Page 123 of Illicit Heir

Franco eyes us suspiciously,

I claim, "It's true. And we're not looking for trouble. We just want to make sure she's safe. We know the men who have come up here asking about her."

He continues to give us a dirty look, and the door opens. A woman enters, blurting out, "What's going on?"

I glance at her, and my heart falls. "Please tell me that's not Meghann," I say to the barmaid, then glance back at her strawberry-blonde hair, long legs, and blue eyes. My gaze falls to her pregnant belly.

The woman puts her hands across her stomach. "Why do ya know my name?"

"Ya don't know these guys?" the barmaid questions.

Meghann shakes her head. "No, I've never seen them in my life."

"Then it's not her mum that's dying?"

Meghann's eyes widen. "My mum's dying?"

Another false lead. I'm going to kill Samuel.

Tynan steps between us as my heart drops. "No, lass, there's been a mistake. We thought ya were somebody else."

"Ya sure? My mum's okay?" she frets.

"Aye. Your mum's okay. We're looking for someone else," I say, shoving past them into the bar, then stopping in my tracks.

Caleb and Samuel stand ten feet in front of me.

Tynan follows and bumps into me.

Caleb blurts out, "What the fuck are ya doing here?"

"None of your business. And I should ask ya the same thing," I state, my fists curling at my sides.

Franco appears, ordering, "All of ya get out of the pub, now."

Caleb turns to him and gives him an arrogant look. "I don't know who ya are, but ya have no right to order us around."

"I said to get out," Franco repeats.

Caleb comes closer, and I step in front of Franco, not wanting the man to get hurt. I don't blame him for wanting to protect the place. And Caleb will surely hurt him. Franco's not a strong man, and he's got some balls to step in between us.

Caleb warns, "I'm not leaving without her."

"She's not who you're looking for," the cook states.

"Oh, and how do ya know who I'm looking for?" Caleb asks.

My heart pounds faster. I try to play dumb, asking, "Who are ya looking for?"

"Like ya don't know. Ya were looking for the same lass," Franco blurts out.

Idiot.

I spin on him and grab his shirt. "I don't know what the hell you're talking about."

Fear fills his face, but he maintains, "Ya were looking for Meghann, but it's not who you're looking for. Just like he is."

I shove the cook backward so hard he flies against the wall and then I spin before Caleb can do anything.

---