Page 85 of Shattered Veil

“The guy with the pregnant wife?” Balor snaps.

My father goes ashen. “He’s getting a divorce.”

“To be with his whore,” Balor says. “Not a person I’d let a woman I care about spend time with.”

Dad’s eyes stray to our linked hands, but we’re dancing. And Balor is my boss who admitted to saving me from a creep.

My father might also be aware of Balor’s proclivities when it comes to sex and knows, or thinks, he’ll never make a move on me. Or Dad thinks Balor is mob royalty who is waiting on a princess to become available.

Even if my father thinks something is going on, Balorishisboss and chewing him out will get him fired. Or worse.

“I didn’t realize,” my father says. “Ella, I just got a call from a...client. My side work, that you approved, Mr. O’Rourke. I need to leave. I’m sorry.”

“No problem. You’re not on the clock. You’re free to do what you want,” Balor says icily.

“Can you make sure Ella gets home safely?” Dad asks gently.

“Of course,” Balor responds.

“I’ll walk you out, Dad.” I go to break free, but Balor doesn’t let go of my arm.

“You don’t need Ella to walk you out, do you, Snow?”

“No.” Dad’s gaze cuts from Balor to me. “I trust you, Mr. O’Rourke.”

“As you should,” he says with a deadly tenor.

“I will be staying at our house in Connecticut for the rest of the weekend.” My father kisses me on the cheek, where he whispers, “Be careful.”

I nod and watch him go. With him out of earshot, I glance back at Balor. “He told me to be careful. Am I in any danger?”

“He told you to be careful with me?”

I nod.

“And he whispered it so I wouldn’t hear, but you told me what he said to you.Why?”

His question carries a lot of weight, so I choose my answer carefully. The O’Rourkes honor loyalty. From what I’ve seen they’re loyal to each other first. There comes a time when a woman has to break from her father and give herself over to a man, make him her priority, and steer her loyalty to him.

“Because I believe you want what is truly best for me.” Even if it’s not him. But he seems willing to open his heart to me.

“Good girl,” Balor breathes into my skin, kissing me on the forehead. “I have one more question for you, Ella.”

“Yeah?”

“Are you coming home with me tonight or not?”

CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR

Balor

In my arms, Ella nods tightly, agreeing to go home with me. My cock swells so hard and so fast, I might bust a nut in these tuxedo pants.

I take her hand and steer her off the dancefloor. Reality slams into me seeing my family at the two reserved tables filled with powerful people my brother, Kieran, wants to impress.

The one thing shared by every one of my brothers’ wives was the look of sheer terror in their eyes taking us all in for the first time.

Ella stands tall, composed, showing no signs of being frightened.