AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Standing above him, I slant my mouth over Finn’s and kiss him fiercely. Sitting on the couch next to Mac, I look at his brother. “So, can I get one too?”
Leaning forward, he picks my mug off the coffee table and hands it to me. “I’ll give you as many tattoos as you want, Baby Girl, but first, we have a few things to go over.”
50
Ronan
“Ineed three of you down at the docks tonight to pick up a delivery,” I say to one of my men on the phone from the office at Kings. It’s early evening, and the club won’t be open for a few hours, but I needed to come down to take a look at our books. Usually, Finn takes care of most of the Kings’ business, but I hadn’t been here in a while and wanted to check-in. So, like the excellent boss and best friend I am, I suggested he stay home, curled up on the couch with Harper. “They’ll be there at 11:15 in a dark blue Honda Civic.” The phone dings, signaling another incoming call, and I pull the phone from my ear to see that it’s Sebastian calling. It’s been two days since we set our plan in motion the day Declan burnt Hayes’ Bookstore. He’d only be calling for one thing. “Get it done. Text me or the guys if you have any problems,” I bite out, quickly ending the call to answer Sebastian’s.
“Got him?”
“Yeah, Ronan. I fucking got him.”
“Text me the address. I’ll run home to grab Finn and Mac and meet Luca and Dante there.”
“Seb and I will meet you at the apartment,” Enzo says in the background. I hear the sound of a car starting, letting me know they’re already on the move.
“See you in a few.” Pocketing my phone, I grab my suit jacket off the back of my chair and race out of the club, to my car, and back to the apartment. Once I pull into our parking garage level, I find Enzo and Sebastian waiting with several duffle bags in hand. We gave them clearance to the entire building when Harper was missing, which has come in handy on more than one occasion. I come to a screeching halt in my stall and barrel out of the car towards them. Enzo throws a black duffle at me. “Your guys’ clothes are in there.”
“And those?” I ask, nodding towards the remaining bags in their hands. “Seb brought some of his equipment to help keep an eye on things, but this one,” he holds it up, a maniacal twinkle dancing in his eyes, “Just some extra toys in case you guys need it.”
“Thanks, man. Let’s go upstairs.”
As the elevator takes us to our floor, Enzo asks, “Bella know about this part of the plan?”
Side-eyeing him, I answer, “Stop calling her that. And no, not yet.”
“Good luck with that one,” he mumbles under his breath.
When the elevator doors open on our floor I find Finn, Mac, and Harper sitting in the den watching Dirty Dancing. Finn spots me out of the corner of his eye and immediately reaches for the remote to turn off the TV. He looks over my shoulder at Enzo and Sebastian, then down at all the bags in our hands. “You found him.” It’s not a question. He knows.
Nodding my head, I throw the duffle at him, and he catches it. “You and Mac go get changed.”
Without another word, he quickly kisses Harper on his way past her. Mac stands from the couch and does the same. Harper looks over the back of the couch at me, her green eyes wide. “Hey, Bella,” Enzo greets her, then winks at me. They break off and head toward the dining room. Walking around the couch, I squat in front of Harper and rub my hands up and down the tops of her thighs.
“It’s time?”
“Yeah, Baby. It is.”
Harper bites her lip, clearly nervous but not trying to let it show. “What do you need me to do?”
I look into her eyes and squeeze her legs in my hands. “Harper,”
I watch as it only takes a moment to process. She looks over her shoulder to see Enzo and Sebastian unloading their equipment onto the table. Taking a deep breath, she looks back at me; the nervousness she was just trying so hard to hide has now taken over her face. But that’s not the only thing I see. She looks sad. Frightened. Because she knows what I’m about to ask her. “That’s why Enzo and Sebastian are here, isn’t it?”
I nod. “I know you want to go. I know you want to face the man who has single-handedly tried to destroy your life at every turn. I’d be lying if I said I didn’t think you deserved that much. But I’d also be lying if I said you being there wouldn’t be a distraction. Because you would be, Baby. We have no idea what exactly we’re walking into, but we do know that he’s hell-bent on destroying you, no matter what. I know we let you come with us that night at the docks, but that was different. Liam had no idea you were there, and we were in control of the situation. Tonight, we won’t be. If you’re there, we won’t be able to focus. We won’t be able to do our job. And if we can’t do our job, you won’t be safe.” Tears start to well in her eyes. “We need you safe, Baby. Please stay here with Enzo and Sebastian. Please be safe.”
My thumb finds hers, and I spin my ring that she still has there. When I look back up at her face, I see it. For once, she’s not going to argue with me—she understands.
After a moment, she nods and whispers, “Okay.”
“Okay?”
She untucks one hand from mine and drags the tip of her pointer finger along her name on my neck. Besides asking her to marry us, this tattoo is one of the best ideas my brother has ever had. It’s a badge of honor, inked on my skin for the rest of time. And even though she won’t be there, Declan Whelan will see her name on our skin as we put an end to his miserable fucking existence. “I’ll stay here.”
I let out a harsh breath, hearing her say the words out loud. Leaning forward, I kiss her quick but fierce. “Ralph is downstairs, and once we leave, he’s going to shut down that elevator. He’s got extra men posted all over the building. Enzo and Sebastian will be here the entire time. Do not leave until we get back under any circumstances. If anything happens, you do exactly as Enzo tells you. Okay?”
Her chin wobbles as she nods.
