“The Irish have always been at the bottom of the totem pole. But if we worked together, you’d have ties to the Italian mafia. You could rise in rank. All you have to do is make a deal with me.”
“How do I know you won’t fuck me over the second you get what you want? If I help you kill Enzo Bianchi –,”
“And Will Taylor.”
“— And Will Taylor, then how do I know you won’t want to get rid of me? I’ve heard you’re not too fond of the Russian mafia. I’m Irish. Not Italian.”
“I’ll prove myself to you.”
“No. I’ll need assurances that you won’t fuck me over.” He sits back in his seat and slowly nods. “You’ll marry my daughter.”
My body stiffens. “What?”
“It’s the only way I can guarantee you’ll be on my side. You’ll marry my daughter, Ciara.”
“I’ve never even seen her.”
“That can be rectified. You’ll meet her. And then you’ll marry her.”
My mind flashes back to Gianna. How beautiful she was like an old Hollywood starlet. I had wanted her. Yes, it was to hurt her brother but I also just wantedher. And then I lost her.
I didn’t have any intentions of marrying someone. But if I have to marry Ciara Sullivan to kill Enzo and Will, I will do it. And I will make sure I don’t lose Ciara like I did Gianna.
I hold out my hand. “Deal.”
Patrick shakes on it and the moment it’s done, I know I’ve cemented my fate.
Ciara
I’m lounging by the pool when my father approaches me. I look at him over the tops of my sunglasses, annoyed that he would ruin my sun time. It’s summer time in New York. Hot and sticky and gross. The only relief I can find is trying to get a tan even though I know it’s pointless with my pale skin. Being Irish sucks sometimes.
“Ciara, I need to talk with you, darling.”
“What now, Dad?” I ask with a sigh. He normally leaves me alone, exactly how I like it. Ever since I was a little girl, my dad gave me anything I wanted and he still does. It’s worked out perfectly for us.
“You’re twenty.”
“Yes, that’s a fact I know very well.” I push my red hair over my sticky shoulders. My skin is turning pink. Damn it. No tan. Only a sunburn.
“You’ve had your run of this place since you were a child. I was happy to provide for you in everything you could want. But now that’s over.”
I stand up and walk right past him into the house. I snap my fingers at our housekeeper, who quickly pours me a glass of water with ice in it. Without a word, she hands it to me and I take a large gulp.
I can feel my father standing behind me, his disapproval evident. “I have no idea what you’re talking about. I’m your daughter. Of course you would give me everything in this world. Why is that a bad thing?”
“It’s not. But it’s made you unruly sometimes.”
“Unruly? What time period are we living in, Dad?”
He makes a face and grabs the glass of water from my hands. “Listen to me, Ciara. I have let you run free around this house you’re entire life.”
“But not free outside this house. I have to go everywhere with a guard. It’s exhausting.”
“It’s for your own safety. You know what I do for work. You could be hurt otherwise.”
“Tell that to all the boys I tried to bring home.” Whenever I’d meet any cute boy, my dad would squash that relationship before it even began. A kiss here and there and that was it. Maybe that’s why I love being the queen of this castle. In my home, I can order the staff around. I can have some sort of power that I don’t get in the outside world.
“They weren’t good enough for you. But I knew I would find a man good enough for you one day.”
