Page 33 of Twisted Secrets
A man stepped out of the shadows at the end of the alley, and Cillian jerked to a stop.Stupid to get so distracted you aren’t aware of your surroundings. Hefrowned into the darkness. The guy was big and blond and looked like a serious bruiser with his sloped brow and nose that had been broken one too many times. Cillian couldn’t claim to know every person on Halloran’s payroll—though he knew most of them these days—but he didn’t recognize this guy.
Then he spoke, and his Russian accent confirmed him as a stranger. “Cillian O’Malley.”
What the hell was going on? He affected a relaxed pose, as if he wasn’t considering his exit options. “You have me at a disadvantage.”
“That woman Olivia. She is not for you.”
He blinked. Of all the things he’d expected the guy to start with, that hadn’t even made the list. “What’s she to you?”
She’d mentioned a past, but he’d imagined an asshole family or maybe even an abusive ex. There was no reason to think this man might not be exactly that, but Cillian’s spidey senses were tingling. He knew organized crime. Hell, hehadto be able to recognize the signs. While it was entirely possible that this man asking about Olivia was a coincidence, when he thought about his family’s history with the New York Russians…
Yeah, he didn’t like his odds that this wasn’t somehow connected. It was a paranoid thought, but he couldn’t shake it.
While he’d been thinking, the man seemed to have done his own inspection. “I don’t know what she sees in you, pretty boy, but she is not for you.”
“Yeah, you keep saying that. I think that’s up to her.”
Maybe he was wrong. Maybe this was all about Olivia and he was taking paranoia to a whole new level. The O’Malley family had had a shitty year,and no one could blame him for immediately jumping to the worst possible scenario. But if Olivia reallywasconnected with a rival family, he had to find out about it. “Is there a reason you cornered me in a dark alley, or did you just want to chat?”
The man lowered his head, reminding Cillian of a bull about to charge, and held up a single finger. “One warning, O’Malley. That is all you get. Leave her alone, or you’ll regret it.”
“I’ll think about it.”I have no intention of leaving her alone,thoughshe and I obviously need to have another talk.
The man considered Cillian for a long moment, then turned and walked away.
That’s it? No tossing me around to prove his point? How disappointing.Cillian shook his head. He must have hit the brick wall harder than he’d thought the other day, because he was obviously off his game in a huge way if he was thinking that.
“Cillian? Are you okay?”
He turned around to find Olivia picking her way through the puddles in the alley toward him. He frowned. “I thought you went back inside.”
“Considering your track record with this alley, when I heard voices, I thought I’d better make sure you were okay.”
He glanced to where the Russian had stood. “It was just some drunk.” He needed to know more about Olivia, but telling her that some meathead was warning him off her wasn’t a good way to go about it. If she had a past like he was beginning to suspect—and all signs pointed to that—then it was entirely possible she’d spook and take off. Maybe for good.
He had to tell her. Just…not yet.
Cillian held his arms out. “See. I’m in one piece.”
“I guess.” She looked at him like she expected him to start bleeding from the head again. Considering what they’d been doing not too long ago, it was borderline insulting. But…
She worries about me. That’s not a bad thing.
“Let me walk you back.”
“Cillian, it’s an alley. There are no entrances between here and there. I’ll be fine.”
She would, but he wasn’t quite ready to leave her. “Humor me.” He touched the small of her back, the tiny contact washing away his questions in a cascade of desire. It was all too easy to take a half step back into what they’d been doing not too long ago against that very wall. If he concentrated, he could feel the slide of his fingers against her soft skin and her hands digging into his shoulders.
Fuck, the things this woman did to him. They finished the walk back into Jameson’s in silence. She stopped just inside the door and turned to face him. “Think you can manage not to get your ass kicked for the next few days?”
He shrugged, warmed by her concern, even if it was wrapped in barbs. “I make no promises, but I’m not going looking for trouble.”
“Somehow, I think trouble finds you all on its own.” She sighed. “I might have been…hasty…in shutting this whole thing down.”
Hope flared, but he did his damnedest to not let it show on his face. “Oh?”
“You’re right. There’s something there between us.” She fiddled with the bottom of her shirt, the movement flashing him a slice of tanned skin. “My days off are for my daughter, but if you want to get dinner or something before my shift on Friday, I’dbe okay with that.”
