Page 17 of Captive Mafia Wife

“His or mine?” I laugh.

“Both! I swear the two of you could be models. Fiona is SOOOOO lucky. I swear I’d hate her if she weren’t so damn sweet.” Madyson slides off my desk, layering on the peer pressure as she eyes me. “Are you coming out?”

“I can’t?—”

“One drink.” Madyson sticks out her pouty lower lip.

June pleads, “One drink. Pleeeeeeeeeeease?”

Madyson adds, “Pretty, pretty please?”

“How is it that all you Americans are so damn persuasive?”

“Why do you think we work in law?” June grabs the gold chain of my Stella McCartney Falabella tote, lifting it from the desk. “You’re coming with us to O’Malley’s. Let’s go. Right now. Come on!”

Callum’s overprotective. I know he’s worried. But here with my friends, our conversation this morning seems a million lifetimes ago.

And as the Americans at my office say, if I give him an inch, he’ll take a mile.

Plus, Madyson is halfway out the door with my brand-newbag in her greedy hands. If I don’t save it, she’ll switch our bags out at the pub and wear my Stella to work tomorrow.

“Fine!” I call out, beaten. I race after them. “ONE drink!”

A quarter of an hour later, I sit with the girls, laughing, fruity pink drinks between us.

My phone rings. Callum. I greet him after answering, but he offers no hello and says, “Why aren’t you home?”

“Just nipped down to the pub for a quick drink with the girls,” I say. “But I will take the car service home. Promise.”

“Where are you?” he demands.

“Why?” I hesitate, but eventually, the uneasy silence demands I tell him. I sigh out, “O’Malley’s.”

He snaps, “I’ll be right there.”

“What?” I almost lunge from my seat as if I can stop him from here. “Don’t!”

Of course, he’s already hung up. I don’t want a scene. Things between the Burnes siblings can get heated. I need to get out of here.

Now.

Rising from my stool, I throw a twenty on the table. “Look, girls, I’m sorry, but I’ve got to go.”

“Uh-oh. Twelve o’clock.” Madyson nods to the door behind my back.

I turn around to find my brother’s large frame filling the entryway of O’Malley’s. He’s already here. How is thatpossible?

“See you tomorrow!” Grabbing my bag, I rush to greet him before he can join us at the table.

I hear Madyson’s whispered sigh behind me as I go. “Fiona’s such a lucky girl…”

I run straight out the door onto the street, nearly bumping into Callum. “What are you doing here? And how did you get here so fast?”

“I came to your office to pick you up myself, but you’d already left.” What he says next makes my blood run ice cold. “He’s not just guilty, Freya.” My brother’s matching green eyes slice into mine. “Jack Maclean is a member of the Hoax.”

“The Hoax?”

Just repeating the name of the dangerous, filthy, people-trafficking ring that runs out of my beautiful, beloved city of Glasgow makes my stomach sink right to the soles of my black peep-toe ankle-strap slingbacks.

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