Page 104 of Shattered Hearts

He drives me so crazy inside I think I might spontaneously combust. How can he exist? Someone I can’t help but fall for when he’s sweetandwhen he’s mean…

Whether Finn makes love to me like I’m the only woman on Earth or cruelly dominates me until I'm a shivering, moaning mess doesn’t matter. I’m so desperate for him, so far gone…I’ll tell him anything, whether he pressures me or not. With him alone, I’m defenseless.

He kisses my forehead, and the sweetness of his gesture brings a smile to my face. “But before that, I have three more questions.”

When his eyes trap mine, I see an edge, something sharp and needle-like hidden amongst the hay. My smile disappears as I blink up at him.

“Did you…tell Cian our secret.” His words don’t even come out like a question.

“No. He knew on his own. I don’t know how.” I’m not sure if I should say so, but I do anyway. “I think he…likes Harper, maybe? And it was easy for him to tell that I’m not her.”

Finn moves on immediately, and with his low, skeptical voice asks, “Why did you try to sleep on the couch?”

I’m speaking before I allow the meaning of his words to really wash over me. And in my rush to tell the truth, I forget to spare my own feelings. “I was trying to do the right thing and treat you like the man who’s marrying my sister.”

My words cause him to pause, and something somber passes between us. His gaze slips down from my eyes to my mouth, and when he opens his to reply, I want him to say something to make us both feel better about our current predicament. Instead, he goes on, slower this time.

“The last question is about that goateed bastard downstairs.”

Troy?My heart breaks into a nervous little trot.

“The night he attacked, before I could get anything out of him…”

Where’s Finn going with this?

“He was babbling about something. Something that spurred you to knock his lights out.”

I close my mouth as my heart launches into an Olympic sprint.No, no, no.

Finn’s thumb traces my jaw as he lays on top of me beneath his covers. “What did he say?”

Psychological paralysis sets in. I can tell Finn anything—except this. There’s no way for me to explain without revealing my feelings, and I can’t do that.

Me? Mustering up and thenenduringthe vulnerability required to profess my love to the Gallaghers’ deadliest enforcer? I’d rather rob a bank and go to jail.

No fucking thank you. I can’t afford the cost of the mortification. There’s no way I couldever?—

At my distress, Finn’s eyebrows rise. “Riley?”

Saved by the bell, his cellphone shrills on the nightstand. We both glance over.

Shane.

Finn picks up immediately, and laying so close to him, I hear every word.

“Get down here.” Shane’s voice is gruffer than usual. “Troy Sullivan’s talking.”

Chapter 24

Finn

It’s almost nine at night when Riley and I dress and ready ourselves to go downstairs. We slip out my front door into the third-floor hallway of the Gallagher estate. Though I’ve lived here my whole life, nothing feels familiar.

And that’s because I don’t recognize myself. I’m too busy reeling from what just happened. I flex my fingers, remembering Riley’s soft blond hair coiled around my fist as I plunged my cock inside her as deep as I could.

Heat pools at the base of my spine, warming my whole body like a hearth.

Who the fuck was that guy back there?Half enforcer, half sex demon…

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