Page 65 of Bargain with the Irish Devil

We enjoy a nice leisurely dinner. Her smiles fill me full with contentment, even more than the delicious food.

We’re in the parking lot when I get the call. Shit, it’s Patrick. Clare knows about me ordering Seamus dead, and she’s demanding to leave.

Opening her car door, I close it and respond to Patrick that I’m on my way as I walk around to get in.

“There’s a situation I need to handle. I’m going to get you home. Then I have to go out.”

“What’s the matter?” Her eyes are wide.

I shake my head. “I can’t tell you. Please don’t ask. Seatbelt.” I order as I try to work out how the fuck to fix this.

I’ve been in to check on Liam every day for the last week. Clare has been a sweet girl even when she found out how lethal and psychotic Liam could be—overhearing the men talking about him. All she saw was a patient who needed her, and she treated him well. Liam only woke up for longer than ten minutes at a time three days ago.

Clare laughed off Liam spouting she was his angel come to save him, and he was keeping her. I worried he was scaring Clare away. She blushed as she said it was fine. That she wasn’t taking him seriously and for me not to either. Although she thought by tomorrow, he wouldn’t need her any longer.

One day, one fucking day, and she could have walked away none the wiser. Damn it. I don’t want to kill Clare. But to let her go would leave someone who could start a murder case on me. She’d be able to take them to the brothel and to Liam. Who knows what else Liam said while he was out of it? The accusation alone would be a pain in the ass to deal with.

“Declan.” It’s a whisper filled with fear.

Capturing her hand, I press my lips to it. “Hey, it’s all right. Everything is fine. It’s just a mess that needs to be cleaned up. My hours aren’t always nine to five.”

She sighs. “As long as you’re okay.”

“I am,” I promise her. “I’ll be home as soon as I can. Try not to wait up for me, though.”

“Okay.” The word is soft and a little sad.

Fuck. She’s going to worry. I breathe deep. There’s no way she’s not going to wait up for me.

At home, I get her inside. Catching her around her throat, I stop her going upstairs.

Her heartbeat jumps under my palm. “Don’t worry about me. Worry about how your spanking is going to be. Remember, you sucking my cock wasn’t nearly a punishment those bad words deserve.”

Big green eyes shimmer up at me. “You’re going to make it hurt.”

“Yes, my sweet, I am,” I promise her as I steal a deep kiss.

Her little moans send me spinning out of control way too fast. Damn it. I don’t have time for all I want to do to her. Letting her go is like tearing off a layer of skin, leaving me exposed, raw, and angry at the loss of her.

I show her the code for the alarm system and how to set it once I leave. My hand is on the doorknob when a small hand is pressed into my middle. She’s on her tip toes to press a kiss against my cheek. “Be careful. I love you.”

It’s the first time she’s said it since the night I asked her to stay. The words shake me the same as they did the first time and soothe everypart of my black soul. I catch her by the back of her neck to hold her for a minute I don’t have, simply allowing my head to fall against hers.

“M’fhiorghra,”I whisper, cursing everyone to hell for taking me from her.Then leave before I lose all will to.

At a red light, I scan the street. A large church is on one corner, and on the other is a row of bars. Two people are stumbling out of a bar. One of them is a woman in a wedding dress, her veil long trailing behind her. Her hand is in her husband’s. The husband is trying to keep her standing.

By the time the light turns green. I know how to fix the Claire thing. At least, I hope it works. If not, I’ll have to kill her.

I pull my phone and make a call. By the time I’m down the street, I owe ten grand and a favor, but I have what I need.

Inside the brothel, Patrick is red with embarrassment. Ryan is pissed. And Cole is sitting looking miserable behind the desk.

Ryan meets me at the door. “It was Cole. He was stupid and didn’t think. Clare was in the shower—he didn’t think she could hear him.”

Cole was sent over from Ireland six months ago. He’s young, but he shouldn’t be this stupid. “Ryan, take Cole home.”

Ryan’s eyes meet mine. He sees the order and nods. “I locked Clare in with Liam.”

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