Page 78 of Arrogant Bastard

“So, I’m sorry to be the bearer of un-fun news, but you’ve had almost a week together. The honeymoon is over, kids. It’s time to get back to work.”

PART THREE

BURN

Chapter Twenty-One

Killian

I’m a lot pissed and puzzled about how Fionnella bypassed my security without triggering any of my alarms. “We don’t work for you. Hell, we don’t even know who you really are.”

Her gaze shifts from Faith, where it’s rested for far too long, back to me. “You never worked for me, handsome. That’s what made us so great together.”

Faith’s fingers dig into mine, and I know she’s getting pissed with Fionnella. We have enough unknown quantities to deal with without this strange woman dropping into our lives now. Coupled with the ridiculous ease with which Fionnella’s breached my security and doesn’t seem sorry about it, Faith looks like she’s seconds from tackling the older woman to the ground. I would probably let her, if only this weren’t another shitty moment sent to fuck up my aim to lock down the woman I love.

“Are you going to tell us who you are?” I snap.

Her gaze shifts back to Faith and stays, and it’s my turn to experience the charged tension. “She knows who I am, don’t you, B?” Fionnella says.

Faith goes rigid.

Enough of this shit. “That’s not her name, and you know it. And yes, she’s told me about your little visit to the club,” I tell her.

Fionnella shrugs. “That was a happy coincidence. My call to her before that, however, wasn’t. If she hadn’t thrown her hissy fit then, maybe we wouldn’t be in this mess.”

“Watch it,” I snarl.

For some reason, that makes her smile wider. Her gaze drops to our clasped hands, and she nods in satisfaction. “You’re still nuts for each other. That’s great. Although it took you a while to wise up, didn’t it?” Again she redirects her question to Faith. The undercurrents whizzing through the room fry a few more of my nerves.

“Just tell us why you’re here,” Faith’s voice is whisper-thin and edgy.

“Paul Galveston.”

We both tense. “What about him?”

“You know he’s reared his ugly little head up from the swamps. So do we.”

“We? So you work with us at the Fallhurst Institute?” I ask.

She smiles at me. “Does it matter who I work for?” Before I can answer, she continues. “In case you’re wondering why, it’s because you found her.” She nods at Faith.

“What are you talking about?”

“He’s been waiting for you to lead him to Faith. I tried to warn her three weeks ago after her little mishap with the camera on East Fifty-Third Street.”

I spring upright, unable to sit still with the knowledge that a shit storm is headed our way. “Jesus, how the hell did you know about that?”

“Does it matter? I know. He knows. We need to deal with it.”

“Do you know he’s here, in New York City?”

Fionnella nods. “Yes. Well, he was a few hours ago.”

I frown. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“It means he may not be in New York any longer. Whatever he came here for may be done.”

“Enough with this Murder She Wrote crap. If you know something, tell us,” Faith snaps.

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