Page 8 of The Devil's Price

Siobhan nods, biting her lip. She's intoxicated but still in control. "I wasn't just flustered because of the wire." I can't tell if this is the alcohol talking or some sort of scheme she's cooked up in her head. Could it be that she thinks fucking me will get me to lower my guard? Or is she really that attracted to me too?

"And if I did something like this" —I inch the side of her golden dress up her thigh until my fingers can caress the heat of herflesh— "would that be okay?" I'd take her right here at this table if she let me, but something tells me she has the good sense—even when drunk—to resist that.

"Mmm, yes," she purrs, and her hand rests on my bicep, manicured fingers wrapping around its girth to pull my hand closer.

"You're drunk, Ms. Gallagher. How do I know you're genuine?" My head descends to her chest where I continue where I left off, nipping her skin and pressing soft kisses to her cleavage. That diamond is perfect between them, a crown jewel hidden in a secret valley waiting to be searched out.

"I guess you have to trust me." Her words are slurred now, head arched back with tiny gasps emitting from her throat as I suck and nip at her skin.

When I lift my head, she brings her lips to meet mine in a scorching kiss that I don’t expect. For such a serious woman, she seems to be coming undone. Her hand pulls at my arm, guiding me closer to her core, and I let my fingers slide up her inner thigh to find moisture, sticky and pungent, and a lot of it. She's not just putting on a game. This woman wants me bad.

"You know if we do this, there's no going back. You can't erase this from your reputation." My words of caution make her tense in my arms. The way she tugs at me slows, the passion of her kiss fading, and then the hand that was just pulling me closer presses to my shoulder.

"I, uh… I should go." Siobhan snatches the clutch from the bench between us and slips out of the booth. "Thank you for dinner. I had a lovely time." Her eyes flick to the wire, still submerged inthe water, and she dangles two fingers into the glass to pluck it out.

"You don't have to leave," I tell her, but she turns and scurries away. I stand and take out my wallet, leaving a couple of hundred-dollar bills on the table before casually following her.

When I step outside, she's on her phone, probably calling a taxi. She's so gorgeous under the streetlamp, just a shapely silhouette with erect nipples pressing through the thin fabric of that form-fitting gown. My dick is rock hard, but I won't force her. It would be counterintuitive. I need her to want me so much she'll do anything for me. Including dropping the charges against my friend.

"Let me drive you," I tell her, knowing my driver is on standby just around the corner. I reach into my pocket and send a text.

"Uh, no. I can't do that. I will wait for my cab." Siobhan shoves her phone into her clutch which hangs from her shoulder, then she crosses her arms under her tits which only accentuates the cleavage.

"It's no problem, really. I can be a gentleman." I stand a few strides away, not wanting to enter her personal space or make her feel intimidated. But God, do I want her.

"Please, no. I will be fine." She's stubborn, probably thinks I'll just put the moves on her and she won't be able to resist. Or maybe she's still scared I'll hurt her.

"Have it your way," I say, turning to walk up the street where the car waits. I step into the shadows, but I keep my eye on her. I won't let her stand here wearing that many diamonds and wait alone. Who knows what lowlife is out here looking for anopportunity to take advantage of some naive drunken woman who has zero sense about things like this?

Pausing around the corner of the building, I stand watching. Several minutes go by, and I text my driver again that it will be only a few minutes. Just as I feared, two men walk out of the shadows from the opposite direction and stroll right up to her. They're dressed in dark clothing, hoodies obscuring their faces. I don't know what they want, but they won't get it on my watch.

One of them grabs her clutch, and I leap from the darkness, drawing my gun. Siobhan struggles against them, pushing and hitting, and one of them grabs her around the waist. As I race forward, gun pointed, she makes eye contact with me.

"Finn!" Her screech of need sends my heart racing.

One of the men looks up and drops her clutch, running off into the darkness from where he came, and the other earns a hard knock to the head from the butt of my weapon. He winces and drops to his knees, letting go of her, and she wraps her arms around me and whimpers.

"Let's get you out of here," I bark. The man slumps forward, out cold, and I holster my weapon before scooping her up into my arms.

"My God!" she whines, burying her face into my neck as I carry her into the darkness toward my waiting car.

The driver rushes out to open the door for us so I can easily set her inside. There's no telling who those guys were—if they were just run of the mill thugs looking for a score or something more sinister—but I'm glad I was there.

The streets aren't a safe place for the deputy public prosecutor, especially not when she's dressed like this.

7

SIOBHAN

My hands fumble with the key to my penthouse. I'm wasted and terrified. "I just can't…" I slur, looking up at Finn's face through blurry eyes. He seems to understand, taking the keys from my fingers to unlock my door.

I asked him to come up, too scared to walk myself to my own fucking apartment door after what just happened. I told him to go, waved him off like I knew what I was doing, but clearly, I have no clue what I’m doing and those men… they could have…

"I got it," he says. Finn's calm strength is comforting. He unlocks the door and opens it for me, follows me in as I wobble and sway. Inside the safety of my apartment, I feel better, but I don't want him to leave yet. He kept those men from doing the unspeakable things they may have done after I rejected his kindness. I owe him at least a cup of coffee.

"Want something to drink? Coffee? Beer?" I drop my clutch on the glass top table of my dining room. It's dark, the only light coming from the small floor lamp on the far opposite side of the room near the windows overlooking St. Stephen's Green and the city center. This time of day, it's nothing but twinkling lights, butduring daytime, it's a fabulous view. For now, I'm in darkness, seeing only Finn's silhouette as he locks the door behind himself.

"No, thank you."

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