Page 34 of Sins of Innocence

I've been hiding the whole Troy was in the mob thing from her for a while though, so I've got some experience with the whole double life thing. And I hate it.

If Ellie knew I work for a mobster under duress, she'd put his info in a data packet on the dark web and sell it for identity theft or something. She's got a scary mind and a lot less scruples than your average person, but I love every rebellious inch of her.

Kieran's grip on the steering wheel tightens, but his stoic face gives nothing away. "Vegas."

"Vegas?" I ask. "You want to go to Las Vegas to get married? Where it happens isn't going to change the timing or how hurtful her believing I kept you a secret from her until right before the wedding will be."

"We change the narrative."

"That's a full sentence, but not at all illuminating," I complain. "I'm going to need more."

"Instead of telling her we're getting married in two days, we'll take your mom and our girls to Las Vegas this weekend."

It takes me a second to figure out how that would help. "And we say we want to take them away because of what happened to Sadie today and the cat's already out of the bag about the relationship because of that kiss." I warm to the idea. "Then when we are in Vegas, we pretend to get drunk married."

That's a thing, right?

"No." Kieran frowns and then adds, "Officiants in Las Vegas cannot marry people who are visibly intoxicated."

There goes the drunk married idea. I'm sure a mobster could convince someone to do it, but without knowing that's what happened, my mom isn't going to buy that narrative either. She's the kind of person who would look it up to see if the marriage could be annulled on those grounds.

Mom's a little overprotective. I have a feeling her and Kieran are going to have a lot in common on that score.

"How do you know that?" I ask, curious.

He shrugs. "I know a lot of things."

Okay then. "So, then why Vegas?"

"Spontaneous not drunk."

That could work. Mom won't be thrilled and she'll caution me like she did with Troy, but she won't be hurt. If Kieran kisses me like he did tonight a few times in front of mom, she'll be the one to suggest we get married before I get pregnant.

Ulp.

It'll also give me an out with Ellie. She'd never speak to me again if I got married without her there…unless it happened exactly like Kieran's suggesting.

Even then, she'll have plenty to say about it.

Putting thoughts of my mom and bestie aside, I focus on my next big worry. "Do you expect us to sleep together?"

Do I want to sleep with him?

You know you do, the inner hussy I didn't know I have taunts.

"We'll share a room. You will share your body when you are ready."

I force words past my suddenly dry throat, "Don't you have to be ready too?"

"I am."

"Oh. Um…that's good to know." I think. "I need you to move into our apartment. A surprise stepdad is going to be enough change for the girls to deal with at once."

I hate putting my kids through this kind of stressful transition, but I would hate to go on the run with them more, or worse, have them lose their mom because I refused to play ball.

"Agreed," he says without pausing to think about it. "They can help us pick out a house later."

"A house?" I squeak.