Total pages in book: 68
Estimated words: 64362 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 322(@200wpm)___ 257(@250wpm)___ 215(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 64362 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 322(@200wpm)___ 257(@250wpm)___ 215(@300wpm)
She licked her lips and batted her lashes at me. “An accent. Hot and accented. Where are you from? Scotland?”
I winced. Americans. I wouldn’t hold it against her though.
“Ireland,” I replied. “A superior country and accent.”
She looked slightly embarrassed. “Oops,” she said with a slight shrug. “I, uh, was just bringing out the trash and saw you walking by. I thought you might be lost.”
What a terrible lie, but I couldn’t fault the girl for needing an excuse to talk to me.
I might be able to lure this one into my rental and take her to the yacht with me. It would have to be a quickie, as I wasn’t taking her with me back to Ireland, but she’d be a good ride.
“Not lost, but thanks for yer concern.” I took a step closer to her, and her breasts rose and fell as her breathing picked up. This might be too easy. “I could use some company, if yer available.”
There was a flicker of something in her eyes that caused me to pause. My hackles rose, but before I could define it, the hard muzzle of a gun was pressed into my stomach.
“Jaysus, Mary,” I hissed. Who the feck was this?
“You’re gonna need to add Joseph and the twelve disciples, too, if you don’t get the hell off my property,” she snarled.
It shouldn’t be a turn-on, but it was.
“I was unaware it was private,” I said, wondering if all the waitresses carried guns. That practice would end badly in Ireland for sure.
“It’s a bar. It’s not private. But you were told to stay the fuck off our soil.”
Two things to note: she was angry, and she knew who I was.
“It seems yer at an advantage. Ye know me, but I don’t know ya,” I told her, leaning in closer to smell her hair.
“Are you fucking smelling me?” she bit out.
“I am,” I replied. “Yer a fiery little lass, aren’t ya?”
She narrowed her eyes at me and shoved the gun harder into my gut. “Salem is happy. She’s a mom. She’s married to the man she loves. I’ll put a bullet in your stomach before I let you ruin things for her. Stay the fuck in Ireland.”
I studied her face. She’d had some excellent breeding. The face was perfection. But it seemed I wouldn’t be getting her to remove her knickers. There wasn’t enough time to work my magic on this one. She was going to require extra work.
I held up both hands in a mock surrender of sorts. “I was just here to check on her and make sure she was doing okay. I promised it to my brother on his death bed.”
She scoffed at me. Actually feckin’ scoffed.
“Yeah, well, I don’t think he told you to abduct her, haul her off to Ireland, and point a gun at her, did he?” she said accusingly.
“Those weren’t my finer moments,” I agreed. “But I thought it was for the best at the time. Protectin’ the family and her. The DEA was already followin’ her.”
She pursed her lips. “Marlana Newbury. That’s the DEA who was checking into her. And Marlana isn’t a threat. Not to Salem at least.”
I nodded my head. “Good. I’m glad to hear it. She is happy and safe. I’ll be on my way, if ye would kindly take yer gun from my person.”
For a moment, I thought perhaps she wasn’t going to, but then the hard piece was gone.
I dramatically sighed in relief and smiled. “It was a pleasure to meet ya.” I paused, not knowing her name and wanting to very much.
“I can’t say likewise,” she drawled with a fake smile. “Now, go while I stand here and make sure you leave.”
“Ye won’t even give me yer name?”
She raised her eyebrows, as if I was thick. “No. I don’t think I will.”
I bowed my head slightly. “Very well.”
I could find it out easily enough. I’d once been the ghost, had I not? My face and identity were no longer a secret—at least not to the Southern Mafia and those connected to them. It seemed this beauty was in the know. I’d need to find out why.
“Go,” she ordered me. “I’m still holding this gun, and I’m an excellent shot.”
The delighted laugh begged to be freed, but I held it in. She’d likely shoot me if I didn’t.
Turning to hide my grin, I walked away.
For now.