Page 114 of Merciless Desires

“Home?” He lays a stare on me that withers my spine.

“A motel off the strip.”

His eyes flutter for a moment, then he reaches for me. “Let’s go.”

“I… I can go home?” I gawk at my lawyer.

“Yes,” he says, rocking on his heels, relieved to be rid of me. “I’ll be in touch about your next court date.”

“I… I don’t have a phone.”

Darragh rolls his eyes. “Here.” He hands something to my lawyer. “This is my business card. Call me.”

My lawyer tucks Darragh’s card away and says, “I’ll be in touch, Miss Michaels.”

He leaves, and Darragh stares at me with cold eyes. A man in a suit stands behind him and whispers something I don’t hear. He leaves, too, looking over his shoulder at us.

It’s Darragh and I. Alone. The weight of his gaze, cutting across all corners of my body, sends heat flaring low in my belly. It’s a caress I can feel. Christ… I’ve not felt anything close to arousal in so damn long.

What a time for my hormones to kick in.

But I can’t feel that way for Darragh. It’s wrong.

“Thank you,” I say softly.

“You’re welcome.” His piercing green eyes bore into mine. “Stasia.”

I shudder, realizing he only did this because of who I am. “I’ve been going by Ana.”

“Your kidnappers just dropped you off here in Vegas?”

My eyes slip closed. “I… I wasn’t kidnapped.”

“I don’t know exactly who thinks what anymore, but your disappearance has caused a lot of grief for a lot of people in Astoria.”

“I know,” I say, even though I don’t know because Cormac cut me off from the world.

Darragh glares at my stomach. “When is your due date?”

“I had an ultrasound in the infirmary. They said I have a month to go.”

“You didn’t know before that?” He’s just as dangerous as his brother, but I’m utterly captivated by him.

“Cormac didn’t let me see a doctor. Not that I can afford one.”

“He is a doctor. A pediatric…” He grumbles under his breath. “It is his baby, isn’t it?”

“Yes, of course.” I go breathless at the insinuation.

Tension is thick between us. He bailed me out and not his own brother. What’s going on here?

“Your clothes are in that hotel room?” Is Darragh just bringing me back to that disgusting motel to leave me there?

“Motel room.” I cringe, having to point out the difference. “I have some clothes there, even though they don’t fit very well. Your brother didn’t buy me any maternity clothes.”

“I’m going to kill him,” Darragh mutters. “Let’s go.”

“Wait. I… I don’t have any money. Cormac gambled away what I had and kept everything we made. I have no way to eat.”

---