Page 71 of Her Irish Treasures
I seized her chin and jerked her close. “Don’t you dare fucking apologize or make excuses for how you feel. Ever. You want him. You got him. If I wasn’t such a sorry bastard, I would have invited him to the shitty hotel in the first place.”
Warwick chuckled. “Better yet, I could have whisked us to the finest hotel in town, though Evil Eye probably owns it.”
“What? Balor actually owns properties?”
“Of course. He needs streams of income and jobs for his minions to blend in among the mortals. Most fae have stakes in human properties. You’ve probably noticed some in the past. They especially love grand old mansions with overgrown riotous gardens and massive, ancient trees. Or patches of thick forest in the middle of town where no forest should be. All the wild places that remain, caves and places of darkness, bottomless pits in the oceans. Different courts tend to buy and invest in different technologies or industries. Evil Eye prefers mining and mining equipment. Which is how he’s able to move so many imps and pookas into human spaces without anyone noticing.”
My dick was going to explode in agony if we didn’t get busy. I fisted my hand in her hair, bunching up my fingers at her nape. Pulling, just a little, while I watched her reaction. Her pupils blew wide, her mouth softening on another one of those squeaky sounds that almost made me nut on the spot.
“Now you see why I was reluctant to bring the leprechaun along on this ride.” I tightened my grip, twisting my hand tighter. “Do you want a history lesson on the economic impact of fae courts on the mortal plane? Or would you rather fuck?”
She bit her luscious bottom lip. “The latter.”
I leaned into her, putting my face right up against hers with my meanest scowl and deepest growl. “Say it out loud.”
“Fuck me. Please.”
18
Icouldn’t be sure, given my Swiss cheese memory, but I was pretty sure no one had ever manhandled me in bed before. Not in a way that I enjoyed it. Doran and Ivarr had been extremely gentle and tender. Even the first time on the bar, everyone had been so careful with me.
Five men were a lot, and they’d handled me like I was delicate china that might shatter into a thousand pieces.
Aroused Aidan was way more. Like a million times more.
Doran’s rumble echoed in my head.:Tell him if he’s too much, and he’ll rein himself in. I won’t allow you to be scared or uncomfortable a single moment. I’ll throw his ass out on the curb first.:
Evidently Aidan heard his friend’s words too. His eyes narrowed to slits. :If you’re ever scared of me, really scared of me, I’ll fucking slit my own throat.:
I scowled back at him. “I’m not scared. Don’t you dare hold back.”
He looked over at Keane, who immediately gave him a subtle nod. I wasn’t sure what Keane would be able to do if Aidan lost control of himself. I didn’t want to find out.
Aidan gave that same look to Warwick. Surprised, I started to glance back over my shoulder to see how he responded, but Aidan’s grip kept me from turning my head. He’d demanded the leprechaun get me out if things went bad when we went to free Doran. So it wouldn’t surprise me in the slightest if—
Black hair tumbled down over my shoulder and a hard, muscled body loomed over me. His hands jerked my wrists behind me into the small of my back, effortlessly pinning me. “That isn’t our plan at all, love.”
All the breath left my lungs in a rush. Wide-eyed, I watched Aidan release me and lean back casually against the pillows and headboard. My scalp tingled where he’d gripped my hair, and my heart galloped ninety miles an hour. Hovering between a hell yeah and oh shit, my body didn’t know whether to jump off the bed and race for the door, or turn into a quivering melted puddle on the mattress.
My breath came in shallow, soft pants that echoed in the room. Thoughts exploded and dissipated rapid fire through my mind. Aggressive Aidan wasn’t a surprise. Aggressive Warwick was. What role would Keane play? From his sultry eyes and luscious, pouty lips, I’d always pictured him as a flirt, taking his time as he lazily kissed or stroked. A tease—but not dangerous.
But the molten heat blazing in his eyes threatened to obliterate me to dust.
“Yeah, that looks damned good on you,” Aidan said. “Let me see more.”
I wasn’t sure what he meant. Take the jacket off? How could I when my arms were trapped behind me?
Warwick pushed my wrists up higher, lifting me into an awkward scramble on my knees. His other palm slid up to squeeze the front of my throat, arching my shoulders back against him. His fingers encased my neck. Letting me feel the strength in his hand. Making me work a little harder to breathe as he applied more pressure.
The subtle threat that all he had to do was squeeze and I’d be done.
I wouldn’t be able to breathe. Not if he didn’t allow it.
All very calm and controlled. I wasn’t hurt. I wasn’t scared.
In fact, I felt just as safe as I had with Doran and Ivarr—beneath Stoneheart’s wing with Ivarr’s gentle, warming light.
I was safe then. And I was safe now. Even with my hands pinned and my throat held captive.
