I sigh again and roll my eyes heavenward.
“It’s not just a woman who doesn’tlikeme, Declan. It’s not just that.”
“Aye. It’s a woman you can’tcontrol.”
I open my mouth to protest, but the words die in my throat because—fuck—he’s right. I can’t control her.
And that drives me absolutely mental.
“It’s not just that,” I mutter, the admission scraping out rough. “It’s a woman who doesn’t want me. A woman I can’t control, aye. But she’s not just some ride I can walk away from when it suits me.”
I drag a hand through my hair, gripping it hard enough to hurt.
“I’m going to marry her. She’s going to be my wife. And she’s out there right now, in danger, because I couldn’t keep her safe. Because she’d rather risk her neck than have anything to do with me, and if shehad,she’d know that place was off-limits .”
The words taste like acid. Like failure.
“So don’t tell me it doesn’t matter. Don’t tell me to let it go.”
“Right,” Declan says with a sigh. “Seems a bit like a sentence, doesn’t it?”
“Aye, a bit,” I tell him, shaking my head.
“Not to be dramatic, but?—”
“No, I understand,” he says. “I very much do. Doesn’t seem like it would be something that hard to figure out though. Does it?”
“What?” I ask him.
“How to win her over,” he says, shrugging.
“I’m not trying to win her over.”
“Why the fuck not? You’re going to be with her for the rest of your life.”
“Declan,” I say, pulling to a stop, “I didn’t ask for relationship advice, so shut the fuck up.”
He sighs again. “Alright, alright,” he says, putting his hands up in surrender. “If that’s what you wish.”
“That’s what I fuckin’ wish!” I slam my fist on the steering wheel again as a text comes through on my phone.
I think I might have found her, sir.
Good. Someone will keep breathing tonight.
I can’t help but think of what Declan said as I enter the club. He’s right. I am used to the looks they give me. The way their eyes follow me. Pretty women lined up at the bar, making eyes at me, smiling, hoping that I’ll be the one who picks them.
At St. Albert’s, I was a bit of a ringleader. I had quite a following of people. I guess I took it for granted. I haven’t really thought about it until now. Not until I have one woman who doesn’t want anything to do with me.
I walk through the club with my head held high, dressed in my uniform of all black, a pair of black leather gloves sticking out of my pocket.
Every woman here is looking at me the way they always do. But the only one I want to see isn’t looking at me at all. And that’s the fucking problem.
I’m going to find my betrothed, and I’m going to punish her for coming here unannounced. She’s in aworldof trouble.
“Welcome, sir,” Griffin says at the front desk.
When I descend the private elevator for entrance to The Craic, Islide my thumb on the facial recognition software. The door opens with a soft click.
