Page 184 of Destined Lovers

He tilts his head to exit the room, and I motion to Maeve that I’ll only be a minute, then follow him out.

“Pack your bags. We’re leaving for New York in the next hour.”

I narrow my eyes confused. “What?” What the feck is he going on about?

“Do you know a bloke named Killian? He’s also from Ireland.”

I nod. “Aye, Bennett’s best mate is named Killian. He mixed up in this too?”

“Killian’s surname is Byrne.” He stares at me, but whatever he’s trying to say isn’t registering. He widens his eyes. “As is in, Conor Byrne’s son.”

My eyes mimic his. This can’t be true.

“You think Bennett works with the Irish Mob?” I ask, but don’t hear the reply as my knees hit the floor.

If Bennett works for the mob, any little hope that she is still alive has gone out the window, right with my shattered and damaged heart.

Killian

My phone rings and I answer immediately, knowing exactly what it is about.

“What?” I snap.

“Did you take care of the girl?”

“Aye, you can tell Da that the mark has been eliminated. Nora King is no longer a threat.”

25

Nora

Slowly,my eyes flutter as I wake, and my grin widens the width of my face as my one hand instinctively rubs small circles on my stomach. It’s only been one day since I found out I’m pregnant, yet it already feels like the most natural thing in the world.

I feel like a mammy.

I feel happy and love myself sick over our new life to come. Declan gives me so much, and now I can finally give him something we’ve always wanted.

A family.

I reach my hand across the bed to feel for my love, but it falls off the side. I reach the other side, and the same thing occurs.

Hmm, what the hell? Why does the bed feel so small?

And then it hits me… my eyes shoot open, and my body jolts up. It takes a second to register that I’m living my worst nightmare. I’m not home with Declan…I’ve been kidnapped.

“Ahh!” I scream and shuffle back on the bed. Bennett and Killian are both sitting across from me, staring. Killian’s eyes are locked on my face, and Bennett’s on my stomach.

“What the hell is going on?” I scream.

I try and fail to move back again to create more distance between two people I thought I could trust.

It’s all coming back to me. Bennett kidnapped me right on the streets of London, in broad daylight, and no one could save me. Not my love, and not my guards, because I mistakenly ran to Bennett thinking I was safe with him.

My heart is racing a mile a minute as I look around the old dingy room. I’m going to die here, my baby and me.

Oh my god. This is it.

I bring my knees to my chest, wrap my arms tightly around my legs, and rock back and forth.As if rocking will save me.

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