Page 99 of Reclaim (Deadly Hearts 3)

“Well, me and some of the boys might have taken over control of Scott’s turf last night. It was a drunken dare and, you know how stupid men are…” I stop talking when her eyes light up with the flames of hell.

“You did what?” she clips out.

“It was all for you,” I say. “They were talking about taking it and I wanted to do it to save you the job…”

“Fuck’s sake, Cillian!” she roars, splitting my aching head in two with the volume. “Now what does this look like?”

“I’ll let you fight me for it,” I point out. “It just seemed that you weren’t catching a break. I wanted to do something for you…”

She sighs. “Okay, I get that, and thank you for thinking of me, but I need to take control of that territory, by myself.”

“Then come over here and take it,” I say, stepping forward, arms outstretched.

Her shrewd gaze flickers to me, naked in the shower. I brace myself. I have absolutely no doubt she is stronger than she looks.

Her bunched fist comes flying at my face, smashing me in the nose, making me bleed and grunt with the pain shooting through my face.

“Feck’s sake, woman,” I say, cupping my nose. “Didn’t hold back, did you?”

Then she really lets me have it and knees me in the balls.

I drop to my knees with a whimper. “Take it, love. It’s all yours.”

“Why, thank you,” she says and storms out of the bathroom, slamming the door shut behind her.

“Shoulda bloody taken the blowie,” I mutter, using the taps to haul myself to my feet.

“Need some help?” Declan asks a moment later, shoving the door open. “Ruby is pissed.”

“I’m okay,” I croak out, still feeling the ache in my nuts. “Are you?”

“Michelle’s on her way.”

I give him an inquisitive glare.

“The off-the-books doctor,” he says with a dismissive wave of his hand.

“Oh. Think she can look at my fecking nose?”

He snorts. “Probably. You did the right thing. Thank you.”

“You think? It seemed like a good idea at the time…my nuts think not so much now.”

He presses his lips together to stop from laughing. “She needs a break from all of this fighting and killing and battling.”

“She owns half the city now. If I give her one percent of my territory, no one can gang up on her ever again.”

He nods thoughtfully. “You’ve thought this through.”

“I love her. Her well-being is the only thing that matters to me.”

“You’re an ass,” Ruby says, pushing the door open, arms folded. “But thank you.”

“Anytime, love.” I give her a smug smile, glad she isn’t angry with me. “Now can I finish my shower in peace?”

“Sure you don’t want a blowie?”

“Fuck off,” I grouse and slam the shower door shut in their laughing faces. “Dicks.”

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