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Ronan
Aileen rolled her chair across the office,bumping into mine. “What’s the craic, grasshopper? You’re quiet over in your wee corner, tappin’ away on the keyboard like it’s your enemy.”
Aileen O’Toole was one perceptive woman. Raised in the same small town as my ma, she’d wanted more adventure than the confines of living in a place like that could offer. The first chance she had, she escaped to the UK. She never did tell us where she did her training in security, but whenever British intelligence got brought up, Aileen got squirrelly. Never married, she traveled often, experienced all the broad horizons she could manage, and moved to New York a decade ago. She’d built LSS from the ground up, a one woman show, until I came on the scene, followed by Finn. Aileen and I were partners, but I was also clear Aileen was the boss, no arguments allowed.
Perceptive as she might be, I wouldn’t be sharing any of my behavior toward Ms. Adler over the last week. Aileen would either try to fire me or prepare the announcement of our betrothal. I might’ve deserved the former, and the latter…well, one failed marriage had cured me of all that.
“I’ve an email from Marcus Baum. The restraining order against Ms. Grayson is being extended as requested.”
“Good.” Aileen nodded. “Whatta mess that girl got herself into. Obsessed over you, if only she knew what a sorry, boring fella you are outside of those fancy suits.”
I clucked my tongue. “That’s the second time I’ve been called boring in as many days.”
She cracked a grin. “Who’s tellin’ you truths now?”
“Ahhh…” I rubbed the back of my neck, “Iris, my client. She has a lot of opinions.”
“A girl after my own heart. I like that. Is she giving you any trouble?”
One drunken phone call had given me more trouble than it had any right to. Iris had been sad, yes, but she’d been adorable and funny, softer than she normally was.
“Do you sleep in a suit, Ronan?”
“I don’t. Please stop crying.”
“Tell me what you wear to bed and I will.”
“A bunny suit, meala.”
“With a fuzzy tail?”
“Will you stop crying if I say yes?”
“Probably. Or I might cry harder because that sounds so cute and I’ll never get to see it.”
“If you’re a good girl, I might show you.”
She’d twisted me so much, drawn me into her web, I’d found myself in her room by dawn while she was sleeping. I couldn’t rationalize what had led me there, to be so impetuous. It wasn’t me, that was for damn sure. But nothing could have stopped me from seeing her with my own two eyes, and once I did, it had been impossible to force myself to leave.
I rubbed the space between my eyebrows. “Not so much. She’s being troubled by one of her exes.”
Aileen nodded at my shaking knee. “Aye, and you look like you’re wanting to do something about it. Be careful, Ronan. If you have feelings for this wom—”
“I don’t.”
She narrowed her eyes. “Don’t interrupt me, young man. I wastryingto say if you have feelings for her, then you should replace yourself with Finn or one of the other boys.”
I unclenched my jaw before she could call me on it. If it was anyone else talking to me like I was a beginner at this profession, I wouldn’t let it stand. But Aileen was beyond reproach in my esteem. She could say what she wanted.
Didn’t mean I’d stick around to hear more of it. Not when my knee wouldn’t stop bouncing and my fists wouldn’t stop bunching.
“I have to head out.” I transferred the information I needed to my phone and shut down my computer before pushing back from my desk. “Call me if you need me.”
She ducked her head as she always did, and I placed a kiss on top. We didn’t discuss feelings or exchangeI love yous, but we did have our own way of showing it.
To be sure, Aileen loved me like a son, but if I told her what I was about to go do, she’d kick my arse to next Tuesday. But, like my ma, I didn’t tell Aileen everything, and we both liked it that way.
I took a car to Logan Bryant’s recording studio. Luck was on my side today because the man himself was leaning against the front of the building, paying no attention to his surroundings, while using his phone and smoking.
