“If the Iron Guardians are up for it, we hand the dismantling over to them.” Cillian meets each of our eyes in turn. “They have the expertise. Lorcan, let them know we can help by providing resources, intelligence, and backup, but the rescue operation runs through them.”
I think about Buford and how he let Prudence go with only a slight resistance. He didn’t have to. I was physically outnumbered, and my Glock was in the glove box of my Audi.
The man’s a sleazy con artist—even sleazier than I thought. There are a number of things he could have said and done in the name of protecting one of his so-calledFlock.
Will he make an attempt to get her back?
“I want security on Prudence increased,” I say. “Starting today.”
“Done,” Cillian confirms. “Coordinate with Finn.”
The meeting wraps. Lorcan claps my shoulder on his way out—his version of solidarity. Declan nods and takes off. Cillian stays behind his desk.
“Ronan.”
I stop.
“You couldn’t have known.”
I blow out a long, slow breath. “I reviewed those books hundreds of times over the years.”
“Trafficking revenue wouldn’t be in the agricultural ledgers. You said it yourself. He kept it buried.”
“I sat across from that man and shook his hand while women were being sold.”
Cillian holds my gaze with a steadiness that I need more than I want to admit. “Then we make it right.”
I nod once and leave.
In the hallway, I pull out my phone. One missed FaceTime from Prudence, timestamped twenty minutes ago.
I stare at her name on the screen.
She FaceTimed me four times yesterday. She called to show me a bird on the balcony railing. She called to ask if peanut butter was supposed to be sticky. She called to read me a passage from a book Nora recommended. She called a fourth time, she said, just to see my face.
My hand tightens around the phone until the case creaks.
That fucker’s not getting her back. I don’t care what resources I burn, what alliances I leverage, what lines I cross.
She’s mine. And I protect what’s mine.
I head for the car, already composing a text to Finn about tripling Prudence’s security detail.
Chapter 15
Prudence
“And Nicholas left a note on the boots that says ‘coffee-date approved,’ so I am wearing them,” I tell Ronan’s face on my phone screen. “Do you think that is correct? He also left a note on the jeans that says ‘pair with cream sweater,’ and I have done that as well.”
Ronan leans back, smiling. “You look perfect, baby.”
“You cannot even see the boots. I am holding the phone at my face.”
“I don’t need to see the boots to know you look perfect.”
Heat rises into my cheeks. I have been married to this man for eleven days, and his compliments cause flutters to appear in my belly.
“One of my men will be nearby,” he says. “You won’t see him, but he’ll be close.”
