Page 17 of Niall

“Your mum is just a responsibility?”

His gaze softened. “She is the exception.”

“And me?” I asked.

He met my eyes, something in them making me catch my breath.

“I don’t know, mo mhuirnín. I just don’t know.”

Somehow, his confusion only made me smile. I felt it too, so once again, we were on equal ground.

After the event was over, we returned to the hotel. I relaxed once we were in the room, the door locked. I sat down, feeling tired.

Niall sat across from me. “Una is seeing a professional.”

“Sorry?”

“A therapist.”

I frowned. “How does that work, exactly? I mean, I know about client confidentiality, but given your, ah, career…?” I trailed off, unsure how to ask.

He smiled grimly. “The wife of someone in the syndicate. Nothing much shocks her. But she is very good at what she does. Finn says it has helped Una already. Perhaps you would like to talk to her.” He studied me. “I am aware you try to hide things. You haven’t told me everything that happened all those weeks, Anna. You need to say them, get them out in the open so they can’t keep haunting you.”

“I—I don’t want to think about some of it, never mind have you hear it,” I admitted.

“Then talk to someone who has no personal involvement. Who won’t want to kill them all over again,” he said mildly, although his voice was rough and his eyes burning. “I can arrange it.”

“Okay.”

“And Finn wants to have lunch tomorrow. He has something he wants to talk to you about.”

“Do I have to leave?” I blurted, scared.

“No!” He was quick to reassure me. “You never have to leave, Anna. It’s a chance to move forward. I promise you.”

“I want to stay,” I said, hating the fact that my voice shook.

He stared at me, then leaned forward, pressing his mouth to mine. The moment our lips met, I forgot everything. Nothing existed outside this instant. This piece of time with him and me. Our mouths moving together. He lowered from the chair, kneeling between my legs, pulling me close. He deepened the kiss, and I was lost. Lost to his taste, the feel of him close. The way he commanded my body without saying a word. All it took was the press of his hand on my back to urge me forward, the feel of his fingers on my neck. So I tilted my head and he went even deeper, his tongue doing things that should be illegal. Making my body cry out for more.

Until his phone rang and he drew back, his lips wet from mine, his breathing deep. He answered, his thumb pressing to my bottom lip. “Niall Black.”

He listened and stood. “On my way.”

He looked down at me, regretful. “I have to take care of something.”

I nodded, unable to speak.

“John is outside. Another man at the elevator. You are safe. I will not allow anything to happen to you. Understand?”

Again, I nodded. He bent and kissed me again. “Mo mhuirnín, I will be back as fast as I can.”

And he left.

Niall looked at me over his coffee the next morning. He was dressed for the office, his suit black, his shirt a crisp white, and his tie a smoky gray with a fine white line. His hair had been brushed until it gleamed. I knew he had to get back to a regular routine, but I had to admit I was dreading the day of being alone in an empty suite.

“Finn told me Una is going to be downstairs today.”

“Oh?”