Total pages in book: 85
Estimated words: 83994 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 420(@200wpm)___ 336(@250wpm)___ 280(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 83994 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 420(@200wpm)___ 336(@250wpm)___ 280(@300wpm)
“You’re starting something you shouldn’t.” I approach slowly, feeling a stirring of hunger.
But her legs snap closed. “Easy, boy. I’m only teasing.”
“You know you can’t do that.”
“I can and I did.” She laughs and hops off my desk. I grab her and kiss her, but she wriggles from my grip. “You’re getting soft, you know.”
“I’m not feeling the opposite right now.”
“You know what I mean. We’re still not sure Rory wasn’t a part of Donnell’s trap in the end.”
I sigh and slump back into my chair. “You’re right, but I can either spend a few months murdering a whole lot of people, or I can start rebuilding. I bet that boy is more loyal to me now than his father ever was to my father.”
“What a clever man.”
“I’m a leader now. I can’t afford to be a vicious fuck anymore.”
“Well, you can be a little vicious, so long as you’re not stupid too.”
“Fair point.” I reach out and tug her close. She drops down into my lap and kisses me. “I’ve been thinking about our arrangement.”
“Have you?” Her eyebrows raise as she wriggles her hips. “Feels like you’re thinking about something else right now.”
“I mean it. You’re my wife. You don’t have to keep playing executive assistant too if you don’t want to.”
She shrugs and leans in, brushing her lips against mine. “If I stop that, what would you do with yourself?”
“Fall to pieces most likely.”
“Exactly, and besides, so long as we’re still working together, I have a good excuse to be in the room with you.”
“I just want to give you options.”
“Good. I love you for that.”
“And I adore you.” I pull her close and kiss her harder. “Honestly, baby, I need you with me.”
“I’m the brains of this operation.”
“Something like that.”
“I got my monster, and I plan on keeping him.” She leans in close and breathes in deep. “We’re better together, right?”
I pull her hair lightly. “Exactly. Always better together.”
“Here’s to the Whelans.” She leans back, gyrating her hips and grinding into me.
“Ms. Brennan, is teasing about to turn into something more?”
“We have twenty minutes before the next meeting.”
“I’ll cancel it.”
“Good idea.”
Epilogue: Casey
Istretch my legs with a satisfied groan. My feet ache from wearing heels all day. “Did that narco asshole seriously have to walk us all the way around his compound?”
Declan raises his eyebrows. “You didn’t like the exotic animals?”
“Honestly, not really. It’s kind of creepy and sad.”
“Diego was just trying to impress us.” Declan pats my leg lightly. In front of us, the sun’s setting behind a stand of palm trees. The pool is quiet and empty. Most of the families are staying in the lower-end resort. Other adults lounge around the pool as a waitress walks around taking drink orders and delivering food.
“At least he didn’t insist we stay in the guest house.”
“He tried that, but I made it clear we prefer our own accommodations.”
“Like a five-star hotel.” I roll toward him and smile to myself. “Where I get to see my stuffy husband in a bathing suit.”
“I’m not stuffy.”
“You are, but it’s okay. I love you anyway.”
He scowls and looks like he wants to say something when the waitress appears with a tray. She puts a glass of whiskey down for him and what looks like a mojito for me. “Will there be anything else, Mr. Whelan?”
“That’s everything, thank you.” He tips her, and she hurries off. He raises his glass to his lips and takes a long drink. “Much better. This is the only way I can wash away the taste of Diego’s menagerie.”
I don’t touch my drink. Instead, I watch the pool, feeling lazy and content. “Do you think he’s going to accept the terms?”
“We discussed them long enough. I doubt he called us down here just to back out at the last second.”
“Still, you never know.”
“He’ll do it.” He glances at me, frowning slightly. “Do you want something else? Wine or maybe a margarita? I hear they’ve got a good spicy version.”
“No, this is great, thanks. I’m just not in the drinking mood.”
He looks thoughtful but changes the subject. There’s a lot to talk about. This is our first business trip abroad together, and so far, it’s going well. When I first became his assistant, I never imagined I’d end up visiting Mexico to seal a drug-smuggling deal with a powerful narco kingpin, but here we are.
It’s actually kind of fun.
Dangerous though. Seamus brought about half the Whelan family strength with him just to make sure we’re fully protected. The resort is practically housing an army of soldiers right now. I wonder if they know or even care.
The evening wears on. Declan drags me into the water for a short swim. I mostly float around in his arms and let him kiss me. I love the way he looks at me in my bikini. It’s flattering and intoxicating, and I can’t wait to go back to the room with him. But instead, he sits back in the chair and glances at me.