny forced out a laugh. “Because you’re wearing it… I mean, it looks like you’re married. You should wear it on a different finger.”
    The levity that had been filling the living room before came to a screeching halt. Beers were frozen mid-sip and eyes were wide as the men all turned as one toward their sister. “I’m not married,” she clarified quietly. “But I am engaged.”

 
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    Twelve.
    Fault Line
     
     
    The shouting and demanding lasted for ten whole minutes while Fallyn clung to her father, who slowly began to loosen his grip from around her. She could feel him slipping away, and wished the great man in her life could stand next to her with some amount of loyalty.
    Patrick stepped back from her, reaching for his nurse, who led him to his recliner. “It’s alright, Patrick,” Nurse O’Malley said with unbending calm as she lowered him down into his soft chair.
    Fallyn was tired from throwing up due to nerves.