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My gaze flickered to Declan. The look on his face said "do it". That was all the permission I needed. I dropped down, shoved Jack's thighs over my shoulder and hauled myself to my feet.

"Let go of me! Ronan, make this motherfucker put me down!"

"Is that really necessary?" Ronan muttered. "He can walk."

"Sure, look I'm just gonna go ahead and carry him. We'll get out of here faster."

Jack's fists hammered against my back as I marched toward the door. I wasn't interested in seeing what the hell anyone else thought. We were given orders and I would follow them.

"Put me down you fucker!"

"Calm down," I grunted. I took one last glance at Declan. "You sure?"

Declan nodded. "Sure as anything."

I nodded. "We'll be in touch."

"No," Declan said sternly. "No phones from any of you. Pick up burners when you get to Phoenix. We'll keep in contact only when we have to. Someone will bring more money and my burner number when I'm sure it's safe. Otherwise, just watch over my son. And Finnian?"

"Yes?"

"Don't let anything happen to him. Any of you." He looked at us. "I'd hate to have to kill you all."

CHAPTER TWO

JACK

Phoenix Arizona was hell.I felt like I was standing on the surface of the sun. My face hurt from it, my arms burned, and I was ready to punch someone in the face. Ronan loaded the bags into the rental that had been arranged for us. I stared at it. A janky little car that barely had enough room for all of us. It looked like it had last been used ten years ago. However, Finnian insisted it was perfect. Just what we needed to blend in and stay below the radar.

"Fuck, it's hot!" I groaned as I climbed inside. "Turn up the AC!"

"What do you think I'm doing?" Finnian asked.

"Don't be an asshole."

Finnian glared at me in the rearview mirror, but he didn't say anything. I knew he wouldn't. He turned up the AC. A blast of cool air went right to the backseat where I'd opted to sit since it was next to the only empty space waiting for my bodyguard. Ronan. He climbed into the car and froze when he saw I'd moved into the middle seat.

"Go back to your side," he said gruffly.

I frowned at him. "What? You don't want me close to you?"

"That's not what I said," Ronan muttered. "Go back to your side and put your seatbelt on. Please."

Boring.Ronan loved to pretend he wasn't interested in me, he always had. I'd been after the man since I was seventeen years old. Back then I understood when he didn't make a move, I was underaged and all. Now? Well, there was no reason to keep distance between us when I was a legal adult.

I laid a hand on his thigh. "I don't know how to work my seatbelt. Will you fix it for me?"

Ronan quickly removed my hand. "You are old enough to buckle yourself in. How many times do I have to say that?"

"At least a few more," I said as I grinned. "I forget things quickly."

Ronan stared straight ahead, his lips pressed together in a thin line. Sighing, I shoved myself back into my seat.Of course he's the same as always. All business, no fun.I crossed my arms over my chest as I stared out the window.

"Are we going?" Cian asked.

"Of course we are," Finnian snapped back.

I stared up at the two of them. I never saw Finnian lose his temper as much as he did around Cian. Normally he was upright, controlled, boring. Once he was around Cian though? It was an entirely different story. Finnian adjusted the glasses that sat on the bridge of his freckled nose. He had red hair, a red beard, and deep green eyes that were honestly kind of sexy. Too bad he was an uptight asshole or I'd want to ride his dick as badly as I wanted Ronan's.

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