Page 87 of Illicit Temptation

Shea

“The trip to Dunbar is next week?” I ask Lachlan near the bar, the two of us watching Balor and Ella slow-dancing to a beautiful and romantic Irish melody.

“You can always stay home.” Lachlan grins with that psycho smile of his.

That’s exactly what he wants, and I won’t give him the satisfaction of besting me. Not the way I fought to get on this trip.

“I’ll make sure my calendar is free.” I fake yawn to signal he doesn’t scare me. “I’ll be ready.”

I’m thankful this trip won’t interrupt my meeting with Mrs. Lagerfeld tomorrow morning. The coveted audience with her took several calls to arrange. I turn away and am face to face with all six-foot-four of my brother Kieran. “Oh, hey.”

He smiles at my casual greeting. Most people bow to him, kiss his ring, call him king, or quake in his presence. Sometimes all of the above.

“Alo, love.” He gently pulls me in by the elbow and kisses my forehead.

He wants something.

The hard lines of that serious, brutally handsome face, jet-black hair, and piercing green eyes would allow him to waltz into a stocked bank vault and steal all the money if it were guarded by a woman.

“Like I said, hey.” I step back a bit, wondering if he can tell my hair is matted against my neck from the sweaty sex I had just moments ago.

Or... Can he smell the cum stains on my thighs?

“I know Lachlan approved you for the Dunbar tripbut—”

“I’m going.” I stand firm.

He towers over me. “We haven’t talked in a while.”

“I talked to you and Isabella this morning before the wedding.” I dressed at Divona earlier and took time to play with my sweet, bratty nephews.

“Do you plan to stay single forever, Shea-Lynne?” My brother crosses his arms.

I suck in a breath. “That’s really none of your—”

“Everything about youismy business, Shea.” His brutal green gaze murders the rest of those words in my throat. “I’m sorry if you believe that I haven’t been considering your future. The last few years have been hectic, and my focus has been required elsewhere.”

My brothers have teetered on the brink of war with both the Astoria Italians and the Russians. All while six out of the seven have fallen in love. Giving me a reprieve from any demands that I join the club.

Trace, standing a few feet away, watches us with furrowed brows, waiting for some rescue signal.

“I’d like you to consider a potential marriage match,” Kieran drops a nuclear bomb on me.

The floor might as well as caved beneath my feet. It was dumb of me to think this wouldn’t happen. That I wouldn’t be treated like any other mob princess, used as a device by the men in this family for their gain.

“Like who?” I ask to humor him. I’m a fool if I think I can just brush this off.

Kieran’s jaw ticks like he didn’t expect me to call his bluff. “You let me worry about that.”

My eyes flick to Trace as my heart pounds, my dangerous secrets threatening to swallow me. If Kieran tries to marry me to a mob don, his people will do a massive background check on me and see...whoops...already married. And if they go further and check my medical records, I’ll be branded broken andunworthy, a stain on my brother’s kingdom.

“Shea-Lynne, you’re not getting any younger. Let’s not delay the inevitable.” Kieran pushes his face close to mine. Despite the intensity of his gaze, he softens his tone.

“The inevitable?”

“Getting married. Having a family.” He leaves out any mention of love.

Sure, all my brothers got to marry for love. But me? No, I’m supposed to accept a marriage without it.

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