Page 103 of Yours

My heart raced as I looked up at him, my pulse thrumming with a mix of anticipation and frustration.

“Sleep sounds nice,” I murmured, though my voice wavered slightly.

He smirked, clearly catching the hint of reluctance in my tone.

“You’ll need it,” he said, stepping back and motioning toward the bed.

I slipped under the covers, the cool sheets brushing my skin as I settled against the pillows. Ronan moved around the room with the same quiet efficiency he always carried, turning off the lights and locking the door before joining me.

When he climbed into bed, the warmth of his body was immediate and grounding. He pulled me against him, his arm draping over my waist as I relaxed into his chest.

I closed my eyes and didn’t wake up until the sun was streaming in through the windows the next morning.

CHAPTER 38

Ronan

The next morning started off slowly. Leena was still sleeping while Kiera was curled up on the couch, a cup of coffee in her hands as she flipped through a book she wasn’t really reading. I could tell by the way her eyes kept darting to the window.

She looked like she belonged there.

I was at the kitchen counter, nursing my own coffee while my mind simmered with thoughts of her and how instrumental she’d been in the successful rescue of my sister.

She had no business being part of this world, but she’d thrown herself into it anyway, risking everything to stand by my side. The thought of her in danger, of her being taken the way Leena had been, made my chest tighten with a fear I didn’t know I was capable of feeling.

Kiera wasn’t just someone I wanted to protect—she was my anchor, my reason for keeping it all together. She was the one thing I couldn’t afford to lose.

The one thing Iwouldn’tlose.

I’d built my life on control—on knowing every move before it happened, every risk before it was taken. But Kiera threw all of that into chaos. She wasn’t just a weakness; she wasmyweakness. And it wasn’t just her safety that haunted me.

It was the way she looked at me, like she saw the man beneath the armor, like she saw something worth saving. I wasn’t sure if I could live up to that, but I knew one thing for sure: I’d burn the world down before I let her go.

My phone buzzed, breaking through my tumultuous thoughts. The mayor’s name lit up the screen, and I set the mug down, tension coiling in my chest.

“Victor,” I said as I answered, keeping my voice calm.

“I’ve got news,” he replied, his tone clipped and urgent. “I managed to get in touch with Marco.”

I stiffened, my jaw tightening as Kiera looked up from her spot on the couch, her brows furrowing in curiosity. “And?”

“He’s still waiting,” Victor said. “Prepping, positioning himself. He’s not ready to strike just yet, but he’s close. Very close.”

I exhaled slowly, my grip on the phone tightening. “What does he want?”

“To make you pay,” Victor said bluntly. “For Lorenzo, for the chaos he’s convinced you caused. He’s holding onto this idea that you’re the one who killed his father. He’s biding his time,building his resources, but make no mistake—he’s coming for you.”

“Then why hasn’t he moved yet?” I asked, my voice low.

“Because he’s still deciding how to do it,” Victor said. “But I managed to broker a temporary truce. He’s willing to meet, to talk it out. No guarantees, but it’s better than open war in the streets.”

“Where and when?”

“The Glasshouse. Tomorrow evening,” Victor said. “Neutral ground. It’s public. It’s safe.”

“There’s no such thing as safe when it comes to Marco Benedetti,” I muttered.

“You don’t have a choice, O’Malley,” Victor snapped. “If you want to avoid this city becoming a bloodbath, you’ll show up and make your case. Make him believe you didn’t kill Lorenzo.”

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