“Leave it with me,” Joe sighs. “I’ll speak with Éabha, she knows AJ better than anybody.”
“You think she’ll want to get involved in this?”
“Not a hope in hell,” Joe snorts. “But I know my wife won’t sit back and watch another girl get dealt the same hand as she did. She was lucky she had Craig, Jay, and Nick.”
“And you,” I add with a smirk. “You believed she was innocent before anyone else. I saw a killer, and you saw a victim. You were right.”
Joe smiles sadly. “Survivor. That’s what she is. I think that Éabha is this girl’s best chance of getting out of this alive.She knows Walsh and AJ; she knows what they’re capable of.” Joe fiddles with his keys as he continues, “Katie needs someone who understands the danger she’s in and can help her navigate it. And that’s where Éabha comes in.” With a determined look, he adds, “We need to do everything we can to protect her and make sure she doesn’t check out toe-tag first.”
32
AIDEN
Buttoning up my cuffs, I take one last look in the mirror, I’m such a gorgeous bastard, she can’t say no. She better not say no. I swear, I’m not above hog-tying her and dragging her peachy arse to the nearest courthouse if I have to.
She said champagne goes with everything, so a champagne ring is exactly what she’s getting. I pull the tiny black box out of my pocket, flipping it open. The diamond-encrusted champagne sapphire sparkles in the light. I look over my shoulder to make sure Katie isn’t lurking nearby. I can’t wait to see her face tonight.
Snapping the box shut, I stuff it into my pocket and turn in time to hear her swearing at her heels.
“Bug?” I call out into the hallway, trying to get her attention and hoping that she doesn’t fire one of those stilettos at my head.
“Jesus,” I have no words for how beautiful she looks. Her hair is blown out with high, voluminous curls; her eyes shine brighter than the diamond ring in my pocket; and that dresshugs her in all the right places.
“This,” she says, holding up the offending shoe. “Is a bastard!”
My teeth roll over my bottom lip as I approach, forcing myself to think pure thoughts and not get distracted by how perfect her tits look in that dusty blue, low-cut, satin gown. Taking the silver stiletto from her hand, I smile and say, “Allow me.” Dropping to my knee, I lift her leg and carefully slip the shoe onto her foot, admiring the way her silken skin feels against my fingertips. Securing the strap on her left ankle, I then reach for the other shoe, dangling from her long, manicured fingers. “You smell divine.” I press my lips against her ankle as I fasten the second stiletto in place, then stand up before I give in to the temptation of devouring her on the landing and forgetting all about dinner.
Her perfume wafts around me, I cannot help but inhale her intoxicating scent. She not only looks like dessert; she smells like it too.
“How do I look?” Katie’s anxious eyes lock on mine as she smooths down her gown. “Is this too much? Should I change?”
“I think blue is my new favourite colour.” Unable to tear my gaze away from her, I grab her hand in mine and pull her closer, feeling her warm breath kiss the column of my neck. “You look stunning, bug. Devastatingly beautiful. You don’t need to change a thing.”
She blushes, such an innocent grin lighting up her face.
“I have something for you.” Leading her into the bedroom, I grab the long black box from the bedside locker and pull it open, revealing a delicate silver necklace.
“Aiden,” Katie reaches out, her fingers trembling slightlyas they trace the design. “You didn’t have to…”
“No,” I admit, plucking the necklace from its silk lining. “But I wanted to. Turn around.”
Katie turns, and I place the necklace around her neck. I catch her reflection in the mirror as I fasten it in place. “We need to leave,” I whisper lowly in her ear. “Or else I’m going to tear that dress off you right now and fuck you on every surface in the house.”
Katie’s breath hitches, she smiles into the mirror. “I wouldn’t mind that,” she teases, turning back to face me. God, she’s been insatiable since we finally worked her orgasms out of her. I can admit, I’m just as addicted. Seeing her come for me is like a drug; I can’t get enough of it. Knowing I’m the only man to ever give her to that level of pleasure is a high I never want to come down from.
Looking at her cherub face, you wouldn’t think that this woman is capable of taking a life. You wouldn’t think that she has a dark side to match my own, but I’ve seen what she’s capable of. I’ve witnessed her in all of her macabre glory; the second she plunged the scalpel into Carl’s chest without mercy, was the very second I realised that this is the girl of my darkest dreams. I’d be a fool to miss the chance to claim her fully.
Her heart is mine. Her body is mine; the only thing left for me to claim is her soul, and I will stop at nothing to possess it.
Bringing her knuckles to my lips, the haunting aroma of her perfume lures me in like a moth to a flame. “Let’s go.”
Lacing our fingers together, I lead her down the staircase, grab her coat from the hook, and hold it out for her to slip into. There is a slight chill in the air as I lead her past my car to the waiting Rolls-Royce Phantom I hired out for the evening. Iopen her door while the driver stands at attention, deliberately not making a move to assist her as per our understanding.
No one touches my bug but me.
I slide in beside her and reach for the champagne chilling in the backseat cooler, pouring us each a glass before instructing the driver to take us to the restaurant.
“Wow,” Katie breathes, taking in the luxurious interior of the car. “What did I do to deserve this?”
