Page 21 of Savage Promises
“I’m sorry, Lennox,” Shane says quietly, owning up to the deal. “It’s happening. I’m marrying your sister in three months.”
His words knock the air from my lungs. He’s not fighting this. Or protesting the marriage to Neve. A marriage that will put her in his bed.
That hurts more than anything. And is it my fault? “Gar, is this because I refused to give you money?”
Shane’s eyes blaze with fire at Garrett. “And don’t youevergo to Lennox for money again!”
Garrett flinches, and my stomach drops at Shane standing up for me when no one else does.
With a fierce glare, I turn back to my father. “You can’t do this to Neve. Not now. What’s the rush? Let her finish high school at least.” I glance at the Quinlan brother I always found daunting and powerful. “Griffin, I assume you’d like the mothers of the next generation of Quinlan children to be educated?”
Not letting Griffin say a word, Shane responds coldly, “Neve’s education will be up to me.”
Hearing him say her name guts me.
Yeah, Neve, open your legs, let your husband fuck you.
The man I wanted to lose my virginity to will deflower my sister!
“Lennox?” Shane’s soft voice breaks through the ringing in my ears. Taking my forearms, he lowers me into a chair and kneels in front of me. “Are you all right?”
His large hands feel warm on my bare arms, and I nearly gasp at the delicious sensation of his tender touch.
“She’s fine. She’s always fine,” Dad dismisses my panic attack.
When I look at Shane, he pulls his hands away and stands, but not before I see something flicker behind those pale blue eyes. Regret, maybe? But for what? Not stopping this? Or not taking our kiss further six years ago?
I hold on to the latter, but Shane’s vulnerability disappears an instant later, masked by a ruthless calm I’ve never seen before. This is the new Shane. A man who must marry to keep peace, settle scores, and is so powerful that his hand in marriage can bring the entire Donnelly faction to their knees.
Men just want power. That’s all this is.
“This keeps our families aligned,” Griffin speaks up calmly, politely even. “And everyone protected.”
“I expect Neve to be available for public appearances with me,” Shane continues. “To ensure it’s clear that the Quinlans have...secured loyalty.”
Conquered. That’s what he means. A Quinlan has conquered a Donnelly. Neve is upstairs, pouting over a curfew while her life is being bartered away.
I grow angry and it hardens me. I want to scream and fight. But the stoic look on Shane’s face suggests it wouldn’t matter. The deal is done.
In three months, Shane Quinlan will be my brother-in-law.
I think I’m going to be sick.
CHAPTER EIGHT
Shane
Iwoke up one morning, single. With a distant pining for a girl I could never have lingering on every breath. And that night I went to sleep engaged.
To her sister.
That was a week ago.
With Richard Donnelly belittling Lennox, she turned and practically ran out of the house. I tried to catch up to her, but Griffin held me back, telling me to let it go. LetLennoxgo.
Again.
Only, I can’t. She’s going to be family. And I need her help. I’m my family’s fixer, but Lennox is the only person who can fixthisproblem. And I want her to. I need her.
