Page 88 of Release Me
Sean glances at me, giving me the floor. Bastard wants me to say it out loud.
‘It’s about Friday night. You all saw what happened,’ I begin, voice rougher than I’d like. ‘Anthony humiliated Rebekka in front of half of Dublin. And yeah—’My throat works‘—I claimed her as mine. Upstairs. Afterwards. She came home with me. She’s still with me.’
No one looks shocked.
Scarlett folds her arms across her chest, eyes glittering. ‘Good. About bloody time someone showed her what she’s worth.’
‘Rebekka’s worth everything,’ I admit. ‘We’re in love. We have been since the night we met—at her engagement party.’
A silence drops, heavy as stone. James whistles low, Caelon leans back in his chair, Killian mutters a curse under his breath.
‘And if Anthony comes for her—when he comes for her—I need to know if you’re all standing with me. Because it’s going to be barbaric.’
James sits forwards straightening his spine. ‘I don’t know. He doesn’t seem to give a shit about her. I don’t get why they didn’t divorce years ago. It was a bad match from the start. He doesn’t spend any time with her. He’s always off with other women.’ James’s eyes drift to Scarlett. ‘It’s hardly a marriage at all.’
‘He won’t divorce her.’ I fold my arms across my chest. ‘When she married Anthony, their families drew up clauses. If she files for divorce, he gets Remington Publishing Ireland. It’s worth five times what the De Courcys invested. And she’s paid them back twice over for their investment in the New York branch, but they won’t let go.’
‘Shit,’ James mutters, rubbing a hand over his jaw.
‘And if he divorces her?’ Sean presses.
‘She gets his shares in the bank. Marianne De Courcy made sure neither side could walk away easily.’
I blow out a breath. ‘It’s not just that though. I knowAnthony. He doesn’t want Rebekka; he’s resented her from the day they got married, but he’ll resent her happiness equally as much. Even if we find a way where they can both keep their own assets, he’s not going to just roll over. Especially not when he realises she’s with me.’ I roll up my shirt sleeves. ‘Which is why I need to know you’re with me.’
‘Course we are,’ Killian says immediately. His bluntness is a comfort.
Relief rushes through my chest.
James sighs. ‘Rian, I love you. You’re my youngest brother, but I have to ask you this. How serious are you really about Rebekka? You say you love her, you’ve loved her for years, but you’ve never even had a proper girlfriend before. You can’t seem to commit to a woman for more than a weekend. Are you one hundred percent sure what you have is worth breaking up a marriage for? I know Anthony’s a prick and he treats her like shit, but if you do this, if you shack up with her properly, you will sever ties between our family and theirs that will never be repaired. Are you sure it’s worth it?’
I suck in a breath, glancing around at each of my brothers, and then Scarlett. I’m half expecting that stupid blush to creep into my cheeks again, but for some reason, now I’m owning my feelings, it doesn’t. ‘I’ve never been more serious about anything in my life. I love her. I’ve loved her from the minute I met her. And I will love her until I fucking die. That’s why I can’t stick with a woman for more than a weekend. Because none of them are her. No one even came close.’
‘Fuck.’ Realisation dawns on Caelon’s face. ‘Did you know about this?’ He turns to Sean.
‘Yes.’ He nods grimly.
Silence falls; everyone appears to be gathering their thoughts.
‘Right. You’re our brother. Of course we’re with you,’ James says. ‘But we do this properly. Double everyone’ssecurity detail.’ He looks at Killian. ‘No solo trips, not even to the bloody corner shop.’
‘I’ll get hold of Jenkins,’ James adds, pulling out his phone. He’s the best solicitor in the country. ‘If there’s a contract, we’ll find the cracks.’
‘Rebekka has had it looked over. It’s airtight.’ I grimace.
‘Airtight,’ James says grimly. ‘Nothing’s ever completely airtight. We keep our heads down, we get the best advice, and we play the long game.’ He fixes me with his big-brother stare. ‘No more parading her around Elixir, Rian. Not yet. Give us a couple of weeks to make sure everything is bulletproof.’
The thought of hiding her makes my chest tighten.
But James is right.
Scarlett leans forward, her voice softer but steely. ‘She’s already been through hell. If keeping things quiet for a while keeps her safe, then do it. This isn’t about ego. It’s about protecting her.’
I nod, jaw clenched. ‘Fine. We’ll keep a low profile. But understand this—Anthony knows she’s with the Becketts. He doesn’t know she’s withme. That won’t last forever.’
‘Thenwemake sure when he finds out,’ Sean says calmly. ‘Whenwe’reready.’
Callaghan, silent until now, shifts at the wall, arms folded. ‘You’ll want her investments locked down. Accounts too. If De Courcy plays dirty, it’ll be through money first.’
