Page 30 of Killian

I bite my lip. “Charmer,” I mutter under my breath. Before I can respond, another message comes through.

Killian: Let me know if you’re coming over,a ghrá. I’ll make sure you have a drink waiting.

“What are you smiling at?” Bash asks as he approaches.

I darken my screen and slip my phone into my pocket.

“A friend. You promised,” I say as I stand, crossing my arms.

“What did I promise?” Bash asks, frowning, hands in his pockets.

“You promised I could walk away, make my own decisions, and yet you invite me over here for ‘dinner’,” I quote. “Only for you to try to set me up with that guy,” I say, full of disgust.

“Wait, you think that was a setup?” Bash asks, pointing over his shoulder.

“Wasn’t it?”

“No, Greer. I promise. We had a meeting in my private office. Once we finished, he asked to use the restroom, and I heard you girls and wandered off. I showed him to the door before I came looking for you.”

I look away from him, not knowing if I can trust his word.

“Fuckingtesorowas right,” Bash mutters. “I promise, Greer. I have no intentions of setting you up. With anyone.”

I consider his words. Did I jump to conclusions without giving him an opportunity to explain?

Killian always says I attack before taking in the whole situation. Brash, he calls me.

Taking a deep breath, I make a decision.

I brush past my brother, walking back toward the kitchen.

“Where are you going?” he yells from behind me. “We aren’t finished.”

I give him a friendly smile. “I’m going inside. Your wife worked her ass off and made us dinner. And I, for one, have every intention of enjoying it.”

He eyes me warily as I disappear into the house.

“You two good?” Sofia asks as soon as I enter the kitchen.

“We’re good. What can I do to help?”

I follow her directions until we are seated at the table, delicious food surrounding us.

It was awkward at first, but as the night and wine flow, the more comfortable I become. I misjudged Sofia. She really has been good for Bash.

As we joke and laugh around the table, I can see what I’ve missed. Bash isn’t the cold and heartless man my father was. He’s not the man I was afraid he would become. He’s more. Better. Kinder.

When I finally say goodnight, it’s later than I anticipated, but I wasn’t ready to go yet. I wanted to stay and enjoy the delicate peace we had erected.

“Am I taking you back to the hotel or to see your man?” Enzo asks as he puts the car into drive.

“Just take me back to the hotel for tonight,” I tell him as I shoot off a text to Killian, letting him know I won’t be coming by tonight. Laying my head on the window, I close my eyes.

Tonight was a good night.

As much as I want to be with Killian, am I willing to risk this new feeling I’ve only recently found?

I watchas the men bring the pallets of goods into the warehouse. Once everything is safely inside, they lock the building down. Conor grabs a crowbar and pops the lid off the crate. Men step forward and remove the top layer of random goods, revealing merchandise. I walk forward and take in the smuggled guns and ammunition. Picking up a grenade, I inspect it.

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