The tiles are hard under my hand as I lean against them. For a second, I let the fantasy linger, imagining what would be next. I can see Rose get to her feet, her breath coming as heavily as mine is.
She’d ask—no, beg—for me to fuck her. She would whisper that she wants me.
I need you inside me,she would say.Please.
And I would give her what she wants. I’d sink my cock into her and go hard again, and this time, I’d come inside her. I’d fill her again and again until she knew she was mine.
I breathe hard and let my forehead hit the tile for a moment. There are red spots swimming before my eyes as my ears ring.
Fuck.Fuck. I shouldn’t have needed to do that.
I shouldn’t be attracted to Rose at all, even slightly, for all the reasons I’ve thought about since I saw her again.
Her family destroyed mine. She’s everything I shouldn’t want, and yet here I am, imagining what it would be like to have her for myself. To fuck her like there’s something real between us.
I scrub off every trace of my weakness and then turn off the shower and go back into the bedroom. Rose is still asleep. I avoid looking at her as I get dressed to leave.
My mind is still a tangled mess as I get into my car and head over to Tír na Nóg, but one thing slips through without my consent.
I dial Jamie’s number before I can think better of it. He’s a cousin, a member of the inner circle. He knows about my past with Rose, but I feel less guilty about asking him to do something for me. He doesn’t hate her as much as my brothers do.
“Aiden?” His voice comes through my phone.
“It’s me. Listen, we have an arrangement with Antonio.”
“Do we?”
There’s a spark of muted curiosity in his voice. I nod, even though he can’t see it.
“Yes. He’s ceding control to us. Essentially. We’re now partners.”
“This was a good deal.”
“It was,” I confirm. “We’ve caught him with his fingers in the Ravens’ pie. He’ll do what we want.”
“The Ravens? I didn’t realize he was that stupid.”
“Good for us,” I say, a savage joy rising in my chest. “And he’s not great at covering his tracks.”
“Clearly,” Jamie replies. “How did this happen?”
“The usual. With a lot of intimidation and some veiled threats from Lachlan.”
“And insurance?”
“I’m marrying his daughter.”
There’s a beat of silence before Jamie whistles. I’m sure he’s surprised. It’s not an unheard of proposition, but it’s unusual. We tend to do our business in more straightforward ways.
“Is this a good idea?”
“What?” I ask dryly. “This, or any wedding?”
“What do you think?”
“I think it’s a moot point.”
Jamie hums speculatively. I know what he thinks. He’s still mourning his wife. She died only a year ago and he swore he’d never find love or marry again.
