Page 18 of My Irish Mafia King

“What happens now?”

“I’ll need to stay here,” Ronan murmurs. “Just in case.”

“Of what?”

“Like I said, Shane is loyal to Frank. Once Frank learns about this, he might not be too happy.”

“That doesn’t sound verypolitical.”

He grimaces. “Killian did more than risk his own life to help you. He risked having to do the one thing he’s always wanted to avoid… wear the crown. You must mean a lot to him.”

I resist the urge to cling to these words, to let them warm me up, because I can’t trust anything anymore. “We hardly even know each other. Um, am I allowed to call my friend?”

“You’re not my prisoner, Lucy. I’m here for your safety.”

I carry Clover into the bedroom and call Anna. “Hey, I’m about to go into a meeting. Is everything okay?”

“Yeah, it’s fine,” I whisper. “But maybe you could swing by later. For some company?”

“Lucy, what happened?”

“It’s nothing,” I murmur, trying to keep my voice steady.

But she knows me better than that. “Lucy? Something happened. I can hear it in your voice.”

“I’ll tell you later. I just wanted to see if you were free.”

“I’ll be there right after work.”

Later, after a day of lying around and doing nothing except letting anxiety and shock gnaw through me, Anna stares at me as I tell her everything that happened. I start with the mob shakedown and end with the Killian stuff.

“He’s been stealing your money formonths?” Anna practically screeches. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

“I didn’t want to worry you,” I reply. “You’ve got your own life, your own problems. You don’t need me lumping mine on top of that. But yeah, that’s been my day… I hope yours was better.”

“That’s why that guy is watching game shows in the living room?”

“Yup.”

“God.” She shakes her head in disbelief. “You poor thing. You don’t deserve this.”

“The crazy part is, I’m more shaken up by what I learned than what I saw. Killian isn’t Mr. Charming. He’s not the suave, handsome, sophisticated guy who rides horses on private beaches in Ireland. He’s a liar. He’s a mob guy. He’s been lying to me from the start.”

Anna frowns.

“What?” I say.

“Well… it’s not like he had any reason to tell you about that part of his life. And if he hasn’t been involved in ten years…”

“So you’re defending him,” I say.

“I just think, if you still like him and care about him, you shouldn’t feel guilty about it.”

“Who said I like him or still care about him?”

“You didn’t have to, Lucy. I can hear it in your voice.”

I groan and fall back on the bed. Closing my eyes, I imagine it’s a regular morning. I’m waiting for Killian to swagger toward the Crust, waiting for him to open the door with that easy smile on his face, waiting for him to wink at me and say, “How’re things this morning, my lucky charm?”

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