Ryan Reign (New York Ruthless #4)(68)

Soon this will be over and we can go home.

Home. It is funny to be thinking of a place as my true home after such a long time of never feeling like I belonged anywhere. We have a flight booked for tomorrow morning. I was pleased to hear that Erin won’t be joining us and even more pleased to hear she has decided to stay behind in Ireland. After the funeral today there will be a huge party, as is the tradition in Ireland, but we won’t be at it. The boys and I, along with their Aunt Em and cousin Aoife, will go back to the house and have a barbecue and some drinks. Not to celebrate Patrick Ryan’s life, or even his death, but because this is our last night and Em and Aoife don’t want us to go. They have promised to visit though and I hope they do. I have loved getting to know them.

I will raise a silent toast to Patrick and Paul Ryan later though. They might have been sadistic psychopaths, but these four incredible men beside me wouldn’t be here without them.



I sit on one of the lounge chairs with my face tilted toward the sun as I listen to the Ryan family chatting happily in the background, mostly about Aoife and Noel’s upcoming wedding.

“I wish you could stay for the wedding,” Aoife says with a sigh. “It’s only two weeks away.”

“I wish we could but we have to get back home,” Shane replies.

“You promised to visit after you’ve had the baby,” Mikey reminds her. “We’ll show you the best New York has to offer.”

“I’m looking forward to visiting the States,” Em adds with a contented sigh.

I open my eyes and look at them all. “Don’t forget to send me lots of pictures of the day, Aoife. Especially your dress.”

She waddles over and sits beside me, groaning softly as she rubs her baby bump. “I will.” She takes my hand and squeezes it. “I’m going to miss you.”

“I’ll miss you too,” I say. “And I definitely want tons of pictures of the bump when he or she arrives too. Okay?”

“Oh I’m going to bombard you with them,” she laughs. “You’ll be fed up of baby pictures.”

“You want a top up?” I ask as I see her empty glass of lemonade.

“Yes please.” She holds out her glass to me.

I walk back to the house, passing Shane as I do. “Can you help me with the drinks?”

“Of course,” he replies with a frown because everyone except Aoife has a full glass.

“Everything okay?” he asks once we’re inside the house.

I swallow hard. I don’t know how to tell him this, but I have been thinking a lot about my future and what I want in my life and for the first time in forever, I am certain about what that is. “I need to talk to you,” I whisper.

He narrows his eyes at me. “Okay.”

“With all this talk of Aoife and Noel’s wedding, I remembered that I finally have an answer for you.”

“An answer?”

“Your proposal, remember? In Em’s garden. Me marrying Conor?”

“Oh? Yeah.” His Adam’s apple bobs as he swallows hard.

I take a deep breath. I need to just tell him quickly and get it over with. It’s just like ripping off a Band-Aid, right?





Chapter 50





Six months later


Jessie





Smoothing my beautiful silk dress over my thighs, I smile at Aoife as she hands me my bouquet. It is a stunning mix of red, white and olive green roses, with blue tulips.

“You look fabulous, Jessie.” She gives me a soft kiss on my cheek. “I have never seen a smile so wide,” she adds with a chuckle.

“Thank you, Aoife,” I say. I feel so nervous my legs and hands are shaking, but my smile is real. I am excited and happy beyond belief. Today is my wedding day and I cannot wait to start this new chapter of my life.

“I’ll see you out there.” Aoife flashes her eyebrows at me before she leaves me standing in the room alone. I look out of the huge double doors of the beautiful log cabin that Shane has had built in the last six months, at that spot on the lake where he took me a little over a year ago. It seems like a lifetime ago now.

I look out at the beautiful gardens as I prepare to make my way towards the small arch of roses and ivy near the lake where the ceremony is about to take place. I have no-one to walk me down the aisle today, but that doesn’t matter to me. I feel my family by my side, and of course I am now starting a new one too.

I step out onto the decking and onto the small stone path. My head is down; I’m almost frightened to look up in case this is all a dream, but then I take a deep breath and do it. It is Conor’s eyes I see first. He stands there in his tux looking finer than I have ever seen him look before, and that really is a feat. He smiles when he sees me and it’s a smile that almost takes my breath away. He nudges Mikey who stands beside him, deep in conversation with his twin brother. Mikey and Liam look up too and I bite my lip as they stare at me. Tears prick at my eyes as Liam puts a hand over his heart and Mikey blows me a kiss. They look just as handsome as their older brother.

But where is Shane? My heart skips a beat as I scan the small alcove and he is not there. I know this day is not going to be easy for him. But then he steps out from behind the trees and my heart almost stops beating in my chest as he looks up at me and our eyes lock. I am close enough now that I see the deep green of his irises and it takes my breath away when I see the tears in them.