Page 130 of Fix You

“I’d like that a lot, Dare,” Maeve said.

“You’re welcome, sis.”

This time happy tears shimmered in her eyes. “Is breá liom tú,” she said to Dare.

“Is breá liom tú freisin.”

When we hung up with Dare, Maeve smiled up at me. “Is breá liom tú.”

“Ti amo,” I replied back.

And then I brought my lips to hers. At her sweet taste, I knew there was nothing that Callum could do or say that would make me give Maeve up.

Chapter Twenty Five: Raphael

When we got to New York, Maeve’s mood seemed even more elevated than when we got off the phone with Dare. I’d been worried that the altercation with Callum might trigger her PTSD. After all, he’d been her knight-in-shining-armor through all the trauma with Oisin. On the flight, I’d had her text Dr. Leighton to set up a emergency session

I couldn’t imagine what she was feeling. If there had ever been a time when I’d considered a therapist, it was now when my world seemed to be such a paradox of highs and lows.

But it wasn’t just my problems I needed to talk to someone about–it was also Maeve.

How could I ever be worth the sacrifice she was making? Although I wanted to believe Callum would come around, it worried me that if he didn’t, Maeve might grow to resent me.

On the way to my penthouse, she asked, “Can we go out for dinner tonight?”

I chuckled. “You aren’t tired?”

“I’m sure I’ll collapse tomorrow, but I feel energized right now. Besides, I’ll need to be back in Dublin for my classes on Tuesday, so I want to have the best time with you while I can.”

I leaned over and kissed her lips. “Your wish is my command.”

Her green eyes glittered with happiness. “I love you.”

“And I love you.”

When we got to the penthouse, Maeve went straight to the shower. Although I’d faced one adversary, there was one more to go. After I went out on the balcony, I dialed Caruso.

“Rafe, so good of you to call. My wife hasn’t received the invitation list from your side for the engagement party.”

After sucking in an agonized breath, I said, “Edoardo, I’m very sorry, but none of us will be attending the engagement party.”

“Should we move the date?”

“No, it has nothing to do with that.”

“Then what is it?”

“I’m so very sorry, but I can’t marry Drea.”

Silence came over the line. When Edoardo finally spoke, he said, “I’m sure I just misunderstood what you just said. I know a man of honor such as yourself wouldn’t be calling two weeks from an engagement party to tell me he could no longer abide by his end of a business deal.”

Pinching my eyes shut, I shook my head. “I’m in love with someone else. I almost lost her today, and I can’t bear to think of living one moment more without her.”

Edoardo’s maniacal laughter filled my ears. “Is that all? Raphael, I don’t care if you’re faithful to Drea. That wasn’t part of our contract. For fuck sake, I’ve never been faithful to my wife a day in my life. I’ve even got a kid over in Hoboken I support. Fucker looks just like my other sons.”

My skin crawled at the sleaziness of his reply. There was no way in hell Maeve was going to be a mistress I kept, and any children we had would be born within our marriage, not as bastards I kept hidden away.

“I don’t intend to keep her as a mistress. I want her to be my wife, and I intend to marry her.”

---