Page 26 of Bloodstained Wings
“He wants the Blackthorne family to pay for the completion of a dock project for the Laceys,” I explain. “If we pay for the job to be done and then lease the building, we can use the docks, which means we might be able to skate around marina fees and having to bribe the inventory police.”
Her lips pull to the side. “The dock project where we met?”
My stomach aches with that unfortunate realization. “Oh, I suppose so, dove. That is the one you were working on before, wasn’t it?”
She nods slowly, and I take her mind off the trouble of it all. I tuck her hair back behind her ear, and she leans into my warmth.
“What do you think, Ms. Architect?”
“I didn’t finish my degree, Carter. I’m not an architect.”
“I still trust your judgment, dove.”
She stands a bit taller with that assurance. “It’s a nice piece of property. There’s nothing like it on the docks. There’s even a basement in the project. It’s pretty deep, lots of storage.”
“Sounds like you’re on board.”
Her eyes flicker to Rich, a certain unease on her precious features. I aim to relax her, but the best way I know how to do that is better suited when not so many people are around. For now, I pull her closer and let my hand take hold of her ass. She goes tight, her cheeks striking red.
“I think you might have a deal then, Donahue,” I breathe. “I need to go out there to see how much needs to be done to it first, just for my own curiosity.”
“That’s fine. All the equipment and workers have been sidelined for now, so you’ll be alone out there if you want to give yourself a tour. It’s still pretty rough, so I wouldn’t go to the top floor, but the others will be fine to climb and explore.”
I lean forward, my seductive growl purring in Isabella’s ear. “Go get some shoes on, dove. I’ll be upstairs soon to grab a shirt.”
She hesitates, obviously not keen on leaving my side. I knew she was stubborn before, but the chaos with Jacob Lacey has only exacerbated that. I can’t be sure why she thinks that she is going to protect me from Rich or the Donahue and Lacey families or what she’s even trying to prevent in the first place.
It could be her lack of trust in me when it came to Lilian, but she doesn’t know that whore yet. I’m just thankful that I’ve managed to postpone that trouble for a while. She will be back, though.
I have to protect Isabella at all costs.
“Fine.” I surrender, kissing her forehead. “Lorenzo, show Mr. Donahue out, please. And get Ernesto to bring the car around. We’re going out tonight to check out this project.”
“You got it, boss.”
Rich stops, taking a long step forward with his hand outstretched. I take it as a courtesy, and he leaves his hand out, motioning toward Isabella next. She stares at him tentatively, unsure what she wants to do with his hand right now. He’s the spitting image of Jacob Lacey, and she’s hardly over that ordeal.
“I’m so sorry for the pain my father and brother have caused you, ma’am,” he says, his smile innocent enough, even for someone related to a Lacey rat. “If you’d accept this as a peace offering, it will mean the world to me and my family.”
“I just don’t want any more trouble,” she whispers. “I don’t want anyone to get hurt.”
His smile sprouts even more than before. “We have the same goals.”
“Good,” she says at last, taking his hand gently.
Something passes between them, and I don’t know if it’s his bloodline being so close to a Lacey that it just makes me uncomfortable or if it’s the simple fact that they have this wordless, gentle passing of emotion right in front of me. Either way, it’s frustrating.
I pull Isabella back, and she sinks into my chest, both of us watching Rich leave with Lorenzo. When we’re alone, I spin her around to face me, my fingers pinching her chin.
“Let’s go see what this project is all about, dove.”
Her eyes light up with familiar fires. “Together, right?”
“Always.”
Chapter Ten
Isabella