Page 62 of Illicit Heir

"Did it? It sounds like the truth to me. You're only backtracking since you didn't mean to admit it!"

I glance at the ceiling, frustrated by my stupid outburst and unable to keep my gaze on her pain-filled expression.

"Devin, get out. Ya don't belong here. You're not an O'Leary. This is an O'Leary pub. Get out," she repeats as tears fall down her face and she quickly tries to swipe at them.

In a quick move, I step forward and tug her into me. I don't know why I do it. I should leave. She's right. This is an O'Leary pub, and I'm not an O'Leary. But nothing about our situation can be rationalized.

I hold her closer, and she tries to push me away. But I wrap my arms around her tighter and press her head against my chest. I mutter, "I'm sorry, angel."

She slowly relaxes, her body going limp against mine and not fighting me. "You're not sorry," she declares in a muffled voice against my chest.

I kiss the top of her head. "I am. I didn't mean to hurt ya."

"Yea, ya did. Are ya happy that ya did? Does it make ya feel better that ya set me up and got what ya wanted?"

The reality sounds horrible coming from her. And I can't argue with her. It's exactly what I did. Still, I don't want to admit it to her. So I repeat, "I didn't mean to hurt ya."

She suddenly gets a burst of energy and pushes out of my arms. "Yea, ya did. And whoever ya have spying on me, ya better stop it. If Caleb finds out, there will be blood in this pub. Besides, ya have no right to watch me anyway."

I don't say anything. There's no way I'll take Samuel off her. He'll continue monitoring her until I work through whatever this obsession is that I have with her.

"I mean it, Devin. Nobody is to be watching me. Call it off. Caleb will find out. I can assure ya that he will."

I grunt. "Caleb's the last person I'm worrying about. He's a fucking moron if ya haven't noticed."

"Of course I've noticed. But he'll still find out. And you're a moron too. You're the one who came down here, and now ya have surveillance on me. What do ya think will happen when he finds out?" she hurls out.

I cross my arms. "There's one thing ya need to learn about me, Lauren."

Her eyes burn with heat. "What's that?"

I confess, "Nothing and no one scares me. That includes Caleb and all the other O'Learys."

She shoots me more daggers with her eyes. "Well, ya should be."

I grunt. "No, I shouldn't."

She shakes her head in anger, trying to stop fresh tears. "Then it's your funeral. Now get out. There's no reason for ya to be here."

11

Lauren

Tension builds between us. I can't tear my gaze off his. I've thought about him so many times since he left that night, unable to get his sharp features out of my mind, craving to have his hand on my throat as he just did it. But I never thought I'd see him again.

His body presses against me, and I mold right into it, hating myself for reacting to him. I should feel nothing but disgust toward him after what he's done, and now he admits he's spying on me.

I rack my brain, trying to figure out who he has watching me. But everyone I know in the pub is an O'Leary.

That means there's a traitor in the clan. It's my duty to tell Caleb so he can figure out who betrayed us. But how would I even do that? What would I tell him? I can't admit Devin told me.

And I don't know how many times I've told Devin to leave, even though I don't want him to. I hate that I'm conflicted about how I feel about him when there should be so much clarity around it.

He lunges toward me, and I back up until I'm against the staircase wall. He never takes his eyes off me. His warm, muscular frame pushes against mine. He puts his hand on my throat again and his other one on my cheek.

Blood pounds hard between my ears. My breath shortens. I'm fully aware of all the things I feel for him that I shouldn't. It's wrong on so many levels.

His eyes drift over my face, freezing on my lips, and all I want to do is kiss him. I wish we could go back to how we were that night, before I knew anything about him. I'd do anything to return to when I'd fully let go and wasn't worried about anything except being in the moment.

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