Total pages in book: 97
Estimated words: 91266 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 456(@200wpm)___ 365(@250wpm)___ 304(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 91266 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 456(@200wpm)___ 365(@250wpm)___ 304(@300wpm)
“Perhaps you should add some of the O’Malleys to that list you have of dead men walking.”
Even though he knew better than to get drawn into a conversation with this man, he said, “And do your dirty work for you? I don’t think so. You can’t afford me.”
“All evidence points to the contrary. I’m paying you to remove Colm Sheridan—something you’d do well to remember.”
“I have certain criteria. The O’Malley men don’t meet it.”
Romanov chuckled. “Not yet. But when they decide to keep your precious Sloan from you? They will. She’s the sweet little sister and you’re a vicious killer. In what world would an O’Malley give their blessing?”
“Funny, but Carrigan gave her blessing. She says ‘hi’ by the way.”
Silence for a beat, and then two. “You’re a clever one, aren’t you?”
He moved to the window and looked out, but nothing had changed. “I like to think so.”
“Then tell me what the O’Malley men will do when they find out Sloan’s carrying your child.” He’d recovered from the Carrigan jab far too quickly, regaining his unruffled tone. “They’ll keep her from you, and they’ll remove the child. You know it’s the truth.”
Jude gripped the phone so tightly, the case creaked. “You’re a motherfucker, aren’t you?” They might not push her to have an abortion—bastard or no, he didn’t think Teague would go to those lengths—but they would keep her under lock and key and then push her to give the baby up for adoption. No. I won’t allow it.
“As you said, you’re a smart man. Which is why you will be in that apartment with your finger on the trigger in an hour, won’t you?”
“I’ll be there.” Jude was already moving, hustling down the stairs and onto the street. He could get to the apartment across from the restaurant in twenty. As much as he wanted to stay here and ensure Sloan got out okay, he didn’t trust Romanov’s timetable any more than he trusted the man himself. Guess I’m going to get to find out the hard way if Aiden was serious about taking Sloan’s word for it. “Don’t get any funny ideas, Dmitri. You fuck with me and I’ll kill you.” Jude disconnected before Dmitri could respond.
Sloan’s brothers wouldn’t hurt her, not in any permanent way. But Teague was already convinced that Jude had brainwashed her, twisting her will into his own. She was outmanned and outgunned, and she would be helpless if the tide of her family turned against her.
A slow burning started in his gut, working outward, scorching away every tendril of humanity Sloan had worked so fucking hard to bring out in him. He wouldn’t let them take her away from him. Wouldn’t let them decide the fate of his baby. He’d already lost too much. He wouldn’t lose her—them—too. Every instinct he had demanded he turn around and rush back to defend them, the Sheridans be damned. Up until a week ago, he’d been planning on killing Colm. What did they matter when weighed against the life of the woman he loved and their child?
I promised Sloan.
That he wouldn’t hurt Callista—or let her be hurt. That he’d stop Romanov. That he’d trust her to do what she needed to do. If he went back now, he’d be breaking her trust and potentially doing irreparable harm to their relationship.
Jude hesitated, torn, and then gritted his teeth and charged forward. He would keep his promise.
But that didn’t mean that he couldn’t weigh things a bit in his favor in the meantime.
Chapter Thirty
Sloan couldn’t breathe. She stood in the middle of Callie’s living room, watching her older brothers snipe at each other like rabid junkyard dogs. Teague looked half a second from pummeling Aiden, and Aiden was right there with him. The only saving grace was that they’d sent their men away and closed the doors, so it was just the three of them.
“You betrayed the family.”
Teague rocked onto the balls of his feet. “I did what it took to protect our sister.” He was sporting a black eye that she suspected was courtesy of Jude, and it made him look like a completely different person. Or maybe it was the wildness in his dark eyes. “Something you haven’t even tried. Not with Carrigan, not with Keira, and sure as fuck not with Sloan.”
Aiden took a slow step to the side like he was sizing Teague up for weakness. “And how’s that protection working out? She’s here, looking like shit, and it was Carrigan who brought her back. You had your chance. You fucked it up. She’s leaving.”
“The fuck she is.” Teague’s fists clenched and unclenched. “She’s staying right here. You have no idea what’s going on.”
“Wrong. I know a whole hell of a lot more than you bargained on.” Aiden crossed his arms over his chest. “Or were you just going to slink away and hope no one noticed you were informing to the fucking feds?”