Page 79 of Fearless Sinner

“I’ll bring her with me to dinner next Sunday,” I answer with a genuine smile.

When I thought of this upcoming marriage it was always with dread, until Chloe agreed to be mine. Since she has, everything has felt different to me. Life is still chaos while I’m on my search for Lance and Harlan, but because I have her, things feel less bad.

Olivia should like Chloe. They have similar personalities. Virgo will like her, too, because I like her. Seamus is the only one I’m worried about.

“Perfect. I can’t wait. This is absolutely fantastic news.” Olivia’s face brightens.

“We look forward to meeting her,” Virgo agrees, slipping his arm around Olivia.

The two of them smile back at me, looking excited. Seamus, on the other hand, hasn’t said a word. He’s not happy about what I’ve done.

I held off telling anybody until today. I had a feeling Seamus would react exactly like this, so I thought our usual dinner at Virgo and Olivia’s would be the best place to break the news.

When we’re eating together like this around the dinner table, there’s a mellowness that makes certain things appropriate to share.

“Uncle?” I give him a questioning stare.

“Congratulations, nephew. I’m sure you and I will talk after.”

“We will.”

Virgo and Olivia exchange glances.

“Well, I’m happy. I think this will be good for Cillian, and I’m glad he got to choose.” Olivia doesn’t speak out much, but she will for me.

I knew she would be supportive. She and Virgo went through hell to be together.

Virgo lifts his glass of wine to me and bows his head. “Congratulations. When’s the wedding?”

“Three and a half weeks.”

“That’s a bit close to your deadline, isn’t it?” Seamus cuts in with furrowed brows and slices through his steak with a little too much force.

“It will be fine. I have well over a week before my timeframe expires.” I give him a reassuring look. I know him so well. He’s going to think of everything under the sun to complain about. “Chloe’s mother just had quite an intensive surgery. She should be well enough by then to attend the wedding.”

The surgery was four days ago. It was a success and Rosaline is doing well, but she has a minimum of three weeks recovery stay in the hospital. If it’s any longer, Dr. Chase said she could get a day release to attend the wedding.

“I’m glad we can work things out for her to attend,” Virgo says. He’s the only person in the room who knows all the details about Chloe. I couldn’t keep it from him. And like the good friend he is, he’s been supportive.

“We’re also having a small wedding.”

“Small?” Seamus raises his brows and pauses cutting another slice of steak. “I have nearly two hundred people on the list to invite.”

“Seamus, in light of the current situation with Lance, I need to keep things small. And discreet. Nothing screams come and attack me more than a wedding with hundreds of guests.”

He’s about to argue but stops himself.

“I know you understand.” I intensify my stare on him. “The risk of attack is greater the more people we invite. I’d love nothing more than to be able to wrap everything up with Lance before the wedding but that’s not how these things work.”

As of now, I have two plans to get to him running side by side. I’m still smoking him out and I have eyes on the hotel in New Jersey. No one has used the hotel room and Lance hasn’t hit back with any counter attacks. I know something will happen eventually, though, because we can’t keep on like this.

“I get it. And keeping the numbers small is sensible. What about the location? Where will you hold it?”

“Oheka Castle.” My answer calms him. I know he wanted me to get married there. The venue is special to our family. My parents were married there, Seamus got married there, and so did Virgo and Olivia. “They’re best equipped to keep everyone safe.”

“That sounds good.”

“As for guests, I think we’ll keep it to a minimum of ten to twelve people. That should include everyone I need to be there and their plus ones.”

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