Chapter 43
‘So where did you two lovebirds meet?’ Killian drawls sarcastically, striding closer to tower over us.
Rian drops into one of the other couches and motions for Rebekka to join him. Scarlett sits beside me, and James lowers himself into the space beside her. Slowly, one by one, curiosity gets the better of them, and every single member of my family migrates closer.
‘We met in Punta Cana. We were staying at the same resort,’ Cole answers, eyeing each of my brothers evenly. Fair play to the man. He’s surrounded by an army of enemies, who are probably dreaming up ways to decapitate him, or at the very least detach his dick from his body, yet he’s cooler than a box of cucumbers.
‘California!’ Layla claps her hands together and Ivy squeals in excitement.
‘You knew about this?’ Caelon splutters, turning to his wife.
‘I didn’t know it was Cole Hartmann, the man you’ve all been giving off holy hell about since last year, but yes, I knew about Zara’s holiday fling.’ Ivy shrugs. ‘We all did.’ She looks at the rest of my sisters-in-law, then waggles her eyebrows at me and mouths, ‘He’s hot as fuck,’ fanning herself, less than discreetly.
The urge to laugh bubbles up in my chest. It must be nerves.
‘Look, I don’t give a fuck about your love story.’ James butts in. ‘I do give a fuck about your intentions for my sister. Seems like a bit of a fucking coincidence that out of all the women in Dublin, in the world even, that you knocked up our kid sister p>
‘I had no idea who she was.’ Cole lifts his glass to his lips and takes a deep drink. ‘It was Zara’s idea not to exchange real names, and that worked for me. Anonymity is a luxury I don’t often get.’ He takes my hand in his, stoking his thumb over the back of it.
He’s so brave.
I thought I loved him before, but this?
Seeing him face my family head on?
It makes my heart bloom in my chest.
‘Look, the crux of it is, I love your sister. I love the baby growing in her womb—my baby. And I’m going to marry your sister—with or without your blessing p>
A million hummingbirds swirl in my stomach. I glance at Cole, and the look he gives me is one of sheer adoration.
Surely my family will have to see that this thing between us is real?
Surely they won’t make me choose?
Avery practically swoons from her seat beside Ivy. ‘It’s like Romeo and Juliet but he’s so much hotter than Leonardo Di Caprio,’ she blurts.
Killian scowls at her.
‘I know we’ve had our differences in the past, but I’m hoping we can put it all behind us, for Zara’s sake,’ Cole continues. ‘And for the sake of our baby p>
‘Differences?’ Caelon booms. ‘You built a hotel directly opposite ours that sticks out like a porn star’s fucking prick p>
‘And you stole the Cannes development from under my fucking nose.’ Cole’s expression turns thunderous.
‘And you bought Barcelona just to spite us,’ James interjects.
‘Oh, boys.’ Avery exhales heavily. ‘Does any of it matter now? Zara and Cole are together. They’re having a baby. Put your differences aside. Life is short. We’ve all learnt that the hard way. You don’t have to like each other. You just have to tolerate each other at family occasions—like my wedding.’ She arches an eyebrow pointedly.
‘I thought it was our wedding,’ Killian mutters.
‘Semantics, darling.’ She blows him a kiss.
‘I don’t like it,’ James says bluntly, then takes a large mouthful of whiskey. I haven’t missed drinking during this pregnancy, but Christ knows I could do with one today.
‘You don’t have to like it,’ my mother says softly. ‘But you do have to live with it p>
My brothers exchange glances.
‘If we were smart, we’d work together,’ I muse. ‘Form a union. Make Beckett and Hartmann hotels a partnership. Together, we’d be untouchable p>
‘No fucking chance,’ Cole and Caelon say in unison.
‘At least that’s something you both agree on,’ Layla says drily. Sean squeezes her knee.
My father clears his throat and turns his attention to me. ‘Zara, you’re unusually quiet. This man has spoken for both of you. Do you love him p>
My parents are both massive, unashamed romantics. They really do believe love conquers all. I should have come to them earlier, explained the situation. They might have been able to help. Maybe we could have avoided this.
I clear my throat. ‘I love him, Daddy. I love him more than I’ve ever loved anyone. I don’t want to have to choose between him and you guys, but if I do have to choose, it will be him p>
A shocked silence sweeps around the room as the weight of my words sinks in. The most important thing to my family is loyalty. Always has been, always will be. The fact I’ve just announced mine now lies with someone else is frankly astonishing—even to me.
Tension emanates from every single one of my brothers.
Cole squeezes my hand, interlinking his fingers through mine.
‘We won’t make you choose,’ my dad finally speaks.
‘Won’t we?’ Caelon glares at Cole.
‘No. We won’t.’ My father’s voice is firm, unwavering. ‘From today, you lot call a truce. Behave respectfully when it comes to business. Don’t bad mouth each other in public,’ he directs this comment to Cole. ‘And for fuck’s sake, let’s keep this ridiculous feud out of the press. This family has already had its fair share of scandal. Cole, you have my blessing to be with my daughter. But if you are responsible for even one of her tears, so help you God, I’ll kill you myself,’ he concludes grimly.
‘Oh.’ My mother sighs with relief. ‘Welcome to the family, Cole.’ She beams at him and claps her hands. ‘This calls for champagne p>
‘Welcome to the fucking family?’ Killian echoes. His face is practically purple as he drains his drink and stands.
Caelon follows suit, jabbing his index finger in Cole’s direction. I wince. ‘Even if you marry my sister, you will never be part of this family.’ He storms out.
James follows.
Then Killian.
Sean at least nods Cole’s way before marching after them.
And Rian simply wraps his arm around Rebekka.
‘I’ll take that champagne, Mrs B.’ Avery rubs her hands together.
‘You’d think these lot don’t have billion euro empires to run.’ My father shakes his head good naturedly before standing, probably to pop a bottle.
Cole’s lips brush against my ear. ‘You okay, baby?’ He whispers tenderly.
‘Yes.’ My shoulders sag in relief. ‘It could have been worse, I suppose p>
‘They’ll get over it in time,’ Ivy beams at us. ‘Maybe p>
‘And if they don’t, what about it?’ Layla shrugs. She would say that. Her family disowned her when she stepped down from her royal duties as the youngest princess of England. It doesn’t seem to affect her, but then again she didn’t have the same relationship with them that I’ve always had with mine. I love all my brothers. And it tears me in two that there’s always going to be this divide now because I’m with the very man that they despise.
‘So, congratulations.’ I reach over to pat Rian’s knee, then Rebekka’s.
‘It’s so exciting. We decided we’d try… and look, it happened.’ Rebekka beams, placing a palm over her non-existent bump.
‘How could it not? You two never leave each other alone,’ Scarlett laughs.
‘You can hardly talk!’ Avery nudges Scarlett. The two women were best friends long before they met my brothers, and it shows in the ease of their friendship. ‘This is the longest your womb has been empty since you met James p>
‘True.’ Scarlett flicks her dark hair from her shoulders. ‘What can I say? We all have to do our bit to keep the Beckett name living on p>
‘Oh, yes, because you’re so selfless like that. Lie back and take one for the family, not because your husband is especially skilled with his giant…’ Ivy clamps a hand over her mouth before she can finish that sentence. She has a habit of opening it without thinking. It’s utterly endearing. She’s one of the most genuine women I’ve ever met.
Cole stiffens beside me. ‘Are they always like this?’ he whispers.
‘No.’ I rest my cheek against his shoulder and tilt my face up to meet his eyes. They’re half intrigued, half horrified. ‘They’re usually worse p>
‘Jesus. Fucking. Christ,’ he mutters.