Page 84 of Reckless Promises

“What about him?”

His name has me instantly on edge. If I didn’t need him to make this plan happen, I’d be tempted to chain him up in the basement and remind him why he never should have touched my wife at the auction.

“Word is he might be putting distance between himself and Gabriel. Something about a deal gone bad.”

Said deal beingmy wife.

I lean back, gripping the arms of my chair. Sascha had a deal with Gabriel to buy Odette that night, but I got in the way. I hoped they would have made peace after—or at least came to an understanding that would last long enough for me to take them both down in one move. But if tensions are brewing, I need to act fast.

“Even if they are cutting ties, that takes time.” Especially since the two of them have been working together for years. “Where are we at with the export info?”

“Working on it,” Shane says.

“Well, work faster.” I grit my teeth. “The only way this goes in our favor is if we know what shipments are legit and which ones aren’t. And we need this done.”

Shane nods.

He doesn’t like Adam. He doesn’t like my plan. And he doesn’t like my goals. But he wants revenge for our father as much as I do—maybe more—so he’ll make it happen.

“Either way, this needs to happen next week.” Brandon’s voice comes through the phone. “With the tensions between Gabriel and Sascha, we can’t put it off anymore.And if we sit on this any longer, people are going to get suspicious. I’ve already heard whispers about the fact that Cross shipments have stopped. You promised me I wouldn’t go down in this, Cillian. And I’m holding you to that. Get shit together on your side and make this happen.”

“We’ll make it work.” I nod at Shane, and he nods back. “Shane will call as soon as he has the information.”

Brandon hangs up, and I know we all feel it. Sand slipping away from us and time ticking down.

“You’re making promises you shouldn’t, brother.” Shane shakes his head. “Dad taught you better than that.”

“Just because he didn’t have a problem stabbing his partners in the back, doesn’t mean I’ll do it.”

“You know as well as I do that if shit goes bad, family comes first. Even your friendship with Brandon doesn’t get put before that.”

“Then make sure it doesn’t come to that.”

He nods.

Motion comes from the doorway, and all the heads in the room turn toward it.

“Sorry, I didn’t realize I was interrupting.”

I narrow my eyes at Odette, becauselike hell she didn’t. She knew I had a meeting, and instead of giving me the cold shoulder for brushing her off all day, she’s clearly chosen the route of pissing me off.

Odette stands in the doorway wearing a black silk robe that hangs a little too open at her chest, revealing the tiniest scrap of lace covering her perfect skin. And even if the robe reaches almost to her knees, she has one kickedthrough the slit, showing the full length of her silky leg. Her hair is down, and her face is washed clean of her makeup, like she just rolled out of bed. And all my men are staring at her.

“Everyone out but my wife. This meeting’s over.”

Shane chuckles as he gathers his things. “Good luck with that, brother.”

The room empties, but Odette doesn’t take her wicked green eyes off me. She even has the nerve to smirk as they filter out because she thinks she won.

She doesn’t realize that just because I made them leave, doesn’t mean I’ll let her get away with this.

The door shuts behind Daniel, and it’s just me and her.

“You didn’t have to send them away on my account.” She smiles sweetly, but we both know it’s exactly what she wanted.

“Come here, Clover.” I scoot my chair back from the table and stretch my arms out.

Slowly, she makes her way around the table and across the room, barefoot. The slit in her robe cuts open slightly with each step until she stops beside me.

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