Page 16 of His Obsession

“And I have your written agreement that it was consensual and witnesses who will attest that you enjoyed yourself immensely and who heard you say so again and again.”

“Bastard. No one walks away from me without paying the price. You’ll regret this.”

Her threat lingered in the room long after she stormed out, her perfume—a mix of roses and something sharper—hanging in the air like a warning.

Callum opened his eyes, his fists clenched at his sides. He should have seen this coming. Deirdre had always been tenacious, always looking for a way to get even. Marrying Eoin Lynch had been her first move in the game she’d declared that night, and now she was leveraging her position to strike at him in the shadows.

The fact that she was working with Bradford—feeding him information about the Fitzwilliam Foundation and, by extension, the O’Neill organization—wasn’t just a betrayal. Itwas a declaration of war. Callum wondered if Eoin knew she’d declared a war he couldn’t win.

Callum turned back to his desk, his movements sharp and deliberate. He picked up the report again, scanning the details. Deirdre’s involvement complicated everything. It wasn’t just about Bradford’s vendetta or Lynch’s territorial games anymore. It was personal.

The sound of his office door opening broke his focus, and Padraig stepped inside, his expression guarded. “You did read it then.”

“I read it,” Callum said flatly, tossing the report back onto the desk. “How long has she been in contact with Bradford?”

Padraig hesitated. “A few months, at least. She’s been careful, using intermediaries to pass information. But the timing aligns with when Bradford started scrutinizing the foundation.”

Callum’s mind raced. “And Lynch?”

“Hard to say how much he knows,” Padraig admitted. “But he’s not the type to let her act independently. If she’s feeding information to Bradford, he’s benefiting from it.”

Callum exhaled sharply, his anger barely contained. “She must know about our arrangement with the foundation. She’s using that information as leverage. Using Isolde as a pawn.”

Padraig tilted his head slightly, studying Callum. “And that bothers you more than it should.”

Callum’s eyes snapped to Padraig’s, his glare enough to silence any further commentary. “It bothers me because it compromises the operation. Nothing more.”

“Of course,” Padraig said, though his tone suggested he didn’t believe it. “So, what’s the play?”

Callum leaned forward, resting his hands on the desk. “We neutralize Bradford. Quietly. Dig up everything we can on his weaknesses—finances, affairs, skeletons in his closet. Use it to shut him down before he can go public with anything.”

“And Deirdre?”

The name sent another wave of heat through Callum’s veins, but his voice remained steady. “She made her choice when she married Lynch and sided with Bradford. If she gets in my way, I’ll deal with her.”

Padraig nodded, though his expression remained cautious. “And Isolde? What happens if she starts digging into the foundation’s accounts and connects the dots?”

Callum’s gaze darkened, his voice dropping to a growl. “She won’t.”

“And if she does?”

Callum’s lips curved into a cold smile. “Then I’ll remind her whose game she’s playing, bring her into the fold, and neutralize her.”

“In other words, you’ll abduct her, spirit her off to Galway, turn her, and take her to mate.”

Callum chuckled. “You make that sound like a bad thing.”

“I think she’s becoming a bit of an obsession for you.”

“Again, you make it sound like a bad thing.”

Padraig shook his head and chuckled before taking his leave.

The storm outside intensified, the wind howling against the windows as if echoing the storm brewing inside him. Callum straightened, his mind already mapping out the steps he’d need to take.

Deirdre might have thought she could outmaneuver him, but she’d forgotten one crucial thing.

No one played the game better than he did, especially with the O’Neill’s backing. And no one crossed him without consequences.

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