Leader of the Pack (The Dogfather Book 3)

  “No, no, you’re right,” Andi said, guilt squeezing her chest. “I’m being completely ungrateful. You’re so right.”

  “And you’re so scared.” Gramma Finnie wrapped both her parchment-soft hands around one of Andi’s, lifting their joined hands between them. “But that’s why you have a big family to take care of the details. All you need to do is show up, say ‘I do’—or whatever I write for you, and I promise it won’t be too mushy—and make sure every single person in the room and in town believes in this marriage.”

  “Except…Liam.”

  Gramma Finnie raised a brow, then glanced at Molly. Who looked at Darcy. Who bit her lip and fought a smile. Pru busied herself with the notebook.

  Andi looked from one to the other, frowning at the weird response. “Trust me, the whole thing is distasteful to him.”

  Chloe tipped her head and gave her a get real look.

  “It is, Chloe,” she insisted. “You know that.”

  “What I know is that Shane calls you Liam’s kryptonite.”

  Andi stared at her, letting that sink in. “His…”

  “I don’t get it,” Pru said. “Kryptonite paralyzes Superman.”

  “Kryptonite is his weakness,” Molly supplied, giving Andi a smile. “We all have one.”

  Andi tried to respond, but nothing came out. Molly clapped, breaking the awkward moment. “So, have you given any thought to the dress?”

  “No,” Andi admitted. “I suppose I have something in my closet. I have a pretty yellow sundress I wore to a wedding last year, or maybe a cool linen pantsuit.”

  “Pantsuit?” Gramma Finnie barked the question as if Andi had suggested wearing a burlap sack.

  “We can go shopping,” Molly said. “We have two days.”

  Shopping for a wedding dress? “I don’t…” Andi shook her head. “I’ll just wear something I have.”

  “It has to be at least a little wedding-ish,” Pru said. “Or no one’s going to believe you.”

  “People will ask why the rush,” Darcy said. “And assumptions will be made.”

  “I don’t care as long as they believe it’s real,” Andi replied.

  Chloe leaned forward. “Then you better look real.”

  Andi nodded, knowing they were all right. “Okay, well, obviously I can’t get a wedding dress, so I guess I can try and find something that is appropriate for a fast wedding at someone’s house that will be a surprise to almost everyone in attendance.”

  “Well, that wouldn’t be a first here at Waterford Farm,” Gramma Finnie said, raising a meaningful brow. “And Liam was at that wedding, too, in a sense.”

  “When Mom and Dad got married,” Darcy explained, reading Andi’s confused look. “It was super shotgun, and Liam was born six months later.”

  “It was not ‘super shotgun,’” Gramma Finnie fired back. “It was lovely. I put the whole thing together with a week’s notice since they were so scared to tell me until I figured it out on my own. Annie’s parents wouldn’t even come, so we…” She gave a wistful sigh. “We made it nice.”

  Andi tried to imagine Daniel Kilcannon and his pregnant wife getting married downstairs in this house, scared twenty-year-olds, uncertain about the future.

  “They had the best marriage,” Darcy said with a crack in her voice.

  Molly smiled and leaned closer to Andi. “We put her dress in Gramma Finnie’s bedroom on the off chance you might want to think about wearing it,” she whispered. “Do you want to see it?”

  Andi looked into Molly’s sweet hazel eyes, holding her gaze as she searched her heart for a truthful answer. Talk about an emotional land mine—the dress worn by their dearly beloved mother, coming down the same steps for a second time, once again part of an unconventional marriage.

  “It’ll be a little big on you,” Molly said. “But Pru can sew.”

  Pru got up on her knees, joining them. “I brought my pins and sewing kit.”

  “Of course you did.” Andi’s heart slid around in her chest, hitting her ribs so hard it might have cracked a few. “Okay, then,” she said softly, looking from one dear woman to the next and finally landing on Gramma Finnie’s blue eyes. “It would be an honor to wear Annie’s dress.”

  “Well, wait,” the old woman said, pushing herself up. “You haven’t seen it yet.”

  “It’s kind of seventies,” Darcy warned.

  “But I can take the shoulder pads out,” Pru said, getting up when Molly did, both of them pulling Andi with them.

  “And I hope those hideous ruffles come off the sleeves,” Darcy added.

  “Yes, but you have to keep the blue ribbon,” Pru told her as they all swept Andi into the next room. “Then the dress meets three requirements—old, borrowed, and blue.”

  “All you need is something new,” Jessie said as they headed into Gramma Finnie’s bedroom en masse.

  But right then, everything was new. This family, this warmth, this giddy excitement over a marriage that shouldn’t be happening. It was all new, and Andi finally decided to quit fighting it and ride the Kilcannon tidal wave, hoping she didn’t drown.

  Chapter Fifteen

  Christian fell asleep so quickly after they left Waterford Farm at nine that night, that Liam looked into the rearview mirror three times to check on him before they hit the main road. Jag draped himself along the backseat of Liam’s truck, his head on Christian’s lap.

  “Pretty sure Jag belongs to him now,” he said, softly enough to make sure he didn’t wake Christian.

  “Might be time to teach him the secret code word.”

  “Shhh.” He put his hand on her arm, as much for the warm contact than to quiet her. “You want him to wake up and start demanding to know it?”

  She laughed. “What are you waiting for?”

  “The right time.” He turned onto the main highway that led to town. “Everything has to be done at the right time.”

  Everything. Like giving her his mother’s ring.

  It shouldn’t matter so much, Liam told himself for the twentieth time since he’d accepted the diamond ring from his father. All through dinner, he thought about what would be the right time, and while he did, each moment slipped into the next. There was a lot of laughter, teasing, talk, and even a few quiet moments, but not the moment.

  Not that it was a real proposal—he’d already handled that with about as much flare as a wet match. Not that it was a real engagement ring—she’d certainly give it back, and Dad could give it to Molly as a keepsake, which made a hell of a lot more sense. And not that it was a real relationship that would end up with them all over each other in celebration of the moment—he’d already decided never to try that move again.

  But the night wore on, and the ring in his pocket got heavier and heavier.

  He heard Andi sigh and glanced to his right, catching her eyes slowly close as she dropped her head back.

  “Tired?”

  “Overwhelmed.”

  He laughed. “My family can do that to the strongest of guests.”

  “I wasn’t a guest.” She picked her head up and turned to him. “Neither was Christian. It was amazing, really, how comfortable they made me feel. How much a part of the…” Her voice drifted off. “You have a great family, Liam.”

  “I know I do.” He pulled up behind a slower car on the two-lane highway, automatically checking for oncoming traffic so he could pass, then remembered Christian and laid off the accelerator. “Must seem different from yours, huh?”

  She laughed. “My family are like people from a different planet compared to yours. Don’t get me wrong, I love my parents, but…”

  “But they don’t even know what you’re going through right now, do they?”

  She gave a little moan as if she just remembered that fact. “No, they don’t. I don’t bring them into my day-to-day life. Not because of any bad feelings, but we’re not designed that way. They’ve always treated me like an equal, not a kid. I mean, they love Christian and only want the best
for him, but I don’t lean on them, if you know what I mean.”

  “There’s leaning and there’s sharing. Don’t you think you should give them a heads-up that you’re getting married on Saturday?”

  “I’m not really getting married on Saturday, Liam.”

  He flinched. When the hell would he stop walking into that same trap? “No chance some investigator that Nora hires would talk to them and find out they have no idea their daughter is getting married?”

  “Oh, I never thought of that,” she admitted. “I’ll call them tomorrow after I talk to the lawyer Shane has coming to town.”

  “Do you want me to go with you to that meeting?”

  “Oh, that would be…” She caught herself. “Not necessary.”

  He heard it. Heard the desire to say yes, then the instant backing away. As if she would do anything to keep herself from getting any closer to him. Refusing to be gutted by that, he closed his damn mouth and drove the rest of the way home in silence.

  If the quiet bothered her, she didn’t say, but he noticed her staring out the window into the blackness of night all the way back to town and around the square until they reached her house, pulled up, and saw the woman sitting on her stairs.

  “Oh my God,” she whispered, grabbing his arm. “It’s her, Liam. It’s Nora Scott.”

  Jag was up before Liam took his next breath, instantly sensing the tension in the car. Christian stayed sound asleep.

  “What do we do?” Andi asked, a low-grade panic in her voice. “I don’t want her to talk to Christian. I don’t want her to scare him or for him to say anything.”

  In less than a second, Liam flipped through all the options and came up with a plan, parking directly in front of the stairs. “Jag stays in the car with Christian. You and I get out and talk to her, get rid of her, then you go inside, and I’ll bring Jag and carry Christian in.”

  “I don’t want to talk to her.”

  “You should,” he said. “You’re with me, your fiancé, and you are living your normal life taking full care of your son and being a loving, caring mother who spent the evening with a big, happy family. Show her what she’s up against, Andi.”

  “Yes, okay.” She nodded a few times as if getting used to the idea. “You’re right.”

  She grabbed her door and started to open it, but he found her other hand in the dark and held her back. “Hang on, hang on.”

  She looked at him, a mix of terror and determination darkening her eyes as her gaze darted from him to the steps less than twenty feet away where the woman stayed seated, staring into the truck. “I want to get this over with.”

  And so did he. “Here.” He shifted in his seat, reaching into his pocket, and pulled out the ring, glancing at the woman on the stairs who was pushing up to a stand.

  “What?”

  “Some hardware to support your case.” Keeping her hand low so Nora couldn’t see, he slipped the ring on her left hand effortlessly. “It was my mom’s.”

  Andi gasped as she realized what he was doing. “Your mother’s ring?”

  “Shhh.” He put his hand behind her head and pulled her closer. “She’s watching.”

  Inches from him, close enough that he could hear her quick pants as her breath tightened with anxiety. “Liam, I’m scared of her.”

  “Don’t be. I won’t let her hurt you, and I won’t let her get near Christian.”

  Jag barked and stared at the woman, adding his low, menacing growl.

  “Neither will he,” she said on a nervous laugh.

  Liam turned to the dog. “Achtung!” Jag’s ears perked even higher and his dark eyes darted from side to side, ready to do what he was trained to do. “You wait here,” he said to Andi. “I’ll come around and get your door.”

  She nodded and he got out, eyeing the woman silently as she stood bathed in the truck’s headlights he’d purposely left on. He slowly walked in front of his truck, then opened Andi’s door, but kept his gaze on Jag. He knew something was up, and Liam was certain they’d gotten to the point where Jag would do serious damage to anyone who even remotely threatened Christian.

  With one arm around Andi and his free hand on the truck door handle, they turned in perfect unison and faced the visitor.

  “Can we help you?” Liam asked.

  She took one step closer, her gaze moving back and forth. “I want to talk to Christian,” she said. “He’s my nephew.”

  “He’s asleep,” Liam said.

  “You can’t keep him from meeting me,” she said harshly, directing the statement to Andi.

  “You can meet him,” Andi said. “When he’s not asleep, when it’s daytime and perfectly safe, and when—”

  “You think I would hurt him?”

  “We don’t know what you would do,” Liam answered. “But now is not the time. Andi’s going inside, and you’re leaving.”

  The woman took a step closer, and Jag barked, his noisy warning easy to hear even through the closed windows of the truck.

  “You saw the lawyer?” Nora asked.

  Andi stiffened, but didn’t answer.

  “You know the stipulations on that will?” Nora demanded.

  “I do,” Andi said. “They’re none of your business.”

  “They’re all my business,” she shot back. “You don’t want to agree to any of that, Andi.”

  Agree to what? Liam frowned, not recalling any “stipulations” but certainly not wanting this conversation to go on one minute longer than necessary.

  “You don’t want to move to Charlottesville,” Nora said, taking another step.

  Charlottesville? What was she talking about? “You get one inch closer to her and you’re going to meet our dog,” Liam said.

  She sniffed in a gasp, her eyes widening. “Who are you?”

  “He’s the man I’m about to marry,” Andi said, getting a quick flicker of disbelief in the woman’s dark eyes. Andi lifted her left hand. “On Saturday.”

  Even in the washed-out light from the Ford’s headlights, Liam could see blood drain from Nora Scott’s sharply angled cheekbones. “How convenient,” she muttered. “Last week, you weren’t—”

  Liam clicked the door handle, making Jag bark.

  “You wouldn’t,” the woman said.

  He stared at her, silence so much more effective than a warning.

  She took a few slow breaths, then shifted her attention back to Andi. “You don’t have to do this,” she said. “You don’t have to agree to anything, change his name, or accept her requirements. Just sign the trust over to me, the rightful heir, and I’ll leave you alone. Just settle this now, Andi.”

  Liam opened the door one inch, and Jag stuck his snout in the opening, his full weight pushing hard, but Liam resisted. His growl was enough to make Nora back away and shoot him a vile look.

  This time, Andi took a step forward. “Here’s my settlement: Get the hell away from my son, my house, and my life.”

  Nora snorted softly. “So you want the money more than you want your kid?”

  “I don’t care about money. Just leave me alone!”

  “Do as she asks or I let this dog free,” Liam ground out.

  “You wouldn’t.”

  Probably not, he agreed silently, since she hadn’t threatened physical harm. But Jag’s very presence should be enough to scare her off.

  After a moment of a silent stand-off, Nora pivoted and darted down the street into the shadows.

  “Get your keys out,” Liam ordered Andi, who instantly pulled them from a clip on the side of her purse. “Go in the house, close the door but don’t lock it.”

  She followed that order, and only then did Liam open the back door. Jag bolted with pent-up protective energy, barking loudly until Liam commanded him to stay. Then he noticed that Christian’s eyes were open, but the child was too sleepy to really understand what was going on.

  He reached over to unlatch Christian’s seat belt. “Climb out and let me carry you into the house.”

&
nbsp; He scrambled across the seat without argument, wrapping his arms and legs around Liam. Scooping him up, Liam ordered Jag to follow and got all three of them up the stairs and into the house in a matter of seconds, without Christian having any sense that anything was wrong.

  Inside, he transferred Christian into Andi’s arms, who took him and pressed his head against her shoulder, looking up at Liam.

  “She’s gone?” she mouthed.

  “Let me turn the truck’s lights off.” Back outside, he saw no sign of a woman who he really didn’t think was a physical threat, but couldn’t be sure. After locking up the truck, he went back inside, where Andi hadn’t moved.

  “He’s asleep again,” she said softly.

  “Good. Let’s get him to bed. Jag’s on duty now.” In fact, he was already charging into the kitchen, sniffing, growling, barking at the back door, then trotting around the first floor, trying to lope off all the frustration of not being able to respond in a tense situation.

  Liam took Christian from her and scooted his small frame higher so he had a shoulder for his head. Then, Andi led the way up the stairs and pulled the covers back on his bed for Liam to lay him down.

  “Guess we skip brushing teeth tonight,” she mused.

  “Extenuating circumstances.”

  “He didn’t know anything was going on.”

  “Then we succeeded.” Liam stepped back and let Andi tuck her son in, exhaling out a breath as all sense of impending danger disappeared.

  She leaned over to kiss the sleeping boy, her hair falling and covering her face. “Good night, my little love. You’re home and safe and mine.”

  The words squeezed his heart and made Liam more certain than ever that whatever his role was in keeping Christian home and safe and with Andi, he’d do it. No matter how much it hurt.

  She stood then and turned, surprising Liam as she slid her arms around his waist and pulled him hard into her. “I don’t know what I’d do without you,” she muttered, pressing her face into his shoulder. “Thank you.”

  “You don’t have to—”

  “Shut up,” she said, her voice rough. “Don’t tell me that anymore.” She lifted her head to meet his gaze. “I want to thank you. I want to…” She stood on her toes and slid her hands up to cup his jaw and hold his face. “Christian’s asleep.”