Page 46 of Ruthless Savage

“I’d never touch her.”

“Then let her experience it from someone else. Seems to me she’s about to marry someone she can’t stand, and she’s looking for something he can’t give her. And if you’re too much of a coward to give it to her, then maybe someone else should.”

In an instant, I have his shirt in my fist. “Don’t you touch her, you filthy feckin’ animal.”

His laughter mocks, like I wouldn’t kill him if he dared to touch what’s mine.

Sure, he’s probably got snipers around the place, and with one sign from him, I’d be lying bloody on the ground, but I won’t let anyone talk about Eriu like that. Not even him.

He leans in. “I’d take it easy before one of my men gets trigger-happy. I do often remind them it’s not safe to play with guns, but they just can’t help themselves, I’m afraid.”

I loosen my grip and eventually drop my arms to the side.

“I get it. The youngest Quinn belongs to you, though you’ve done nothing about it.”

“It’s complicated.” I curl a fist at my side.

“Life is complicated, brother. But when you want something, you grab it and you drag it to hell with you.”

“Maybe that’s your way, but it isn’t mine. I don’t want her paying for my mistakes.”

“Well, she’ll be paying for someone else’s. Why not yours?”

Before I can come up with a sensible comeback, he walks away, leaving me there to ponder whether Eriu and I could really have a future. But even if nothing from my past stood in the way, her father would never accept us, and without his approval, I’d never marry her.

Heading the way he told me, I rush past people, ignoring everything else but the thought of seeing her.

As soon as I happen on the back of that bright green dress and long, wavy brown hair, I know it’s her. My heart beats faster, the air around me tightening in my chest.

I move closer until I’m right behind her, so close I can smell the rose scent in her hair from the shampoo she always uses.

Her eyes are on a man and a woman, him flogging her while she’s tied up on a wooden bench, her ankles and wrists cuffed to it, her eyes blindfolded.

Is that what Eriu wants? Does she think about me doing it to her?

Better be me and me alone. She’s the only woman on this planet who’d have a chance to ruin me, and I’d let her every time.

My fingers inadvertently reach for her soft hair, and I gently brush them down her locks. When I accidentally touch her shoulder, she turns around and jerks her head.

“Uh, hi?” she chokes out with a nervous, innocent laugh, her full lips parting—so damn kissable, I almost beg.

I can’t apologize or say anything, because she’d know my voice.

I can pretend to be a mute. Anything to disguise myself.

“Did you mean to touch me?”

I nod once, and she clears her throat.

“Okay…umm, I’m not really into all of this. I just came here to see what it’s about, ya know?”

I nod again. She’s awfully nervous, and it’s sexy as hell. I’ve never been the kind of man to want to be a woman’s first, to want to take it and own it the way I do right now.

“Do you come here a lot?” she asks.

I shake my head.

“Do you talk at all?”

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