Page 75 of Connor's Claim
She stared at the pill. Licked her lips. “I was planning to talk to Riordan this evening.”
“I need to talk to him, too. It can wait until tomorrow.”
“He lost his job today because of me. Don’t be unkind to him.”
“I’m going to make him an offer. He’s telling the truth. The DNA test came back in. The two of ye are half siblings.”
“What DNA test? When did you…? Never mind. That’s good to know.” She sucked in a breath. “Actually, no. Connor, if you want to do something like that in future, you have to ask.”
I clenched my jaw. “No.”
She shot daggers at me with her glare.
“Giving ye a choice means ye get to refuse me.”
Some of the power went out of her. “Then you’ll have to risk that.”
“I told ye I’m keeping ye. It’s your choice if you’re conscious or not outside of sex.”
Everly choked on laughter. “I half think you’re being serious.”
From the rebound of pain in my chest, I nearly was. I needed this. Needed to take her home and fuck her while decorated inthe blood of a man who’d died at my hands. She liked being out of control and unable to make her own decisions. She’d take the pill.
Everly accepted it from my fingers but held it up. “What kind of offer did you mean for Riordan?”
“We’ll bring him in. His sisters are skeleton crew. He’s on the fence, but the Four Milers want him. If Red puts his mind to it, he could trap Riordan into working for them by some method of forcing his hand. We’ll claim him first.”
Her breathing softened. “You’d do it to protect him.”
“Or not have him as an enemy. He’ll have a choice. Publicly join us or go undercover like Convict.”
I saw the connection in her mind of what she’d seen of me and Arran kicking Convict out. Another secret shared.
“Won’t that be dangerous?”
“He’s in danger just by existing. Can’t change that now. Take the fucking pill, Everly.”
She dead-eyed me then tossed the tablet to the back of her throat and swallowed. I kissed her, running my arms around her to hold her body to mine.
Against the rush of river water came the distinctive sound of flesh smacking together. Arran and Genevieve. So public of them. I was taking my woman home.
Snatching up my shirt, I led Everly out of the boathouse and down the short flight of stairs. Skeleton crew members melted out of the shadows, waiting on my command. A fire had already been lit in a barrel, and I tossed my shirt into it then shucked my jeans, feeding the flames.
“Everyone turn the fuck around,” I shouted.
As one, the crew gave us their backs.
I stripped Everly’s top and burned that, too. At my car, I grabbed my spare shirt for her, though hiding her body from me was a crime, then ordered our escort to split. Two cars followedus out onto the industrial estate’s main road, and two stayed with Arran. Between them and the clean-up crew who would handle the vehicle detailing later, we had a solid method.
Music played on low, ‘Come Through’ by Rui, Voluptuöus.
In my passenger seat, Everly settled back with a sigh. “You promised that I’d be able to talk to you this evening. That once you showed me yours, I could show you mine.”
“Why do ye think I doped ye?”
She glowered. I hit the accelerator.
I didn’t want her story. It didn’t matter. She didn’t need my forgiveness for breaking us apart, and I’d already told her to keep it in the past.