Page 6 of Emerald

Finn hesitated, looking like he wanted to say something more. But in the end, he just shook his head and turned towards the door. I'd gambled and lost, played my hand and come up empty. Finn might want me with a desperation that bordered on madness, but he would never put his own desires above his duty.

I was a fool for thinking otherwise. A naive, hopeful, lovestruck fool. But as I watched him walk away from me, his broad back rigid with tension and his hands clenched into fists at his sides, I knew one thing with blinding clarity. This wasn't over. One way or another, I was going to make Finn Gallagher mine.

Chapter 5: Finn

Jesus fucking Christ, I was in trouble. Deep, deep trouble of the "my balls are going to explode" variety. And it was all Cara Maguire's fault.

I gritted my teeth as I led her out of the safe room, trying to ignore the way her barely-covered ass swayed with every step. It was like she was taunting me on purpose, putting all those lush curves on display like a fucking buffet and daring me to take a bite.

And oh, how I wanted to bite. To sink my teeth into the ripe, juicy peach of her and feast until she was sobbing my name. To bury my face between her thighs and lick her until she forgot every man who wasn't me, until the only word she remembered was "please" and "more" and "Finn, don't fucking stop."

I could still taste her on my tongue from when she'd pressed up against me, all warm skin and soft tits and a scent that made me want to howl at the moon. I'd been half a second away from saying fuck it all and throwing her up against the wall. Christ, her words alone made my cock throb.

But she was also a virgin. It changed things. It changed everything. Because now it wasn't just her father's wrath I had to worry about, or the fucked-up power dynamics that came with screwing the boss's daughter. Now it was the responsibility of being her first, the pressure of making it good for her. The knowledge that I would be the one to break her in, to introduce her to a world of pleasure and pain that she could never come back from.

I have to shut it down. Lock away every fantasy and depraved desire, the dark, delicious things I wanted to do to her in the name of pleasure and possession.

It’s just my cock hadn't gotten the memo.

I shifted uncomfortably as we climbed the stairs, trying to subtly adjust myself without drawing attention to the raging hard-on straining against my zipper. It was a lost fucking cause, but I had to try. The last thing I needed was for Cara to catch sight of my little problem and get it into her head to "help" me with it.

Although the image of her on her knees, those pretty pink lips wrapped around my dick, was almost enough to make me say fuck it all over again.

We reached the top of the stairs and I did a quick sweep of the hallway, making sure it was clear before ushering Cara out onto the plush carpet. The sounds of chaos had died down, replaced by an eerie calm that set my teeth on edge. Something wasn’t quite right. Where were the men outside Declan’s door?

"Stay close," I murmured, keeping her tucked behind me as we started towards the main foyer. "And if I tell you to run, you fucking run, got it?"

She made an indignant noise, smacking my shoulder blade. "Fuck you, Gallagher. I can take care of myself."

"Says the girl in a sleep shirt and fuck-me panties."

"Oh, you did not just slut-shame me while complimenting my underwear in the same breath."

I opened my mouth to retort—and froze as a shadow detached itself from the far end of the hall, the unmistakable shape of a rifle rising to aim straight at Cara's head.

Oh fuck no.

I moved on pure instinct, whirling to cover her with my body as the first bullet zinged past us. I heard her gasp, felt her fingers dig into my back like she was trying to crawl inside me.

"Run," I bit out, shoving her towards the nearest doorway without taking my eyes off the intruder. "Now, Cara!"

For once in her goddamn life, she didn't argue. I heard her bare feet slap against the hardwood as she sprinted for safety, and I let out a breath I hadn't realized I'd been holding.

Then the world narrowed to the threat in front of me, and everything else faded away.

I don't know how long the firefight lasted. All I knew was the kick of my gun in my hand, and the visceral satisfaction of watching the other guy's brains splatter the wall behind him. I stood over his body, my chest heaving and my finger still twitching on the trigger.

"Finn? Are you... holy shit."

Cara's voice snapped me out of my battle haze, and I spun around to see her standing in the doorway, her eyes wide and her fingers pressed to her mouth. She was staring at the dead man like she'd never seen a corpse before.

"Are you okay?" I demanded, striding over to her and running my hands down her arms, her sides, checking for injuries. "Did he hit you? Are you hurt?"

"No, no, I'm fine," she said faintly, her gaze still glued to the spreading pool of blood on the floor. "I just... I've never seen... oh my God, Finn, you killed him."

"Yeah, well, he was trying to kill you first." I cupped her chin, forcing her to look at me. Her skin was cool and clammy under my fingers, and I felt a sudden, fierce urge to wrap her up in my arms and never let her go. "It's okay, Cara. You're safe now. I've got you."

She let out a shuddering breath, her eyes searching mine like she was trying to find something to hold onto. "You saved my life." She reached up to touch my cheek with trembling fingers.

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