Page 11 of The Irish Reaper

Really, like fucking what?

I want to scream at the top of my lungs and blow these two men out of the room, but I possess no superpower to be able to do that. I am trapped in a man’s world with no way out but to run away. And even that thought has been deterred because Papa will send Cillian to find me, and that reunion will be unpleasant.

“Haven,” Papa chimes, attempting to regain my attention. “This will be a joyous union between two powerful families.”

Joyous?

I’d love to know my father’s textbook definition of that word because, I can assure you, it’s not the same. And if it was so amazing, why didn’t he do this in the first place and make me go through what I did with Enzo?

“Do you want to say something to Mr. O’Clery?” Papa’s voice is short and sharp, and I won’t tell him to go fuck himself and marry some psycho’s son.

Better yet, send Cillian.

Those two can go at it and have theirjoyousunion.

“Finn, why don’t ya come over here, son, and meet yer new bride.”

My body immediately takes a step back at the mention of a third man in the room that I hadn’t noticed in the first place.

My eyes dart around the room and quickly come to find someone removing themselves from the shadows of Papa’s study.

He’s tall and wide as he slowly makes his way forward into the light to where I can see him better.

The hairs on my arms immediately raise on ends as I meet this newly founded husband of mine that my father so carelessly picked out again.

The question is, is it going to be worse?

A black dress shirt with two buttons undone and black suspenders come out from the shadows, and I freeze in time when the rest of him comes into view.

Dark tattoos line the right side of his thick neck, and dark eyes latch onto me like easy prey.

Like they didthatnight.

No. No. No.

God, no.

I can’t help the strangled gasp that leaves my throat, and I hate myself for it. The memories of the night Enzo was killed are still fresh in my head as if they were just happening right now, and Papa wants me to marry a murderer?

Hismurderer.

“Haven, Finn is Aiden’s middle son.”

I don’t give a shit who he is in line for whatever he has going on. I’m the middle child, and I get treated like crap.

And this man is going to continue that feat.

The man who murdered mylastfiancé?

The man who killed Enzo with two bullets and a not-so-subtle threat to me.

He didn’t use words, and he didn’t have to. His eyes were the real weapons. The things that have kept me silent for over a week without giving away a clue or a warning to Cillian and Papa.

And now he’s doing it again.

His semi-glower is the most powerful one I’ve ever seen, and he’s not even trying. Cillian has passed many of those over to me throughout my whole life, and none of them have scared me half to death like his.

The man I’m betrothed to.

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