Page 29 of Riordan's Revenge

As much as I wanted this, another objective rang true. Maybe a few hits to the head would fix my insanity for the girl with the dark curls who couldn’t take her eyes off me.

Chapter 11

Cassie

After one particularly brutal throwdown, Tyler lay flat out on the mat and groaned.

Struan wiped sweat from his brow and pointed at Riordan. “You’re up.”

I shot forward on my stool, nearly tipping it over. “If ye hurt him, I’ll?—”

“Don’t finish that sentence, Cass.”

“Don’t tell me what to do. He’s important to me. You’ll respect that.”

Riordan moved into position, shooting a quick look my way. Tension filled the room, and he centred on Struan. Ready to prove himself to my overprotective arsehole of a brother.

Likewise, Struan wasn’t going to let my objection slide. He lifted his chin at his new opponent. “So I know everything about ye, but what do ye know about Cassie?”

“This a test?”

“Aye, motherfucker, so answer fast. What’s her surname?”

“Archer.”

“What does she drive?”

“A scarlet red Audi.”

I fist-pumped subtly. That was the car I’d taken into the city. Go him for noticing what I’d stolen him in.

Struan continued. “Model?”

“I don’t fucking know. Not a car guy.”

“Yeah figures. When’s her birthday?”

Riordan stalled, and I squinted at him, wondering why. He knew the answer. I’d confided it in an odd moment of sharing we’d done in my room on the cam girls’ floor. Then his gaze slid from mine to Tyler’s.Right. He didn’t want to overstep.

Damn my heart.

“Ye can say,” I told him.

“She doesn’t know for certain.”

Struan watched him. “Fine. Then ye aren’t just a walk-in. What are Cassie’s strengths?”

“She’s persuasive. Dangerous with a knife. Her mind is wild.”

My heart fluttered again at the praise in Riordan’s answer, but I knew what was coming next.

Struan’s lips formed a flat line. His gaze cut to me. “And your main weakness, Cassie?”

“My size,” I grumped. I had a list to pick from but got his point.

Riordan scowled, his face only in half profile to me now. “She can’t help that. Why point it out?”

Struan prowled the mat. “Because I don’t sugarcoat shite. No matter how much she trains or how her brain is streets ahead of the rest of us, she will never have an equal chance to fight off a man who gets his hands on her. Not without a lucky shot to his head or a knife to his gut. It’s not a slight on the fact she’s a girl. Women have strengths we lesser mortals can only dream of. It’s a fact because I want her to stay alive. It’s one we recognisebecause that’s the tactic a lot of men will stoop to. They’ll use violence to force her to do what they want, or worse. I won’t pretend for the sake of her ego.” He tossed me an uncommon grin. “As big as that fucker already is.”

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