Page 33 of Taken By the Mobster

“Don’t touch me,” she muttered.

“Liv?” A deep, husky voice broke through the wall of sleep. “Liv?” Calloused fingers squeezed her waist under her shirt, and warm breath tickled her earlobe. “It’s okay.”

Olivia opened her eyes and squinted in the dark room. She couldn’t see anything. Declan laid beside her, his hand on her waist.

“Are you okay?” he asked. “What was that?”

“I heard … I heard a gunshot,” Olivia stammered.

Declan pulled her into his arms. “It was thunder, not a gunshot. You’re safe.”

Olivia closed her eyes and took a deep breath. “I’m … I’m okay. Sorry.”

Declan kissed the center of her forehead. He dragged his legs out from beneath the blankets to sit on the side of the bed. Rubbing his face and stretching, his muscular arms almost burst the seams of his shirt. He bent over and picked up his shoes.

“Where are you going?” Olivia whispered.

Declan smiled at her over his shoulder. “I’m going to put on some clean clothes and check on Drew,” he replied. He dropped his shoes back on the floor, turned to Olivia, and gathered her in his arms. He took her chin in his hand, tilted her head back, and kissed her. It took her breath away. When he was done, he rose to his feet and slipped on his shoes.

“I’ll bring you something to eat after I check on my brother,” he said.

“I should come with you,” Olivia said. “Check his bandages and stitches.”

“That would be great,” Declan said. “I’ll meet you in his room. Do you remember where it is?”

“Downstairs, second door from the stairs. Right?”

Declan nodded. “I’ll see you in a few minutes.”

Olivia watched Declan as he left the room with his messy hair and wrinkled clothes. If anyone saw him and the state he was in between her room and his, they would know immediately what they had been doing. The thought made her blush.

Once the door closed behind him, she climbed out of the bed and put on the clothes Ezra had given her. She went to the bathroom, washed her face, and brushed her teeth before she headed downstairs to Drew’s room.

Declan stood in Drew’s room, laughing at something his brother had said. He smiled at Olivia when she entered and gestured for her to join him.

“Hi again,” Drew said. “Did you come to make sure I was behaving myself?”

Olivia laughed. “It looks like you’re doing well. Are you eating and drinking?”

Drew nodded in answer to her question.

“Have you walked around at all?” she asked.

“A little, when I had to go to the bathroom.” He blushed and stared at the blankets covering his legs.

“That’s good,” Olivia said. She wanted to ask him if he’d noticed any blood in his urine or anything, but she didn’t want to embarrass him anymore than she already had. She recalled that he was shy and quiet, unlike his brother Declan. Maybe that hadn’t changed much in the last eight years.

“I’ll go see if Ezra cooked up anything for breakfast. I’ll be right back.” Declan squeezed Olivia’s hand and nodded at his brother before he disappeared out the door.

An awkward silence settled in the room after Declan’s departure. Olivia perched on the edge of the chair with her hands folded in her lap. Drew cleared his throat.

“Are you sure we don’t know each other?” he asked. “I can’t get over this feeling that I somehow know you.”

Olivia fidgeted. She didn’t know if she should tell Drew or not.

“Olivia?” Drew mumbled under his breath. A grin spread across his face. “Liv. You’re Liv O’Reilly. I knew I recognized you.” The grin faded, and Drew swallowed loudly. “Holy shit. What did my brother do?”

“Drew—.”

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