Trust can be earned

Chapter 17

I was woken abruptly by Morgan shaking my shoulders fiercely trying to drag me out of the nightmare, I am gasping for breath when I realise that I’m in bed with Morgan and not at his funeral. I don’t know what happened but I snapped, I threw my arms around his neck and sobbed into his chest.

Between hiccups and sobs, I beg him “Please don’t leave me, I won’t survive.” I don’t know where the f**k this was coming from, but I didn’t f*****g like it.

Morgan just rubs my back whispering reassurances into my ear, when my breathing returns to somewhat normal, “What happened mo chroi (My heart)?”

I can’t get any words out so I just shake my head against his chest. He shushes me holding me a little firmer “That’s ok, sleep now I got you, We can talk in the morning, OK?”

I can only nod as he pulls us both to lay back down, my head on his chest and his arms wrapped tightly around me.

When I wake up in the morning Morgan still has his arms wrapped tightly around me, I try to move gently but he only tightens his hold, “Did you sleep better?” I nodded into his chest because I did, Morgan sighs, “Please talk to me, don’t shut me out.”

I release my own sigh, “It was stupid but I was at a funeral only it wasn’t just one persons; it was for everyone I love. In the middle of all the large black coffins sat a tiny white coffin, I knew who was in it but I couldn’t get to it.” I had to fight back the tears trying to escape.

Morgan stiffened for a second, he then relaxed and released a breath, “My nan told me when my brother died my father had nightmares for years, they finally stopped until Nora was born. Sometimes I would wake up to hear him screaming, it was a sound I will never forget.”

I pull away from him and look at his face in shock. Morgan chuckles before adding “I’m not supposed to know about him but my grandmother had to tell me when I started to worry about him, I know he told you yesterday. It’s the only reason he snuck out last night, he knew what you were going through and he wanted to be a father to you.” I’m shocked silent.

“Maybe it’s time I tell my parents I know about Brendan; Nora doesn’t know but I think she should.” I was still too shocked to respond. Morgan chuckled at my expression, “Come on I want you there when I have this conversation.” I’m pulled from the bed by Morgan still in complete shock.

The conversation went better than I expected, turns out Lacey knew that Morgan had been told. She explained that she never brought it up because he didn’t, Shaun on the other hand was fuming at his mother.

Well until Lacey told him to be quiet, they also agreed to tell Nora. I thought it was best I wasn’t there for that conversation; I would be pissed if someone I thought was new to the family found out something like that before I did.

Thankfully, they spoke to her that day, I left them alone all day. Morgan and I didn’t even speak when he finally came to bed, we just got in and he pulled me as close as he could and held me. I know that is what he needed so I didn’t move an inch, when we awoke the following day it was done and we didn’t discuss is further.

Sirena’s (Savannah) POV

It’s been a couple of days since Nora found out about Brendan and she has taken it better than her parents thought she would, now we only have two days until the announcement party and Taylor just called telling me my suit was ready or rather my dress.

I had them commission two, one for a test run and one for the actual evening. Everyone was interested to see what this armour was all about, no one had seen it in action except me Taylor and two others in the test of the wedding dress.

I was excited to see it, I was bugging Morgan to hurry up and get ready. He was being extra slow and I was getting angry with him, I finally snapped after he said, ‘Two more minutes’ for the tenth time I gritted my teeth at him

“I’m going to go without you if you are not done in one, you hear me?” Morgan thought I was joking and laughed heading to the bathroom. When his minute was up I left without him, leaving him in the bathroom thinking I was still waiting.

I jump in my car and peel away just as Morgan runs out of the front door, I laugh as I whizz past him leaving him cursing at me. When I get to my office building I head straight to my office knowing that is where the dress has been left.

Taylor has gotten everyone to the shooting range in the basement. I get the dress on and it fits like a glove, I almost don’t want to ruin this one knowing the other will be f****d in a couple of days.

I check with Taylor that Morgan has arrived and is with the others, once he confirms I get into my private lift and go straight down to the range. Is it cruel I’m letting everyone believe I am the test dummy; I won’t be of course I can’t afford a broken rib or bruised lung just before the party.

When I step out of the lift every pair of eyes are on me, then I see the realisation that I’m wearing the test dress. Everyone starts shouting at me at once, I burst out laughing making them all stare in confusion.

I manage to get myself under control “I just wanted to see how it fit, of course I’m not the test dummy.” I roll my eyes as they all release a nervous chuckle. I step out of the room and change into the clothes that Taylor has left for me, I hand the dress to one of my guys who takes it to the range and carefully places it on a mannequin.

I join the rest of my family and watch as my guys shoot several different weapons at the dress, not even the bigger guns go through the material. After inspecting the mannequin and even having ago themselves, everyone seems satisfied that I will not get too hurt. Let’s just hope Ivan keeps his promise and his man doesn’t f**k it up and hit me in the head, there’ll be no coming back from that.