Total pages in book: 134
Estimated words: 126485 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 632(@200wpm)___ 506(@250wpm)___ 422(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 126485 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 632(@200wpm)___ 506(@250wpm)___ 422(@300wpm)
Considering that I’d almost lost it to no other than Lorcan Devaney, I needed to reconsider my whole take on sex. Maybe I should just go to a nunnery and swear off men, like Mum had done, minus the nunnery part.
With a little distance I couldn’t believe I’d actually nodded when Patrick had suggested a break instead of breaking up. I’d been too stunned, and as usual too sweet.
Too sweet. I scoffed. Nothing sweet about me tonight.
Patrick didn’t expect me to let off steam like he did. I was too sweet, too careful. I had half a mind to tell him of my night with Lorcan but as a new wave of shame over what I’d done crashed over me, I discarded that idea quickly.
“Miss Killeen?” a man asked.
I jumped, not having expected someone to be so close. When I looked up, a tall man with copper red hair, and brown eyes, one of Lorcan’s men, stood right in front of me. My skin grew hot, wondering what that guy knew.
“I’m Seamus. Lorcan’s second in command. He asked me to take you back to your uncle.”
I shook my head quickly, my eyes wide. “Uhh, no thank you. I’ll take the bus.”
Seamus smiled as if I was daft. “Unfortunately, that isn’t an option. Lorcan insists that you’ll have me drive you back.”
I blinked. “I’m not obligated to follow Mr. Devaney’s orders, so I’ll take the bus.”
Seamus stepped in my way, his smile becoming firmer, eyes harder. “You’ll soon learn that Lorcan’s orders are better followed. And he reminded me that he’s still in charge of your whereabouts until sunrise, so this is part of your debt.”
I couldn’t believe it. I gave a terse nod and followed Seamus to a big truck parked in the parking lot at the back of the slaughterhouse. I got into the backseat, my gaze fixed outside of the window. I could on occasion feel Seamus’ curious gaze on me. I could only imagine what he thought of me. And I couldn’t blame him. I’d created such a mess.
If Uncle Gulliver found out, he’d throw me out on the street without hesitation. In his eyes, I’d become a sinner like Mum and Imogen. To be honest, I was probably worse.
“Can you park down the street? I don’t want to wake my uncle.”
Seamus gave me an amused look in the rearview mirror, but he did park a few houses away from the church. I got out without a word. Thanking him seemed ridiculous considering I hadn’t asked for the ride.
I slammed the door shut and hurried down the street, wanting to get home as soon as possible. I cursed inwardly when I saw lights illuminating from the window. Gulliver was still awake. I glanced at my mobile. It was close to four in the morning. Maybe he only just got up and I could pretend I’d gone on an early morning walk.
I almost laughed at the idea.
I didn’t get the chance to unlock the door. It swung open the moment the key touched the lock, Gulliver peered down at me with a disapproving expression. “Where have you been?”
“I told you I was going to Sodom to find out more about Imogen,” I said, hoping my face didn’t give away any embarrassing details about my trip to the Doom Loop.
“I waited up for you all night. What took you so long?”
The suspicion and judgment in his voice brought heat to my face, but hopefully the dim lighting in the hallway hid it from Gulliver’s keen eyes.
“I looked around and talked to a few people.”
“Hopefully not to the wrong people. Did you find out anything useful?”
“Not yet,” I admitted. “But I’ll just keep asking around and eventually someone will have information for me.”
“You don’t realize in how much trouble you could get yourself into if you attract the wrong attention.”
A little too late for that advice …
I could only hope that Lorcan wouldn’t mention anything to Gulliver, or better yet that he’d forget all about our night as soon as possible. But I knew I wouldn’t.
Seamus looked up from his coffee as I entered the kitchenette in our warehouse in the harbor. An important shipment of guns was going back to Ireland and a cargo container full of drugs would arrive today. Plenty to do, but my mind was elsewhere—namely the fiery redhead.
I grabbed a mug of coffee for myself. After only two hours of sleep, this definitely wouldn’t be my last dose of caffeine for the day.
“Is the cargo ship on time?” I asked.
“Looks like it.”
I nodded then glanced at the clock. Seven. The cargo wouldn’t arrive until eleven a.m. or even later. That gave me some time. Seamus and my men could take care of everything until then, and I could pay Gulliver a visit.
“I need to head out once more.”