Page 29 of Dublin Devil

“Piper, close your eyes and feel me taking deep breaths. When I breathe in, you do it too. When I breathe out, you’ll do the same.”

Another time, another place, or even with another man, I would feel stupid doing this. But this is Sean. He’s become my haven over the past two days.

“Breathe with me.”

I close my eyes and do as he says.

Matching his breathing isn’t as easy as it sounds. My heart is racing, and my breathing is rapid and shallow.

“From here, Piper.” He places his hand across my tummy, right above my navel. “Let your breath fill all the way down to my hand.”

I try my best, and after a while, the room stops spinning. I’m not sure how long it takes for my heart rate to slow, but eventually, the world doesn’t seem so scary.

It’s still dark out, but the dim light from the hall silhouettes his frame enough for me to realize he’s only wearing boxers. He’s got an amazing body and even in the shadows, I see the cut of hisabs and how those Celtic tattoos melt into the night, darker than dark.

“That’s it.” His voice is deep, and the calmness in it seems to hang in the air. “Now, just relax. We’ll stay like this for as long as you need.”

I focus on my breathing, on how the icy chill of panic is being chased away by warmth. It’s radiating from Sean’s hand, resting over my diaphragm, up into my chest and down to the crux of my legs.

The heat blooming low in my belly is delicious, and I keep my eyes closed. Between the darkness and the silence of the house, it feels like we’re hiding away in a bubble where no one bad can get us.

I swallow and press my hand over his. It’s still resting above my navel, and I fight the urge to guide it lower.

Neither of us move for a long time and after a while, I feel braver. “Sean, can I ask you something?”

“Anything.”

“Will you stay with me? Every time I fall asleep, I’m sucked into the violence of fighting off those men. Having you here makes me feel safe. Will you sleep with me?”

There’s a moment of silence, and then he exhales an unsteady breath. “That’s not a good idea, Piper. I’ve already crossed a lot of lines getting involved in McGuire family drama. You’re young and feeling vulnerable right now. It would be too easy to?—”

I shake my head and climb off his lap. “Forget it. If you’re telling me I’m too naïve to understand why you’re here, you’re no different from my family. You can go.”

He straightens. “Don’t compare me to your family. I would never do what they did. I care about you. Keeping it simple is simply the wisest choice. You’re young and?—”

“—We should have sex.”

“What?” Even in the darkness, I see his eyes bulge wide. “Why would you want that? You were just assaulted.”

“Because my father sold me off as a good girl virgin. If I sleep with you, I’ll be damaged goods. That might kill the arranged marriage idea in the eyes of the Bratva.”

Sean curses and moves to shift away.

I make a bold move and reach through the darkness, grabbing his stiff cock, boxers and all. “I’m not so young and inexperienced that I didn’t notice how your body reacted to me sitting in your lap.”

His hand grips mine, but I don’t allow him to pull away. Instead, I squeeze harder, and he lets off a hiss. “Fucking hell, Piper. That’s biology. You’re hot and only wearing my t-shirt. You were sitting in my lap, and we shared a moment.”

“So, let’s share another moment. It’s win-win. We’d both enjoy the sex, and my market value will suffer.”

“Don’t talk about yourself like that. It’s fucked up.” He grips my hand and tries again to remove my hold.

I use the friction to give his erection a couple of firm strokes. “If it’s just biology, then fine. There’s nothing wrong with having our biological needs met.”

He grunts and moves to scooch back on the mattress. I grab his hand and press it against the crotch of my panties. The cotton is damp and warm because he’s not the only one having a biological reaction.

He groans and I grind against his hand. “I’m not twenty for another month, so what? I know my mind and body. I also know you understand my world better than any guy from school I could call up to get the job done.”

“You’re not calling a random guy to come and fuck you.”

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