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“Maybe that’s a good thing, mo chroí. As for the latter, well, I’d carry you to the ends of the world.”
I look at him, all humor aside, and I know he’s telling the truth. He leans in and takes my lips with his. A soft brush and then something a little deeper that speaks volumes more than anything either of us could say.
“This feels right.” The words don’t do the stirring emotions in me justice. I take his face between my palms and look him in the eye. “I want you to know that.”
His gaze is dark and intent. “Forget about leaving here. Stay with me. I’ll buy you all new stuff. You don’t need anything from your old life. I’ll give you everything you want and more.” He nuzzles me close and rubs the tip of his nose against mine.
I wish I had known my life would someday be brightened by a man that wants me so much that he’ll do anything to keep me safe.
“It’s not that simple, Sy. I owe people an explanation of where I am and I can’t just not return for my things. Sally depends on me. I can’t let her down. I either need to cover until someone can fill in for me, or at least tell her I’m okay. I don’t have much, but what I have is worth something to me, and I have possessions that money can’t buy. Things my mother gave me. Plus clothes that are not an ugly yellow or polyester.” I give a pointed look at my current state of clothing.
“I will have Luka, and two of my enforcers will accompany you. You have one hour before I want you back safe in my arms. Or I’ll come looking.”
I know he means well, so I don’t call him on his high-handedness. I draw in a shaky breath unsure of the answer to my next question but needing it all the same. “Why are you doing all this for me? Now that I know you don’t want to wrap me in a tarp and have Scarface put me with the fishes.”
He grunts, and I see a small smirk pull at the corner of his lip. “You know that annoys the hell of him, right. Do you even know who Scarface is? He’s not a right hand to anyone.”
“Yeah, I know. But you are taking it too literally.” I make a slash through my brow and draw it down the side of my face to resemble the one on Luka’s. “It just kinda fits. But don’t dodge my questions. I’m not here all because of the sex. You didn’t know me from any other Jane on the street, and you surely don’t owe me anything.”
He wraps his arms around me and locks me in his embrace. He nods his head as if telling himself its okay to share a deep part of him. I feel like I am about to be shown a hidden side of Sylan he doesn’t share with many and I give him all of my attention.
“When your father walked through my doors close to a year ago, believe it or not I felt a change coming. It had been building for a while and I was growing restless. In less than twenty-four hours I discovered you. I had men trailing your every move for the last year. Why do you think Sally gave you that job? Or why the landlord never kicked you out no matter how late you were with rent. It tore me up inside not to swoop in and take you the night your information crossed my desk. I’ve gone weeks with little sleep because I sat outside your apartment building making sure no one bothered you. Sally didn’t send those boxes of food from her diner.”
“It was you,” I whisper, eyes wide. I can’t determine if I was in awe of his kindness or of Sally’s ability to lie to my face when I asked her and then hugged her tight.
“I’ve put enough men in the ground that I saw my inability to have you as my penance. So I did what I could. It took incredible strength not to put a bullet in your father’s head for what he did to you and your mother. Every night I spent in my car I crafted ways to put him six feet under, and then I would see your shadow move in the window and my soul would calm, and I would be at peace for another little while.”
I’m having a hard time taking in what he’s telling me. “Did you kill my father?”
“No. But don’t for a minute think I didn’t want to. I told you. I’m no longer weak and my restraint was for you and not out of some pity for the dirty bastard.”
His black eyes are on me and he gauges my reaction to his words. “And Sally? She was never my friend?”
“She was. Is. She looked out for you because I asked her to. That’s where my influence ended. Everything else you have with her is genuine. You have my word.”
I nod but don’t really understand the whole picture.
“So you’ve done all this out of pity for me?” I go to push off his lap, but he tightens his hold around my waist.
He chuckles and the deep rumble reaches into me. I shiver from the dark edge to it.
“Pity, no. You’re not listening, mo chroí. I have nothing less than respect for you. And love.”
My eyes widen and so does my heart.
“Love?” I ask in a hushed whisper, afraid I didn’t hear him right.
“Love, mo chroí. I’ve never said that word outside my family. You’re my first. You belong to me entirely, and no one will take you from me.”
It’s crazy but I think I love him too. My heart hurts right along with his, and I’m honored he’s opened up to me.
“Now you know something about me. You don’t have to say anything. Not until you’re sure. I nod, and he presses his lips to my forehead. “My father was a good man. But he couldn’t save my sister who was hell-bent on doing things her way. She fell in with a bad crowd out of high school and she died on the streets a junkie and prostitute for likes of men like Donovan. When you get to know my business, you’ll see I don’t tolerate that shit and why I will never work with a man like him.”
Disgust coats his words and he stands taking me with him and gently places me on my feet,
Everything about his demeanor says he doesn’t like the idea of me stepping outside his walls but I can tell he doesn’t want to scare me off by controlling my moves either. I don’t for a minute believe he would stand in my way if I were to walk out those doors. It’s a delicate balance, I know, and I don’t like this any more than he does. But I won’t live in fear either.
I rise to the tips of my toes and place a small kiss on his cheek. Light stubble has grown in, and I’m momentarily distracted by the urge to find out what that kind of friction would feel like between my legs.
“I can hear your thoughts without you saying a word. Later, I promise.”
“You really are the devil, my Irish mobster. I’ll be back before you realize I’m gone.”
“Doubtful.”
“Oh?”
He takes me in his arms. “Yes. Because where you go, I go. Now let’s go get what you can’t live without so we can get back here and I can part those pillowy soft lips of yours with my already aching cock.”
A thrill runs through me. “I love it when you talk dirty to me.”
