Page 48 of Destructive Truths

His fingers dance up and down my back in lazy strokes. “You know, I never gave you your present,” he whispers into my hair.

Tilting my chin, I peer up at him under my lashes. “I beg to differ, Dev. You gave me five.”

His chest rumbles with his deep chuckle. “As fuckin’ good as those were, I have something a little more than orgasms up my sleeve.”

My hand settles on his abs. “Well, I’ll never turn down a gift. What are you waiting for?”

He taps my back, gesturing for me to let him move from beneath me. I pull myself up, and lean on my palm, watching as he rolls out of bed and stalks towards his jeans, wearing nothing but a devious smile.

He pulls a small black box from the pocket, and crosses the room before sitting on the edge of the bed, his eyes on me.

I crawl closer, my wide eyes flicking between his and the ring box.

“Before I show you what’s inside, I have a few things I want to say.” He swallows and looks to the ground before bringing his attention back to me, waiting on a response.

I nod. “Okay.”

Reaching forward, he takes my hand in his. “I love you, Saoirse. Fuck, I fell for you fast.”

My heart picks up the pace, pounding against my rib cage like a crazed lunatic. “I’m falling for you, too. But…” I trail off, not knowing how to express the turbulent emotions ripping through me like a tornado.

A small shy smile curls at the edges of his mouth. “I know, darlin’. You’re falling for him, too.”

My eyes close, holding back the tears pricking my eyes.

His hand tucks underneath my chin, and he tilts my gaze back to his. “That’s what I’m trying to say. I know you feel something for us both, and it’s tearing you apart having to choose.”

I nod, hating that I can’t just cut Rohan from my heart when he doesn’t deserve to be there. But every now and then, he does something unexpected, and it roots him deeper. Whether I like it or not, he’s wrapped my heart in his thorns, embedding himself so deep nothing I can do will ever remove him. Liam deserves more than half of me, but I know I could never give myself to him fully, not when the darkest parts of me already belong to someone else.

“Saoirse.” Liam swipes his thumb across my lower lip, grabbing my attention.“I want you to know I will never make you choose. If loving you means I have to share you with Rohan, I’ll do whatever it takes to make it work. This thing”—he holds his hand across his heart then tilts his chin, peering down at his chest—“only beats for you.”

A lone tear slips free, sliding down my cheek and pooling at the edge of my mouth. “I love you, Dev. I swear I do, but I can’t ask you to do that. You deserve all of me. It wouldn’t be fair to ask you to share me with anyone, not when all you’ve ever done is fight for me. Besides, Rohan walked away. It just might take me a while to sort through that.”

He shrugs his shoulders. “You’re not asking. I’m offering. And as for Rohan, he may have walked away for now, darlin’, but trust me, he’s not ready to let you go, either. If sharing you with him means I get to keep you too, I want to at least try.”

“What are you saying?”

“He can have your darkest nights as long as you promise your sunsets belong to me.” He opens the box, and my mouth falls open. Resting on a small silk pillow sits a beautiful Claddagh ring. It’s nothing like the traditional ones you see in every jeweller in Ireland. This one is spectacular. The band ropes like thick ivy vines, and they wrap around the two hands that hold up the purple diamond-crowned heart. “Oh my God, Dev. It’s gorgeous. I love it.”

His face lights up with a beaming smile, showing off the dimples on his cheeks. “It was my grandmother’s ring—eighteen carat rose gold with a four carat purple-orchid diamond—one of the rarest diamonds in the world.”

“I…”—my eyes hold his—“it’s beautiful, but I can’t accept it. It’s too much.” My fingers itch to touch it. It’s gorgeous, but there’s no way I can keep it. Not when it’s his family’s heirloom. It must be worth a fortune.

“It’s not too much, not for you. My grandmother gave it to me for the girl I wanted to share my life with. That girl is you, Saoirse Ryan.”

Lost for words, I watch as Liam lifts my right hand and slides the ring onto my ring finger. “Do you know how to wear this?”

“Yes. Heart pointing inward if someone has my love, heart facing out if not.” I look down at how Liam placed the ring on my finger—the heart faces out.

Liam wets his bottom lip with a swipe of his tongue. “The Claddagh ring has two hands holding up one heart. When you look at this ring, I want you to know that I’m okay just being one of those hands.”

I draw in a breath, letting his love fill my lungs. Then I slide the ring from my finger and turn it, facing the heart in. When I peek up at him through my lashes, I’m rewarded with the most breathtaking smile he’s ever given me.

Suddenly, his mouth is on mine, sealing the exchange with a soul-searing kiss.

“I love you, Free Bird.”

“I love you, too.”

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