Page 92 of Beautiful Liar

I think I had the room floored.

Kieran added what happened after the games with Luca and Alessandro.

“Where are Luca and Alessandro now?” Tristan asked.

“We don’t know,” Kieran answered. “Wren took off with Alessandro. He believes Alessandro murdered his mother to kill him in the womb. If there’s evidence of this out there, then he’ll find it. And who the fuck knows where Luca could be.”

I felt oddly unsettled knowing that Luca was out there somewhere quite possibly searching for Alessandro like the hound dog they created. If he found Wren before us, he’d kill him.

Tristan pulled out a blade and started for me. Everything seemed blurred at the edges. My heart sped. I was going to die anyway. But Kieran stepped between us. “You aren’t going to hurt him.”

There was a gleam in Tristan’s eyes. “And why is that?”

“Because I love him,” Kieran said. “And if you don’t approve, I really don’t give a shit.”

I’m not sure what look passed between them. My viewwas distorted by Kieran’s back. Until Kieran shifted and I saw Tristan handing him the blade, hilt first. “I was going to untie him. You do the honors.”

Kieran still looked ready to fight, but he took the knife and freed my wrists.

“You’re right. I am going legit. The marriage between Brennan and Mancini was a step in that direction. We were going to give the Mancinis the illegal trade through the union. But now, we’re fucked in that arena. And Maddox, Maddox will still go after Alessandro. He’d want his own pound of flesh.”

“Well, he’ll have to wait in line behind me,” I said.

Tristan ignored me. “We have to find your friend first. And you should go back to school.” He looked at me.

“No,” I said. “I’m not leaving Kieran.”

Tristan narrowed his eyes at me. Kieran’s eyes. They looked so much alike. “You’ll be a distraction. I need Kieran withme.”

“Well,” I said, getting to my feet. “I need Kieran withme.”

“Tomás,” Kieran said. The way he said my name broke my heart. He was sending me away. He’d lied and he wasn’t coming back. Kieran cleared his throat. “Tomás can be an asset,” he said to Tristan. “He knows Alessandro probably better than anyone here. If we’re going to find him before Maddox, we need him.”

Tristan thought about that for a second then nodded my way. “You’ll work with Liam and Graham.”

Liam got to his feet. “I’d rather do this alone.”

“Liam, it’s Maddox.”

The mention of their brother made them look wounded. They cared about him.

“Fine,” Liam pushed out and walked out.

“Tomás,” Tristan said. “Whether you want to believe it or not, Maddox deeply cares for you. You are his brother, just as you are mine.” He reached out his hand for a handshake. I haveto admit, I thought it a trick. I slowly took the offered truce. “Welcome to the family. Why don’t you both get cleaned up. Ros will show you to your room.”

Room. Not rooms.

Kieran didn’t move, so I didn’t run out the door like every basic survival instinct warned me to. The head of the most influential crime family had welcomed me into their fold. Which meant, I was one of them.

I hadn’t realized that Kieran placed his hand on the small of my back until he gave me a gentle nudge. I moved out with that hand still on me. A solid, strong presence at my back. Kieran would always have my back.

“Are you okay?” he whispered into my ear. “Because you just looked as if you were considering running and you know what happens if you run.”

My cock pulsed at the suggestiveness in his tone.Run, Tomás. Go ahead and try to run away from me. I will hunt you down.

I couldn’t stop the smile forming on my lips. I wanted him to hunt me down. Do things to me. “Don’t tempt me,” I whispered back.

“Try it, I dare you.”

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