Page 83 of Illicit Temptation

I’m nearly certain that’s not true. He assumed it. “Only if he has X-ray vision. He never got into her house. He’s lying.”

“You would know. You all lie to save your asses.”

“Now that we’ve established that, can I go?” I point back at the elevator. “Shea is in town. I’ll go get her for you.”

His jaw muscle jumps. He’s hesitating. There’s a reason I’m here and she’s not. He’s got enough men to get her. Yet, he sentonefor me.

The element of surprise is the best weapon when you’re outnumbered. With the speed and precision I’m known for, I grab Nico’s gun, yank it under my arm, and with his finger on the trigger, I blow a hole in each of the two men with machine guns.

As they fall to the ground without discharging a single round, I spin to face the one man left using Scava as a human shield.

“I’m one man away from making this a fair fight,” I say to the lone guard.

Hands trembling, he lowers his weapon. Keeping Scava’s gun, I let him go, but keep it pointed at him.

“Do you know it’s a death sentence to point a gun at a don?” he barks.

“I don’t give a fuck. You dragged me up here. Why?”

“Payback for Delano. I protect my men.” He steps back, pushing hair from his face.

Eyeing two dead goons on the floor, I say, “Not very well.”

“You won’t get out of here alive,” the man behind Nico hisses.

“Do you think the O’Rourkes will hand over their prized sister, theironlysister, to you when they find out you killed her guard for beating up someone who broke into her property?” I sneer.

Scava thinks about that and holds his hand up to the man who can be a hero.

“Like I said, she’s here in town,” I repeat. “I’ll go get her for you.” Not.

He smiles. “I cannot marry her right now.”

I point the gun from him to his guard. “Why not? What’s with the June 30thdeadline?”

“You and Delano had a little chat.” He signals his guard to lower his gun. “I’m settling my brother’s estate. Who was killed by an O’Rourke.”

Jillian wasn’t technically an O’Rourke at the time, but Eoghan had claimed her, so Scava’s statement has validity and a reason to seek revenge. Only, Kieran thinks Scava is an ally.

“Before I get married, I need my finances buried. Kieran is demanding a pre-nup.”

“Shea is a billionaire in her own right,” I state the obvious.

“Which will get signed over to me.” He rubs his fingers together.

“She’ll never agree to that.” I squeeze the gun handle, growing angrier by the second.

“Her pharmaceutical records show she takes Ambien. And she reported sleepwalking episodes where she had no memory. I now know how to get her to agree toanything.”

Fuck. With a jaw so tight it can snap, we size each other up.

“Why Shea O’Rourke?” I ask.

Nico tilts his head. “I do not need a woman in my bed, I assure you. Her brothers want me to protect her from Archer Crest. And I need an Irish princess to round up all the savage brats hiding in the shadows of my city. They’re staining it with their primitive ways. Marrying Shea will force them to bend the knee to me after I kill theirleadership. Then I’ll consolidate their disorganized but very profitable businesses.”

“Thanks for the info, I’ll make sure to pass it along to my bosses how you really feel about the Irish.” I glance around. “Or was that a secret how you want to spill Irish blood?”

Nico’s phone buzzes on a table nearby. People are watching us from these cameras. I’m surprised there aren’t guns in the ceiling lowered to take me out. He looks down at his phone and then his eyes bulge before meeting mine.

---