Page 48 of Bargain with the Irish Devil

When I married Michael, my father told me that I was making a new family with him. I thought he was talking about the children I hoped to have one day, and I assured him I wasn’t ready for kids yet. He told me once you found the person you loved and married, you were now a unit, a family unit—whether you had children or not. And once you were family you needed to protect your family in every way you could.

Does he hear my thoughts about family? A large hand runs over my stomach. Normally, I hated being touched there. Except this time, it’s more of a caress. The way he does it…it’s like the times I’ve seen men stroke pregnant stomachs of their partners. From what he said, I thought he didn’t want one.

However, the way he’s touching me, it doesn’t feel that way. Instead of the fear I thought I would feel, a thrill goes through me at the thought of Declan’s baby. I want a little boy with his blue eyes and dimples—especially the one in his chin. Except it won’t happen, at least not without help…

“No thinking, love. We go by feeling.” The words come out of the dark as he tightens his arms around me.

His heart pounding deep inside me soothes me asmuch as the way he is wrapped around me. No thinking. I only worry about feeling. I’m feeling safe, protected, and a word I never thought I would—loved. I don’t know if the feeling is real or simply what I want it to be. Exhaling slowly, I decide I’m going to trust Declan and savor this feeling…whether it’s real or not, I feel it.

As I slip into the dark, I feel the air of his breath in my ear. It’s barely a whisper.Taw me ngraw lyat.

How pretty. I wonder what it means, is my last thought as I let the dark take me over.

Declan

The words slide out of me. Unbidden. I don’t understand why I don’t say them in English.I’m in love with you. Words I never thought I would say. Never wanted to say them.

It’s a bigger gamble than giving her the means to turn me into the Feds. I have an excellent lawyer. If they were able to convict me, I’d do less than ten years. This feels bigger, the scariest damn thing in my life.

Would the words in English make her stay or send her away? I’m not sure which. Hell, I don’t think she knows herself. While I believe she wants to stay, I also believe it changes from minute to minute.

I take a deep breath. Stick to the plan. Keep her as long as I can to show her this world isn’t a scary one, that it’s safer with me than outside of this world. The men who died in this were almost all of old age. There are no threats that say my future would be a different one. I will do whatever it takes for those years to be as long as possible with her.

Thank fuck she loves the way I stay inside her after we make love. The better for me to seed her. It’s erotic as fuck to fill her, aware each time might be the one I give her our first baby.

My cock jumps at the thought of her pregnant with our baby. I can’t wait. Miranda round with our love, growing our child within her beautiful body. Fuck, there is nothing sexier than that.However many children she wants, I’ll give her. As long as I get a little girl like her momma, I’m good. I hold her tighter at the thought. The sigh of happiness that comes out of her slides down my spine.

CHAPTER 15

Miranda

Once Declan is gone, I lay in his bed, looking around the room. I can't believe he really wants me to redo his room. Just so I'm happier in it with him. I'm in so much trouble.

Rolling over, I bury my face in the thick black silk comforter. The bed is huge. It's one of those wrought iron and wooden monstrosities that reminds me of something from one of those men hunting lodges from a century or two ago. I don't like it. He said I could change the room to how I want. I wonder if that includes the bed.

The bed that he's tied other women down on and fucked them in. I'm definitely getting rid of this bed.

Sighing, I go downstairs.

Aoife has a huge smile on her face the moment she sees me. “I told you so.”

I laugh. “Okay, I’m hoping you’re right. But it’s early still.”

Rolling her eyes, “It was that way for his da. He fell for her at first sight. But she thought he was an ass, and he had to work for her. It’s better that way. If they feel they won, they treasure you a little more.”

“I can hope.”

“Hope nothing. I’ve been given an unlimited budget for his room and an order it be done as soon as possible. Now tell me. What would you like for breakfast?”

“I’m not picky and a creature of habit. Eggs, bacon, and toast are fine. Thank you.”

“Have a seat, dear. I’ll put on a fresh pot of coffee for you.”

Once I’m done eating breakfast, she sits down with me and a pad of paper. “I can't wait to redo his room. It’s such a dungeon. It always gives me a headache anytime I have to spend time in there.”

“It is rather dark. When the blinds are closed, you don’t know if it’s night or day.” I agree with her.

We spend over an hour going over plans for the room. The first is to empty it of everything. I don't want to keep anything, including the bed. I don't tell her why, but she seems to know without me saying it.

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