Page 20 of Savage Love

The statement is pointed in Liam’s own way, and I nod. “You would, of course, receive an invite. But you’re correct. We were thinking three months, maybe? The end of summer? I believe Niall is contacting Father Callahan about a date.”

“It’ll need to be sooner than that,” Connor says sharply. “If Diego is reaching out to whatever contacts he has here, that means he’s considering his moves. Elena needs to be protected. I wasn’t going to suggest marriage toyou, but since that’s already beyond my decision to make, the wedding needs to be moved up. The sooner, the better,” he adds. “As soon as the arrangements can be made. Diego can be told no, if she’s married. To you, it will be a bit flimsy, but you are at least an official part of Viktor’s Bratva. He won’t be able to take her from you by negotiation or demand, which only leaves force. We will hope that one girl and his bruised ego isn’t worth so much to him that he’ll reach so far by violence.”

“I hope not.” I press my lips together, considering. I hate the idea of telling Elena what’s happening—that even in this place, the danger is reaching out to snag her. But at the same time, I know she wouldn’t wish to be left in the dark. And she won’t be able to be for long–especially with the wedding being moved up. Isabella wouldn’t hear of it, unless there were circumstances like these. “I’ll take care of letting her and Isabella know. I’m sure Niall can speak with the Father tomorrow. As soon as the arrangements can be made, it will be done.”

Well, that’s that. I don’t know whether to be relieved that there’s no backing out now, that the decision has effectively been made for Elena and me, or filled with dread. Up until this moment, there had been a possibility that either of us could have changed our minds. Elena could have told me that she didn’t want the kind of union I offered her—one built around raising our child, not love or desire—or I could have told her that I was willing to be a father, but that I couldn’t make vows to her after all, if the guilt and grief became too much to bear before we made it to the altar. But now it’s clear that marriage is necessary to protect her from Diego. It will be me—or Connor and Liam will choose someone else for her. Someone powerful enough to protect her.

Someone who, if they’re talked into taking on a deflowered woman with a bastard child, would not allow me any part in that child’s life.

All it takes is that thought for me to know that regardless of my feelings about marriage, I can’t walk away from this. Not in those circumstances.

“And consummated,” Connor adds. “There can be no questions. The marriage has to be ironclad.”

“She’s pregnant,” Liam says with a snort. “I think the time has passed to wonder about her innocence—”

“It doesn’t matter.” Connor crosses his arms, glaring at me. “I would assume that will be no issue for you, considering the girl’s state, but just in case you had any ideas in your head about a marriage of convenience—the wedding night has to be consummated. After that, you can do what you like.”

You assume wrongly.I had no intention of touching Elena on our wedding night. In fact, I had reconciled myself to a marriage without any intimacy at all, for the sake of not hurting her further. I don’t think Elena is the kind of woman who could continue going to bed with me, feeling as she does, and not be hurt by it in the end.

And the last thing I want to do is hurt her any further.

But I know in this, at least, Connor is right. There can be no question, nothing to make anyone think that Elena’s marriage could be annulled, no loophole for Diego to slip through in his continued pursuit of her.

“Has the pregnancy been confirmed elsewhere?” Connor continues, eyes narrowed. “A doctor’s visit? Or is it only her family that knows?”

“Only Isabella, Niall, and myself. And now, the two of you.”

Connor nods. “Then keep it that way. Her parents can know if they must, but they’ll need to understand that, for all intents and purposes, Elena will be presented as having gotten pregnant after her wedding night. You’ll need to fake blood on the sheets. No doctor’s visits or evidence of it that can be recorded until after the wedding—which is, of course, all the more reason to do it as quickly as possible.”

All of it pisses me off. The secrecy, the lies—and the need for it at all. Diego and his machinations were meant to have been left in Rio. Boston was supposed to be a safe place. This was supposed to be over for her.

But it’s not. And as tired of Connor’s sanctimonious attitude as I am, I know he’s right about this.

“I understand,” I tell him, as calmly as I can manage. “I will make sure to relay all of that, just as soon as I’m back at the house.”

“See that you do,” Connor says curtly, getting up from his chair and striding abruptly from the room, Liam following in his wake a moment later—leaving me to sit there and think about how quickly everything has been turned upside down.

—

The worst of all of it is seeing Elena’s face that evening, when I tell her what Connor told me.

“You’ve got to be fucking kidding me,” Isabella spits. “He’s following herhere? Why can’t he just fuck off?”

Niall reaches out, smoothing his hand along her arm in an effort to comfort her, but I can see sparks flying from her eyes. It’s clear she’s furious.

“I thought it was over,” Elena says in a small voice. “I thought we were safe.”

“I thought so too.” I reach out for her hand, but she pulls it back, wrapping her arms protectively around herself. “Elena, if we’d known—”

“You’d what?” Her lips press together thinly as she stands up, her face taut with anxiety. “Take me where? If he has contacts here, where else does he have them? You couldn’t have left me in Mexico. Surely he has people in New York, too. It feels like nowhere is ever going to be safe.”

“Elena–”

She shakes her head, backing up. “I need to be alone,” she blurts out, spinning on her heel and rushing out of the room.

“They had no idea?” Niall asks, running a hand through his hair, and I shake my head.

“According to Connor, they didn’t. They thought Boston was clear. But—”

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