“I tried. You were too busy ordering me around like I didn’t know what I was talking about. You made it impossible.”
He doesn’t deny it. Instead, he exhales as he looks at me, his eyes softening. “We’ll talk about this later, once you’ve gotten some sleep.”
I nod before settling deeper into the bed. “Fine, but this matters, Ronan. Someone is playing us, and it’s not over.”
“I know.” He reaches out to stroke my cheek. “But right now we’re safe, and I’m going to make sure it stays that way.”
Chapter Four
RONAN
Ciara’ssoft breathing is music to my ears.
I didn’t think it was possible for sex with Ciara to keep getting better, but somehow it does. Maybe it’s the fact that I came so close to losing her that having the chance to feel her against me again makes my blood burn inside my veins.
I can’t get enough of her. Hell, I can’t evenlookat her without wanting to rip her clothes off and bend her over the nearest surface to bury my cock deep inside her.
But it’s not just her body, though her curves drive me insane. It’s the way she gives herself to me completely, like I’m the only thing grounding her in this world. And the way she gasps my name when she climaxes…
She is all I think about. Every second she’s not beside me, I’m wondering what she’s doing, who she’s with, whether she’s safe. She’s got her claws in deep, and I don’t know how I let it get this far. I haven’t been this affected by a woman ever, and that scares the shit out of me.
Because with Ciara McCarthy comes risk.
She doesn’t play it safe, and the last twenty-four hours proved that. For those she loves, she charges headfirst into chaoswith nothing but her stubbornness and steel will for company, and this time, it almost got her killed.
My blood runs cold at the thought.
What if I hadn’t gotten to her in time?
She may have been the one holding the gun, but it wouldn’t have taken much for the asshole holding Mila hostage to disarm her.
I’d love to give Ciara the benefit of the doubt, but when it comes to her life, I’m not taking any chances. She was so close to death, and I don’t think she has any idea.
This entire situation should have been avoided, but she kept the truth about Max from me. Perhaps I made it hard for her to tell me the truth and shut her out because I didn’t want to hear something that challenged what I thought I knew, but dammit, she should have tried harder.
We’re supposed to be in this together.
A team.
An immovable force.
I look down at my sleeping wife and exhale a long breath.
Her heavy breathing soothes my nerves, but it’s not enough to dissipate my anger because, in truth, she’s not the one I’m truly angry with.
Someone is clearly trying to fuck with me and has been for a while. This whole situation makes me feel like I’m being led on a wild goose chase.
Whoever it is made it look like Callum McCarthy is the mastermind behind all of this to tear our new alliance to shreds from the inside, and it’s working. I’ve been so focused on Callum that they slipped through the cracks, and it almost cost Ciara her life.
It can’t be a coincidence I found proof that my father was involved in shady business with the McCarthys, and now he’s dead. It makes me think this is all connected. Whoeverorchestrated this is behind my father’s assassination. It’s clear they want to destroy what’s left of the McCarthy legacy, but mine too.
I stay beside Ciara until I’m sure she’s fast asleep. I need to head back to the warehouse to clean up the rest of this, but the thought of leaving her makes me sick to my stomach. I know it’s unreasonable, but I never want to have her out of my sight again.
I stroke my fingers up and down her bare back, watching as her skin pebbles beneath my touch.
Even when she’s asleep, her body still seems to react to me. If she wasn’t so exhausted, I’d roll her onto her back and bury myself between her thighs once more just to hear her moan my name as she comes. But she needs the rest, and I have work to do.
I wince at the dull throbbing in my temples as I drive back to the warehouse where Brennan is keeping Mila’s kidnapper hostage. I’ve been awake for over twenty-four hours, and my eyes feel dry and heavy, but sleep is not high on my priority list right now and likely won’t be for a while.
