Page 83 of Shattered Veil
“Aye. You know who I am?”
“Everyone knows who you are.Andyour family. You think you own this city?”
“I don’t think we do. I know we do. Now—”
“Geoffrey, Balor O’Rourke is my boss,” I jump in to avoid bloodshed. “Andmy father’sboss. I’m working tonight and he needs to talk to me. That’s what he meant.”
Balor holds his hand for me to take, his razor-sharp glare taunting Geoff. “Are we clear?”
“Fuck off, O’Rourke.”
Balor’s glacial scowl deepens. “Take your hand off her, or I’ll take it home as a souvenir.”
The icy tone and the gory threat should appall me. I’m freaking turned on.
Geoff drops my hands and shoves his into his pockets. “Whatever.” He spins and hikes toward the bar.
Being free of Geoff’s grimy hands brings air back into my lungs.
“Try not to kill him,” I say to Balor to show I’m not afraid of him. That I completely get who he is and what his family is involved in.
“I don’t kill people. I told you that.” He pulls me into his chest, but we’re on the dancefloor so he shifts his legs as if we’re dancing.
“I don’t care if you do.” I shrug. “You won’t hurt me.”
“You sure about that?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“I’ve seen evil. Stared it in the face. That’s not you. I trust you,” I whisper.
His features rearrange as if I’ve handed him a diamond mine.
“Youshouldtrust me.” He bites back another comment. “Did your father introduce you to Geoff?”
“Yes, of course.”
“I’d like to think your father doesn’t know that Geoff Bracken is in the middle of a vicious divorce with the pregnant wife he cheated on.”
“What?” My extremities go cold, questioning my father’s intentions with me.
I know he never wants me near Wes again. Does he think a rich philanderer is okay so long as he doesn’t hit me?
“Perhaps your father doesn’t know about the mistress.” Balor exhales with tightened frustration like he’s trying to give Dad the benefit of the doubt.
“I think my father is just old school,” I say to save him. He’s still Balor’s employee and being paid an enormous salary. I don’t want to make Balor doubt his judgment.
“Why else did you really save me from Geoff?” I pull the pin and drop that grenade to challenge him.
He visibly swallows. “I’m...working through issues.”
A twist of excitement twirls in my belly as I finger his lapel. But theworking throughhits a nerve. “Issues, such as the desire to only sleep with a paid escort so you can keep your heart out of the equation?”
“Something like that.” His jaw tightens when he drinks in my stare.
My heart jumps into my throat, and I can only hope he means me.