Page 8 of Savage King

“Eyes on me,” I order her and grow hard, zipping this thing over those full breasts. God, I’m just noticing how big they are. “Put her in my car,” I say to Eoghan.

“Papa,” she cries out. “Please.”

“This is what’s best for you,” he says coldly. “Someone is after me. After us. Our home is gone. Kieran will protect you.”

“What about you, Papa?” Her voice shakes.

Gabe and I stare at each other. I don’t know their relationship, another intel failure perhaps.

“I’ll be fine, Isabella. Uncle Dante and I have to get with my men and find out who did this to us and why.” He turns harsh. “I can’t be worrying about you at school. Or deal with your bullshit. Now, get the fuck out of my sight.”

A whimper vibrates from her throat, and rage soars through me at how he could be so cruel. It’s one thing to sell her to me, but making her feel like an unwanted burden is just being a scumbag.

“I can’t go with you like this. I need my clothes.” She breaks from me and storms out of the office.

I debate following her but don’t trust myself to be in a bedroom alone with her wearing a bikini. “Isabella,” I call out to her. When she turns to me, I say, “Please put on something appropriate. My wife doesn’t travel around in just a bathing suit.”

“I’m not your wife.” She holds her head up. “Not yet.”

CHAPTER FIVE

Isabella

Thisisn’thappening.

The option of jumping out the window is looking better and better. Break my legs so I have to stay in a hospital. The idea of being in that much pain changes my mind. Not here. Not now. It’s too risky. Perhaps Kieran will put me in a room in his mansion where I can escape. Run to Ivan so he can hide me.

Knowing I don’t have a choice, I tear out of the bikini and prepare to chuck it. The way Kieran looked at me in it, though, suggested he liked what those amazing green eyes saw. I can use that to my advantage so he’ll give me what I want.

What do I want, though? I have no idea because I’m being given to him out of nowhere. With no warning. I’ll be in a cage like a lab rat.

But I can act like a tiger. Show these men who they’re messing with.

Naked, I dig through the suitcase I packed with new school clothes. I throw the bikini in there, take out a pair of short shorts, and grab a thin T-shirt. Skipping a bra and panties, I dress in a hurry, tucking my phone into the front of my shorts.

If Kieran wants a wife, he’ll get a hot, young one. I’m not completely naïve. I know men are slaves to the power between their legs. Kieran’s heated gaze stirred something visceral in me, though. Something I never felt with Ivan or anyone. I have to be careful and not fall for him.

Papa appears in the doorway, and I expect an apology. He doesn’t say a word. Instead, he levels a rude once-over at me. A second later, he stomps over at me, and I get a stinging backhand across the face.

My cheek explodes in pain as I hit the carpet, seeing blood drip from my nose, which is also throbbing. Who the hell is he? Mama never let him hit me. She took his rage so he wouldn’t hurt me. “What wasthatfor?”

“Talking back to me in front of a don.” He fumes with anger. “What the fuck are you wearing? You’re going to be O’Rourke’s queen. Not his whore.”

“All of my nice dresses blew up, Papa!” I get to my feet and let him see the blood.

He pushes me aside and ransacks my luggage. Messing up the neat piles I made, he yanks out a pair of jeans. “Put these on.”

“It’s ninety degrees.” I wrestle the luggage from him. “And I wouldn’t hit me again if I were you. You sold me to the cruel Irish king, as you like to call him. I don’t think he wants hisqueenwalking around with a black eye.”

After rifling through my bag, I find a simple black dress I forgot I bought in the mad rush to replace an entire wardrobe. Staring at my father, I pull on the hem of the T-shirt. “Can I change, please?”

He points at me. “Behave for Kieran. And keep your eyes and ears open over there.”

“I won’t be your spy.”

“You’ll do as you’re told.” He lifts his hand to me again.

“Hey!”Kieran’s voice thunders from the doorway. Noticing the blood smeared on my cheek, he grabs my father by the throat and slams him against the wall. “What the fuck are you doing to her? How dare you hitmyfiancée, Parisi?”

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