Page 9 of Niall

He poured himself more coffee. “Una told me Anna grew up in a family that ran summer rentals. She has experience in the industry—at least loosely. I am going to offer to put her in our apprentice program here and give her a room to live in until she’s ready to face the outside world.” He looked over at the two women. “She helped Una. I owe her.” He smiled at me. “I like her too.”

“Whatever you think is best, Finn.”

“Where did she sleep last night?” he asked out of the blue.

I frowned. “In the bedroom. I thought she’d be more comfortable than the sofa.”

“Ah.” He leaned over the table, his eyes bright with curiosity. “Where did you sleep?”

Standing, I narrowed my eyes. “Feck off. She was screaming. I had to stay with her.”

I stalked away, refusing to look back.

The stupid fecker was grinning. I knew it without looking. And I had no defense because, dammit, I liked her too.

I found excuses to stay in the suite most of the day. If I had to leave to handle something, I made sure there was a man at the door. I introduced John to Anna, making sure she understood he, too, was a friend and she was safe with him. She seemed a little less tense as the day wore on, more at ease with her surroundings.

That evening, I came back to the suite after handling a problem at the casino, greeting John.

“Everything good?”

He nodded. “Roman was here. Spoke with Finn and visited Anna.”

“What for?”

He shrugged. “He was only in a few moments. I assumed checking up on her.”

Mystified, I went in, frowning when I saw Anna on the sofa. She smiled at me, but the tension had returned. Had Roman said something to upset her?

I sat across from her.

“Everything all right at the casino?” she asked, offering me a smile that didn’t reach her eyes.

“All sorted.” I cleared my throat. “I hear you had a visitor.”

“Yes. Mr. Costas—or Roman, as he told me to call him.”

“What did he want?” I asked, my voice a little rougher than I expected it to be. I paused. “Did he upset you?”

She swallowed. “No.”

Her reply was a lie and came out more like a question than a statement.

“What did he say?”

She sighed and ran a hand through her hair. It fell over her shoulders, and absently, she twirled a thick tress around her finger. “He told me all the other women were being sent home if they wanted or to a safe place to start fresh. The workers they had held captive were given the same option.”

“Yes. We’ll make sure they’re all in a better place.”

“He, ah, asked me my plans. Said they would send me back north or somewhere else if I wanted.”

I tensed. “And what did you say?”

She didn’t meet my eyes. “I didn’t know what to say.”

“You’re staying here,” I replied without thinking.

“I am?”