Page 81 of Shattered Veil
Ella.
I didn’t recall Snow’s invite having a plus one.
She gatecrashed this event. Her fiery spirit turns me the fuck on.
God, I missed her this week, and seeing her loosens theknot in my chest.
I glance at my brothers and for the first time feel this soul-rattling chasm between us. Even a little pissed off that their brutal, savage ways are keeping me from what I want. Ella.
Before I can do anything, I feel the weight of my brother’s green-eyed stare. Kieran. The boss. Our king. His stare wrecks me, a faint smile lifting from his lips.
It’s gotten back to me here and there that my brothers fear me for what I can do to them. The way Kieran regards me, I see respect in his eyes. He’ll listen to me when the time comes to decide Corvin’s fate. Unlike the other developers and hackers who work for me, Corvin sits in a league of his own. A dangerous intersection of knowing our sins as a Mob organization and having the technical ability to obliterate us.
It never mattered to me who my family killed. It’s not indiscriminate. There’s always a reason. Lachlan isn’t as insane as people think. He’s calculating and precise. But he wants Corvin’s head when this is done. Taking Ella as my own changes my trajectory about Corvin.
There has to be a way to control him. Find that intersection in the Venn diagram where he can live and be trusted.
Lachlan wants to gut him because he’s a menace. Something I’m struggling with because of one little wrinkle. I’m falling hopelessly for his daughter.
If Lachlan gets his way, Ella will be alone in the world and at the mercy of some psycho fucking cop.
I’m the one who can protect her.
Right now, I have to address what happened earlier this week.
Damn, I miss her.
I finish my drink and hand the glass to a waiter before striding over to greet them both.
Ella catches my eye and the hitch in her breath does me the fuck in.
Getting closer, I see the dress has a gently-scooped neckline with a tempting glimpse of her ample cleavage. Dainty straps with beads contrast the definition of her shoulders. And that thigh-high slit heats my blood. I’ve never seen her wear anything revealing. Jesus, that slit makes her legs look like they go on for days. She’s a stunning beauty in that dress with her soft waves of dark mahogany hair cascading past her shoulders.
Corvin sees me and smiles, clutching Ella’s hand in his elbow. “Mr. O’Rourke. I hope you don’t mind, I brought Ella.”
“I actually bullied my way in here,” she confesses.
“If you need me to pay for her plate,” Corvin offers.
I hold my hand up. “We always buy full tables. It’s fine.”
My gaze collides with Ella and the room feels like it’s on fire.
“Thank you, Mr. O’Rourke,” Corvin Snow showers me with this syrupy admiration that has to be an act.
Or he could be grateful not to have been caught for the cyber takedown of the century and is now happy to hide behind my fucking skirt for protection.
“Mypleasure,” I say with my eyes right on Ella.
Pleasure...
“We will get out of your hair and mingle,” Snow says and sweeps Ella away from me.
Anger floods my veins, but I smile through it, determined to keep an eye on her.
“She’s here?” A feminine voice whispers in my ear from behind.
Closing my eyes, I face my sister. “Aye.”