AllFreeNovel
Share Us
LAUREN
“Youknowwhere they are. What they’re doing,” I whine. Connor’s eyes flicker over to me, his eyebrows raising.
“Aye, I do, lass.”
“So… you could just tell me. I wouldn’t tell anyone.”
Connor catches his grin. “I could.”
Yay! I look at him expectantly. He smirks at me, winking. “But I won’t.”
My lips move into a pout. Connor snickers, shooting me a pointed look.
“That might work for Paddy, lass, but it does less than nothing for me.”
Sighing, I shoot him a glare, stomping into the living room, dropping onto the sofa, and hugging a throw pillow to my chest, determined to sulk.
Connor slides into the room after another moment. Dropping into an armchair, propping his feet up on the coffee table, and pulling out his phone. Right. Bodyguard. That means he has to be in the room with me. How annoying.
We sit in silence for a while, ideas running through my head. I want to know. I think it might be about me. Like Paddy taking the dive in his fight. Doesn’t that give me a right to know? I need to figure out how to make Connor tell me. He’s a Fitzpatrick, so he’ll be a tough nut to crack.
My eyes fix on his phone case. He’s tapping around. Maybe he’s playing online poker. He certainly really likes playing poker in person. I don’t know if he plays professionally, but he’s been bitching about only having Paddy and me to play with. Or mainly just me.
Paddy laughs and says he wants to keep his money. Connor and I don’t play for real money. I’m broke, and even if I weren’t, he’d clean me out in less than five minutes.
Connor’s phone case is black, with the shapes of the card suits on it. The man really lives and breathes poker, huh. God, he was wicked pissed off when Paddy helped me lose my ‘tells,’ whatever they are. That gives me an idea….
“If you tell me, I promise not to let Paddy help me win poker against you anymore.”
Connor’s eyes lift slowly from his phone, moving to meet mine. I can see the war in his eyes. He’s tempted. Wicked tempted.
“You promise?”
“Cross my heart.”
Sighing, Connor pockets his phone, dropping his feet to the floor, leaning forward, resting his forearms on his knees, and squinting across the coffee table at me.
“The Italians wanted you, lass.”
“To kill me?” I whisper. A dark look crosses Connor’s face, but he banishes it, shaking his head slowly.
“No, lass. But what they wanted you for wasn’t pleasant.”
Oh, okay. “But I’m still here.”
Connor gives me a look like I’m an idiot. “Paddy was never going to give you up.”
Warmth shoots through me, a smug look crossing my face. Connor smirks at the sight.
“The Italians were willing to relinquish their claim on you for a price.”
A price? Paddypaidfor me? Ugh. I’m not sure how I feel about that.
“So, what am I worth?” I pick at a nonexistent piece of fluff on the throw pillow, keeping my voice casual. Amusement flashes across Connor’s face.
“Not cash, lass. They gave us a shopping list.”
I blink at him, a frown dragging my eyebrows down. “They wanted you to buy their groceries?”
