Page 92 of Exile and Embrace

“I like Oregon, and I hate my father.”

“And that should tell me all I need to know?” He shakes his head and jerks his chin at the seat across the desk from him. “Sit down and tell me what the plan is.”

I take a seat, perching on the edge of the chair.

Even though it doesn’t seem like I’m going to leave this conversation in a body bag, I’m still on edge.

“Ava is the most important person in my life. She is the only person who has ever believed that I can be something more than my father’s pawn. I owe her a better life than the one I’m currently giving her. I don’t want us to be tied to my father for the rest of our lives.”

Cillian leans back in his chair again. “I can offer you that better life, but I have to know that you’re going to be loyal to me. The fact that you haven’t killed me and told me the truth is a start, but you have lied to me about who you are for months.”

I relax a little, shifting back in the seat. “Ask me anything. I’ll tell you whatever I can.”

The corner of his mouth twitches as I try to make myself comfortable. It’s going to be a long night, but it’s worth it if it means getting a better life ready for me and Ava.

The sun is just starting to creep over the horizon and filter through the windows as I walk into my bedroom the next morning.

Ava sits up in bed, a book in her hand. She puts it to the side as I drop into the bed beside her and lean back against the pillows.

She leans over and kisses me. “You’ve had a long couple of days.”

“Is that your way of saying that you missed me?” I take her hand and lace my fingers with hers. “It has been a long couple of days. We were attacked while we were out on a run. I had to get a couple stitches in my arm after a bullet grazed it, but nothing too bad.”

Her eyes widen, and her mouth drops open. “What the hell, Finn? That’s the kind of thing you tell me about as soon as it happens. You don’t come home after being gone for two days and just casually announce it like that.”

I laugh and kiss the back of her hand. “I’m fine, Ava. I just had a lot to deal with. What happened while I was gone?”

“Christian and Zoe went back home. The will reading is getting closer, which means that I’m going to have to start looking at going back to Tennessee soon for that.”

“I don’t know if I’m going to be able to go with you.” My thumb drifts over the back of her hand. “I have a lot coming up in the next couple weeks.”

Even though I’m not going to tell Ava that, I promised Christian that I wouldn’t set foot in Tennessee. She doesn’t need to know that I made that promise to Christian, or that he’s the one who made sure people didn’t kill me in prison.

Ava shrugs. “You don’t have to go with me. I can go on my own.”

“Do you really think that’s a good idea after that call you got from Declan?”

She leans into my shoulder, her eyes closing. “I don’t want to fight about this right now. How about we have a nap and then I can yell at you about getting shot when we get up?”

I laugh and shift down the bed, pulling her with me.

She yawns and curls into my side as we get beneath the covers.

To my surprise, I’m looking forward to waking up next to her later. I want to hear her give me hell for getting shot.

She does it because she cares about me.

I’m starting to think that it might not be a bad thing.

Maybe the pair of us do deserve to be happy.

24

AVA

Finn glowers at me as he pulls the car over to the side of the road. “This is a bad idea, Ava. I don’t know how many times I have to tell you that.”

“And how many times do I have to tell you that it’s perfectly fine?” I cross my arms and arch an eyebrow. “Everything is going to be okay. Camila and Ruben are picking me up on Christian’s private plane. Do you really think Christian’s sister would come get me if it wasn’t safe?”

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