Page 49 of Vengeful Guard

Stop that, Kael!

This is Paige, Declan’s sister. His baby sister. Except, there is nothing baby-like about her. No! She is all woman. And feck if I don’t want a piece of her.

That’s why I needed Sunday off. I needed Darla to get my head on straight.

But as soon as she uttered the words, pleading for me to stay, I knew I was lost. I knew there was no way I’d be anywhere but by her side.

And that’s a problem. A huge one.

I should ask Declan to have someone else watch her. Remove myself from an equation that is turning out to add up all the wrong results.

But I don’t trust anyone else to keep her safe. Anyone else to sleep in her house, spend the day with her. Spend the night so close to her.

So, even though I really should ask, I won’t. Because I want to be the one looking after her, protecting her, making sure she eats. Making sure she sleeps, be there to have her back after a nightmare.

But what I really shouldn’t be thinking of is how much easier that would be if she was sharing my bed.

Someone taps me on the shoulder, and I nearly jump out of my skin.

Declan holds up his hands, laughing.

I turn to face him, plastering on a smile like I wasn’t just checking out his little sister. Thinking all the wrong things about her.

Jesus, why is it so hard not to think about her coming on my thigh?

“Wanted to talk to you.” He pauses. “Without Paige.”

My brows furrow. “What’s going on?”

“When we talked before, there was something I left out. I didn’t want to say it in front of her, but we have reason to believe they’re targeting her specifically.”

“How can you be sure?”

“The attack wasn’t random. They sought her out, knew where she’d be shopping. She’s always with Lara, has at least a couple of men following her. I have no idea what happened this time, but she was alone. How did they know, huh? The answer is, they couldn’t, unless there’s a rat.”

“A rat? In the family? Who?” I’m going to personally make sure they never speak to another soul again.

“We don’t know yet. But whoever it is feeds information to Murphy, and we have to nip this in the bud before someone else gets hurt. Or worse.”

The growl comes from deep within me. “I fecking hate rats.”

“Me, too. But we have a plan to exterminate.” Declan grins wickedly.

“I want to be a part of it, when you find him.”

“Of course. You’ll have to wait in line behind me, though.”

“Fair enough.”

Rats don’t last long in the Irish mafia, and I’ve seen only one in my lifetime. I was a teenager, staying at the Burke mansion, and Patrick found out that one of his men was informing to the feds.

He killed him in the middle of a dinner party, slicing his throat with a kitchen knife in front of the whole clan.

I never forgot it. It gave me a healthy respect for Patrick. With all they had given me, I’d never even think about betraying them in any way. I hate the idea of being betrayed, of the Burkes being betrayed.

And that show of discipline, of power, was enough to remind me of what was at stake for those who dared turn on the Burkes.

And I’ll be first in line to enact punishment for those who break the rules. The Burkes are family. And no one fecks with my family!

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