The Seduction of Destiny Rhode [The Seduction 3] (Siren Publishing Ménage and More) (28 page)

“Yeah, ya think? So, how are you going to fix it?”

He looked up at Aiden. Fixing it had never even occurred to him.

“What?” Aiden let the word hang in question between them.

The smug bastard was beginning to get on Ronan’s nerves. Aiden made an exaggerated gesture of frustration, throwing his arms in the air before asking, “Were you planning to just let her walk out of your life, you dumbass?”

“I hadn’t really planned anything.” He dropped his head into his hands.

“I see.” Aiden’s tone was harsh and judgmental. “Well, maybe that’s why you’re sitting here waiting on a hangover while Oscar Ramirez is having a romantic dinner with Destiny.”

Ronan turned his head. He couldn’t believe Aiden was actually baiting him. After everything that had gone down between the two of them, Aiden was the last person he expected to find on his side.

“What the fuck do you want me to do?” He stood up and made his way to the kitchen bar, wobbling as he went.

“I don’t know. What do you want to do, man? You’re clearly miserable. It’s self-imposed misery, so fix it.”

“So fix it?” Ronan mumbled beneath his breath. “Yeah, I’ll just do that.”

He went into the kitchen and poured himself the largest glass of water he could find. He needed hydration.

“Fuck, Ronan, it’s not brain surgery. It’s a woman. What do you want?” Aiden put the dog down and came to the bar separating the kitchen and living rooms and leaned into the kitchen.

The strange thing was Ronan wasn’t sure he’d ever thought about what he wanted. He was a doer. He took care of things, and he took what came his way, and he moved on. He never had expectations and never got attached. It was just how he was, but now he was questioning all that.

“I don’t want to lose Destiny.” That was the bottom line of it.

“Then don’t. You don’t have to propose marriage, you idiot, but you do have to tell her how you feel. From there, you guys can work it out. But I’m telling you, Ronan, she’s one hell of a woman, and if you don’t take this shot, I doubt she’ll go back with Oscar, but she won’t be single forever.”

Ronan finished the water and filled the glass again.

“I’ve never stayed in one place long enough to put down any real roots.”

“Maybe it’s time,” Aiden said simply enough.

Ronan sipped the water slowly, his mind reeling with fear, but spiraling with hope at the same time. Though he’d never admit it, maybe Aiden was right.

Maybe it’s time.

Destiny had very mixed feelings while she dressed. The gown was gorgeous, long, white, and made of crushed velvet. It was a little too close to a wedding gown in some aspects, but she pushed those ridiculous fears aside. As she stood looking in the full-length mirror, attaching the earrings Ronan had given her that wonderful night she spent with him, she couldn’t help but wonder if she were doing the right thing or not.

“Here, I notice you like to wear flowers in your hair”—Mrs. Murphy held out two tightly closed red roses—“I thought these would look striking.”

Destiny took the flowers and waited for some crass comment about her boobs, but none came. Mrs. Murphy, with Cassidy beside her, were too busy staring with unshed tears in their eyes to say anything apparently.

“You guys, this isn’t a wedding! Stop looking at me like that!”

She turned back to the mirror and pinned the flowers in at the base of her neck where she had intricately woven her hair into a knot.

“You look amazing, Des.” Cassidy smiled at her through the reflection in the mirror.

“My stomach is in knots.” She placed her palm flat against the offending organ.

“Whose wouldn’t be? You’re taking a chance, a
huge
one, on love and happiness and…”

“Great sex!” Mrs. Murphy cut off Cassidy’s romantic speech.

“Mrs. Murphy!” Destiny tried to look shocked, but she was simply coming to know, love, and accept the wonderful woman for everything she was. She hugged her and placed a kiss on her cheek, leaving a bright-red lip mark behind.

She met Cassidy’s stare and gave her a small nervous smile.

“It’s about that time,” Cassidy said flatly.

“Yep.” Destiny drew a deep breath. “This could be the dumbest thing I’ve ever done.”

“Could be,” Cassidy echoed.

Mrs. Murphy gave her a quick slap. “The girl needs a boost of confidence, not naysaying! Here”—she reached into her purse and pulled out a silver flask from a colorful handbag—“take a hit.”

Destiny thought about being shocked for a moment, but she just laughed and took the offered liquid encouragement from Mrs. Murphy’s hand. She took a swig, and it burned all the way down.

“Good Lord, Mrs. Murphy, what is that?” Destiny blinked away tears forming in her eyes.

“Irish whiskey…hundred proof!” She winked.

Cassidy was obviously trying not to laugh. Destiny glared at her, handed the flask back to Mrs. Murphy and took one last look in the mirror. The dress clung to her body like a second skin, outlining her body with every move she made. She hadn’t realized how much weight she’d lost over the last four months, happiness had been agreeing with her because it was falling off without any real effort. She simply wasn’t stress eating anymore, and looking now at her reflection, she was astonished at how her body had new definition.

With the gown, she wore silver, rhinestone-encrusted sandals, an emerald bracelet that Cassidy loaned her, and, of course, the earrings Ronan had given her. It may have been silly, but wearing them made her feel close to him, like somehow he was still watching over her. She missed him so much. Nothing had been the same between them since that night, or more, since the next day when Ronan had ended everything between them, but she wasn’t going to think about any of that now. She didn’t want to descend into melancholy, not tonight.

There was a knock at the door, and her stomach churned. This was it. She wasn’t sure exactly what she would decide, her heart was still raw, but Cassidy was right to encourage her to at least go and hear him out.

“Well, are you gonna get that or not?” Mrs. Murphy crowed.

“I’m getting it.” Destiny moved from the bedroom to the living room, so glad the boys were hanging out with Aiden and Bella tonight.

She reached for the door and pulled it open to see Oscar standing on the other side dressed impeccably and smiling at her.

“Oscar.” She smiled. They may have had their issues in the past, but over the past week, he was working very hard to put all that behind them. “Come in.”

She stood back and allowed him entrance and closed the door behind him once he was in.

“You look amazing, Des.” Oscar’s gaze roamed her body appreciatively.

His look warmed her, but it also pained her. Why couldn’t he have looked at her like that when they were married?

“Hey, Oscar.” Cassidy greeted him as she and Mrs. Murphy came through the bedroom door into the living room.

“Evening, ladies.” He nodded at them, then turned back to Destiny just as the door knocked again.

“I’ll get that!” Cassidy cried out and wasted no time going to the door.

Destiny’s stomach turned again, but she tried to focus. “What exactly did you need, Oscar?”

The second Ronan entered the room her entire body recognized him. She drew a deep breath, and on its release, every ounce of tension left her. She turned to him and smiled. He was dressed in a dark suit, a navy blue shirt that looked like silk from where she stood, and a grey patterned tie.

She grew wet and needy just at the site of him. It had been so damn hard to keep her feelings under wraps for the last month, and part of her was pissed at him for making her even have to try.

“I was just hoping we could sit down and talk. There were some things I thought important and as I’m leaving in just a couple of days…”

She turned back to Oscar. “That’s right. You’re leaving.”

She looked to Ronan. He was leaving, too.

Why did she only seem attracted to men who wanted to leave? Of course, in the beginning that hadn’t seemed like a big deal with Ronan, but now it was.

“Well, I can’t do it tonight, Oscar. Breakfast tomorrow?” She focused directly on him.

It was strange how little effect he had on her anymore. There used to be a time where she wouldn’t have denied him anything, a time where his approval and his desires were all that mattered to her. She used to be that way with her mother as well, but over the last week, she noticed that pull to jump through her mother’s hoops had diminished also. She had a new strength at her core that didn’t require her to run around seeking everyone else’s approval. She only wanted Ronan’s.

“I’d rather do it tonight, Des. It’s important. I’m sure your”—Oscar turned to Ronan—“what’s your job description again?”

Destiny cringed at the condescending tone Oscar spat out. Her mind was spinning, trying to figure out a way to apologize for him, or make an excuse for his behavior, and then she realized, it wasn’t her job anymore.

Ronan stepped all the way into the living room, and though he didn’t touch her, he stood close enough that she felt wrapped in his essence.

“Hmm, job description… Well, how’s this? I’m the man who makes your ex’s pussy wet just from walking in the room, and I’m the man who’s given her completion that leaves her want for words, and I’m the man who has sated her to her soul, and I’m the man who”—he turned to look directly at her—“loves her to the depth of mine.”

Destiny sort of heard Cassidy moan and Mrs. Murphy’s saying, “Atta boy!” She was marginally aware of Oscar’s face turning red and her legs going numb, but mostly all she saw was Ronan and the love in his eyes that was solely directed toward her.

“Destiny, I’ve been the biggest idiot on the planet. I love you. I don’t want to walk away from you or this. What we have
is
a big deal. It’s rare, and it’s special, and I want to see where we can take it. That is,
if
you can forgive me for hurting you and for being scared and for being a horse’s ass.”

She just looked at him, mutely blinking like an imbecile, but whatever she had thought tonight would be, not once had any kind of declaration of love even entered her mind.

“Okay, everybody needs to go. Out. Out. Out.” She moved to the door and held it opened.

Cassidy walked through without a word, but did squeeze her arm on the way through. Mrs. Murphy linked her arm in Oscar’s.

“She means you, doll, but I’m gonna let you buy me a drink, so it’s your lucky night!”

“Destiny, I am not leaving until we’ve had this out.” Oscar’s tone brooked no argument, but Destiny realized she wasn’t under his spell any longer.

“Oscar, I don’t answer to you. I don’t love you. I’m not married to you anymore. In fact, I’ve built a life for me and the boys here that doesn’t require you at all, and if you want to speak with me, you’ll do it with more respect, as I am the mother of your children, and it will be tomorrow at breakfast, or not at all.”

A thrill unlike anything she’d ever felt in her life circled through her body and wrapped itself around her heart. Never in all her life had she spoken to Oscar like that, and it not only felt good, it felt
right.

Oscar just stared at her like he couldn’t entirely comprehend what she said. She gestured out the door with her hand. “I have a date, Oscar. Good night.”

He started to leave like a whipped dog, but right as he got to where she stood, he looked into her eyes and said soft enough that she was certain no one else would hear, “Don’t be thinking you’re more than you are just because you give the blue-collar guy a hard-on. Don’t keep me waiting in the morning.”

Moving faster than she could actually see, Ronan had Oscar pinned to the wall.

“She does more than give me a hard-on, asshole, she’s the best lover I’ve ever had, and if you weren’t man enough to bring that out in her, that’s your own damn pathetic fault.” He shoved Oscar out the door and then did a gentlemanly bow, allowing Mrs. Murphy to walk out behind him.

She stopped to pat him on the cheek. “Always knew I liked this one.”

He grinned down at her, then stepped in front of Destiny, taking the door from her hand and beginning to close it.

“Have a pleasant evening all, and for the record, my collar hasn’t been blue since I was fifteen years old. I have more money than I’m sure you’ve ever seen in your life. I just don’t feel the need to flaunt it like most.” He slammed the door shut and shook out his arms.

“You were doing a great job there, Des, but damn I can only hold back for so long!” He turned to look at her, apology written all over his face.

“You’re fine. I said what I needed to, and I appreciate your particular charm.”

He touched her cheek, and she began wondering if she’d heard him correctly. He said he loved her. Right?

“Can we get our night started now?” he nearly pleaded.

“I’d like that. What are we doing exactly?” She had no clue. She’d simply dressed in what he’d sent, like last time, and was obediently ready on time.