Page 92 of Yours

“Seamus,” I continued, turning to him. “Start organizing the team. I want our best guys—quiet, efficient, no loose cannons. This isn’t a brawl. This is a surgical strike.”

“You got it, boss,” Seamus said.

One of the younger men at the far end of the table cleared his throat. “What about the Benedettis? If they think we’re moving against the Ivanovich family, they might try to take advantage of the chaos.”

“Let them,” I said coldly. “If Marco wants to test us, he can get in line. Right now, our focus is Leena. Everything else can wait.”

The room fell quiet again. My mind raced through the details, every possible angle, every potential outcome.

And then the door creaked open.

Every head turned as Kiera stepped into the room, her expression defiant despite the tension in her posture. She glanced around the table, her gaze landing on me.

“What the hell are you doing here?” I demanded.

She didn’t flinch. “I’m not sitting at home while you’re out here planning to rescue Leena. She’s my best friend, Ronan. I’m not going to pretend this isn’t my problem too.”

Every pair of eyes in the room flicked between us. I clenched my jaw, my hands tightening into fists on the table.

“This isn’t your fight,” I said evenly. “Go home, Kiera.”

“I’m not leaving,” she said firmly, her voice steady. “I can help. Let me help.”

I sighed heavily, pinching the bridge of my nose. “You have no idea what you’re walking into.”

“I don’t care,” she said, stepping closer. “Leena would do the same for me. You know she would.”

The room stayed silent, every eye on me as I weighed my options. Kiera held her ground, her chin lifted in that defiant way that always made me want to kiss her or put her over my knee—sometimes both. I met her gaze, letting the silence stretch, and watched as the faintest flush crept up her cheeks. She knew what I was thinking; I could see it in the way her lipsparted slightly, her breath catching as I held her in place with nothing but a look.

Finally, I exhaled slowly, shaking my head.

“Fine,” I said reluctantly. “But you do exactly as I say. No arguments, no questions asked.”

“Deal,” she said, her shoulders relaxing slightly.

CHAPTER 35

Kiera

When I walked into the back room, the weight of every gaze in the room fell on me like a physical force. The men sitting around the long table were a mix of ages, their faces hard, their postures rigid with tension.

And at the head of the table stood Ronan.

The moment his eyes landed on me, the air between us crackled. His jaw was tight, and though he said nothing at first, his displeasure was obvious. But beneath the frustration was something else, something that sent a shiver down my spine.

I was going to pay for this. Eventually.

“Gentlemen,” he said finally, his voice calm, but laced with an edge that silenced the room. “This is Kiera.”

He turned to me, his gaze locking with mine, dark and heavy.

“She’s mine.” He paused for a moment before clearing his throat. “She’s my woman.”

The declaration hung in the air, heavy and undeniable. My cheeks burned, but I held his gaze, refusing to look away. There was no use arguing. The way he said it left no room for discussion, no space for anyone to question my presence.

Ronan turned back to the table, his tone commanding as he continued. “She’s Leena’s best friend, which means she’s got as much reason to be here as any of you. If anyone’s got a problem with that, now’s the time to speak up.”

No one said a word. A few exchanged glances, but the hard edges of their faces told me that any reservations they might have had were being kept to themselves.

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