Saving a Legend(71)

“Do you trust me?” he asked her again gruffly as they both came down from their highs.

“I do,” she responded with no hesitation this time before collapsing forward on the bed.

His heart warmed at her words; this was a turning point. This was the moment he’d point to years later and say that was when he’d fallen in love. He paused for a second at the thought, wondering if that could be true. If he could love someone he’d met only two weeks before. If he was even capable of love after all he’d done in his past.



She looked at him with dreamy eyes, a shy smile on her perfect pink lips. Everything about her seemed perfect to him.

Is that what love does to a man?

He leaned down and kissed her gently, touching his tongue to hers, then stretched out next to her. He pulled the blankets over her spent frame before sitting up with his back against the headboard. “Still want to make that movie?”

“Shut up.” She giggled, pushing herself up to sit beside him. “But I could definitely use some more food. I’m starving.”

“Worked up an appetite,” he teased as he grabbed a box and handed it to her. She opened it and bypassed any utensils or chopsticks, instead picking up a piece with two fingers and gulping it down. “I’ll take that as a yes.”

She smiled shyly at him. “I told you I was starving.”

He shook his head and grabbed the remote, pressed Play, and wrapped an arm around her shoulder. He loved that she wasn’t afraid to eat in front of him like some women were. As the credits began rolling, he couldn’t keep his eyes off her.

“Are you excited for the gala on Saturday?” she asked randomly, staring ahead at the screen.

“Sure.” He nodded, stealing a piece of sushi from the box she held.

“Don’t sound so convincing.” Her sarcasm was in full force as she chuckled.

He pulled her tighter to his side, dropping a quick kiss on her temple. “I’m very excited to take my girlfriend to the gala.”

Her mouth twitched into a smile. It was the first time he’d used the term, but he wanted her not to have any doubts. He wanted her to be a part of his life, and he needed her to want that, too.



“I like the sound of that.”

“Yeah?” He took her now empty plate and put it back on the nightstand before pulling her entirely onto his lap.

“Yeah.” She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him, and he knew. He knew she was feeling the same thing he was.

And that they were never going to end up watching the movie.





Chapter 17

The last few weeks had by far been made up of the best days of his life. True, he’d spent the prior two years in prison, so really anything would seem pretty great in comparison, but Kieran knew this was more. And it was because of Fiona.

Kieran watched the kids running around the youth center, enjoying their Friday afternoon. He would continue to spend his afternoons here for the next few months while he was on parole, but starting next week he’d be spending his mornings at Legends, working under his father and Quinn. The clinic construction had concluded earlier this week, and so he had a slight reprieve for a few days in between jobs.

He’d gone to Legends this morning and Seamus had told him that he wanted to retire soon. Quinn had the business mind to take over, particularly booking MMA fighters and boxers—the real cash haul for the business—but Kieran and Rory were more suited for the sport itself and running the floor. Seamus described how Rory and Kieran would be the main trainers for Legends’ top MMA fighters and boxers, bringing in hundreds of thousands of dollars from contracts and prizefights for the business. Legends’ legacy for creating the best of the best made the list of athletes wanting to sign with them a mile long.

He’d spent almost every night with Fiona and Shea. They’d played board games, helped Shea with her homework, or read out loud until Shea went to bed. It felt as if they were already their own family, even after such a short time together. Once Shea was in bed, he and Fiona curled on the couch and talked for hours, or didn’t talk at all. He loved it either way.



He was beginning to feel like he had an idea for his future, like he knew what he wanted. His career was taking shape, his days were packed, and his heart was full. It was all thanks to Fiona. She’d been the one to encourage him to expect more from himself, and to look at him as if he was a success. She made him feel like a better person, like a bigger person. She made him feel like more than an ex-con.

Tomorrow was the gala, and he couldn’t wait to have her on his arm, meeting all of Woodlawn as his woman. Shea was even coming to the gala for the first hour. He and Fiona would bring her home and put her to bed with a babysitter in the house in case she awoke, then they’d return to the gala and spend the rest of the evening dancing and, most important, talking.