Page 53 of Obsessed Alphas: Volume Two

She smiles, but it doesn’t reach her eyes; it never does anymore. “Yes, soon we’ll be having this little one and then I will take you up on that offer.”

“Please do. Although I believe you shouldn’t wait.” I’d wish she’d take it now. It’s not like my brother would care if she actually left him. I promised to shelter her and help her escape Peter.

“He won’t hurt his heir, Cormack.” I pray that’s the case, but you can never trust a man who resents the mother of his child, and he most certainly resents her.

I hope not, but he’s a bit unstable. I answer with a half-smile. “Very well. I can’t wait to meet my nephew,” I reply, hearing steady footsteps behind me and knowing exactly who they belong to.

“So brother, when were you going to share the news that you have a woman of your own?” Peter asks, putting his arm around my shoulder.

I shrug it off and scowl. “It’s not the right time to discuss it.”

“Why not?” He raises his voice, pissing me off because we’re in the church and he thinks he can be tough with me. Seeing my reaction, he lowers his tone. “Every person in Dublin saw you with her, including your arrival at her hotel… and your departure.” He finishes by wagging his brows as if Gloria’s just a fuck.

It pisses me off. Not only because that’s not who I am, but because who she is to me. “She’s special and don’t make it sound filthy. She’ll be my wife soon, so watch your mouth before I bust it.”

He throws his hands up, taking a step back and nearly bumping into his wife. He doesn’t apologize to her, but he gives me one. “I meant nothing by it. I just wonder why you didn’t bring her if she’s important. Shouldn’t she meet the man you admired so much?” He says with such animosity that I want to clock him. Still, Peter has a point no matter how annoying he is, but I have my reasons that aren’t his concern.

“In life, maybe, but I don’t want my grief to mar our relationship,” I inform him. It’s not the only reason. With the chance that enemies are searching for opportunities to take us down, I want Gloria away from a potential bloodbath.

“Sound response, but I’m sure she will see it in the news or papers. Have you told her?” Now that’s where I fucked up. I didn’t know how to address the fact that I should be grieving instead of worshipping her. Although Gloria took away all the hurt for a bit. My father would have truly loved her and welcomed her with open arms.

“No, I haven’t. Please drop it. Focus on your own marriage. Soon I’ll be giving her my name.”

“Congratulations, Cormack,” Siobhan says, smiling sweetly.

“Yes, Mackie, congrats. I heard she’s a knockout. Does she have a sister?” Does he do this to intentionally upset Siobhan?

“Do you have to be a perverted prick with your wife right there?”

He scoffs and then takes a swig from his flask. “She knows her place.” God, I would love to wring his neck. He’s so fucking selfish. Siobhan is a good woman. She wasn’t his choice for a wife, but deals were struck, and he resents her for it as if she’s the one who got the better part of the deal.

“Enough. If you keep it up, you can’t be my best man,” I tell him, snatching the flask from his hand and closing it because the man has no respect for anyone.

“For real?” He grins proudly, and I feel like a dick that we never had a close relationship. It’s not my fault that he’s the fuck up in the family, especially because he owns that shit with pride.

“For real,” I repeat. My hope in offering that to him is he will be on his best behavior until I get Gloria tied to me.

Frankly, I don’t need anyone to stand up with me, but I’m sure I’ll need someone, and he is my brother and now the head of the Delaney family. I can only see our ship sinking with him at the helm, but luckily I put my businesses out of reach for the family, so I had something left after he destroys what our family has built.

“Well then let’s get the services over so I can meet the unlucky woman.” Yes. This is how he treats my father’s memorial. What a prick.

I check my phone for any messages before I power it off. I love them so much- Gloria and there’s a picture attached.

Gloria’s upper body with the roses covering her breasts just barely. Fuck me. I reply, A masterpiece. I can’t wait to watch each petal fall. Be good. I will call tonight.

I power off my phone, knowing I’ll only be tempted to look again. Worry fills me as I do it, but I enlisted my men to be ready should Shamus call with any problems.

I make it through the service, holding back my tears because there are too many sharks in the water. They understand that I’m hurting, and everyone pays their respects as they pass Peter and me.

By the end of the night, I return to our family home in Kilkenny and to my private suite. I don’t want to do anything but talk to Gloria, so I finally power up my phone and give her a call.

“Hey, I didn’t think I’d hear from you,” she answers with bubbling hope in her voice.

“I’m sorry, love. How was your day?”

“Actually, I stayed in, but that’s not going to last because I won’t be in Dublin much longer. I’ll wait for you to return, but I have to head home soon, so I’m not missing out on what the city has to offer.”

A fire burns in my gut at the prospect of her leaving. I can’t and won’t let that happen. “What have we discussed?”