Page 24 of Bound

“How the fuck did you know?” I ask, inadvertantly admitting to his claims.

His eyes span across the gathering of chairs, looking at each of my brothers before asking, “How the fuck didn’t everyone else? Have you fucking seen the way he looks at her? The way he’s fucking looked at her since we were fucking teenagers. If you missed that, maybe you noticed how fucking miserable he was when she left for Ireland? Or when he took that trip to visit,”—he air quotes—“Mam. He went to see Quinn. Fuck, he was barely gone long enough to get through customs.”

“You actually picked up on all that and figured out they were together?” Tristan huffs, confused.

“I mean… A few weeks before Quinn left for Ireland, I may have also caught them once when I broke into Dec’s place in the middle of the night to,”—he air quotes again—“borrow the keys to his car.”

“You fucking twat.” I shake my head. “And all this time, you didn’t say a thing?”

“Not my fucking place.” Finn shrugs. His response gives me a newfound respect for him. Maybe he isn’t the impulsively reckless twat I’ve always thought he was. His seriousness subsides, and he chuckles, “But I need to know. When you came, was it actually dust?”

Nope, respect gone, just like that.

Still a juvenile fucking twat.

My eyes fall to the crumpled paper on the floor. “They’re going to come for her?—”

“We’ll put more men on her,” Conor interjects.

“I won’t let anything happen to her,”I grit through my clenched teeth, angry at myself for putting her in this position once again with my recklessness. Killing Akim has only put a bigger target on her back. On the backs of everyone I love. “I’ll do anything to keep her safe. Anda stóirín.Everyoneyou all care about. And eventually, all of you.”

“We willalldo anything to keep her safe,” Liam imparts as he gives my shoulder a reassuring squeeze.

Pulling my phone from my pocket, I shoot Rory a quick text.

I need you at my apartment.

*Inside* my apartment.

RORY

I can be there in five minutes.

Inside, sir?

Yes. Use discretion. Fiona isn’t to know anything is going on.

Of course.

No one comes inside that isn’t me or one of my brothers, understood?

Understood.

I’ll explain more when I get there.

Swiping through my contacts, I fire off another to Quinn.

Are Layla and Jorge still there?

QUINN

Yeah.

Tell them to stay with you. All of you stay inside. Do not leave the apartment, Quinn. Rory is on his way up to you.

You’re scaring me.

Good. That means you’ll listen.

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