Total pages in book: 113
Estimated words: 107012 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 535(@200wpm)___ 428(@250wpm)___ 357(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 107012 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 535(@200wpm)___ 428(@250wpm)___ 357(@300wpm)
He stands and towers over me, placing his hand on my hip to draw me closer to him. I tilt my head back and look up into his familiar blue eyes. I place my palms against his abs and bite my lip.
“Yes, you know Gaelic. You don’t remember? You don’t remember me?”
“I don’t know,” I whisper. “I’m sorry. Thank you for looking after my brother and for your help. I need to go.”
I grab Ciarán by the arm and drag him with me as I race from the office we’re standing in. My head is still throbbing a bit, but I can at least see where I’m going.
“Hey. Hey, love. Wait. Ach, please, hold on.”
I freeze as we get to the bottom of the stairs, but I don’t turn around to face her. I don’t know this girl or that guy back there who seems to know me. She places her hand on my arm, causing me to turn slightly.
“I’m Taegan. We spoke earlier.”
I nod. She licks her lips and her brows furrow on her pretty face. She and I are probably the same height without my heels on.
“Listen, ya owe me nothing and ya don’t know me from a can of paint, but that big lad back there has been my best friend since high school and there’s only two things in this world more important to him than me and this gym. That’s his family and you.
“Yer the Ciara Walsh he’s been trying to get back to Ireland to find since he was a young lad. He’s been trying to get back to ya for most of his life.” She holds up her hands as I go to cut her off. “Hold on, love. I get it. Something has happened to keep ya from remembering him.
“I want ya to take me card. If ya need anything and I do mean anything. Ya give me a call.”
I take the card and read it: Taegan Quinn, Executive Assistant. I look back up at her.
“Why?”
She tilts her head and studies me closely. She’s a pretty girl. With me out of the way, she could have him all to herself if she’s so important to him.
She scoffs. “Aye, ya think if I get rid of ya, I can have him all to me self. Not so much, love. Irish is mad as a box of frogs for ya.”
“Irish?”
“Aye, it’s my nickname for him. The only reason he’s not chasing after ya now is because he’s in shock. I love the big lad, but more like a little brother than anything else.
“I’ve dated an O’Brien once. It’s not for me. I do better as their friend and employee. This is selfish of me to tell the truth.
“He’s going to have me track ya down once he snaps out of it. I’m great at my job, so I’m getting ahead of things. Yer young lad says yer newish to the city. Maybe we can help. If not, at least ya know ya have people here.
“Come on, lass,” she says as she smiles and rolls her eyes playfully. “I’ve got yer back. Keep the card. Call me when ya realize ya want to know everything Irish knows about ya,” she says in her singsong way of speaking.
I lick my lips and nod. She’s an observant one. So much so, I feel like I need to leave before she sees too much.
I’m not processing much properly. I need to get away before this comes back to bite me. They know a name I only learned after stealing my documents to go on the run.
Red flags go off in my head and I decide that for now, I need to run. Shoving the card into my pocket, I grab Ciarán’s hand and take off.
“Hope to see ya again, Chris. Yer welcome back anytime,” she calls after us.
Another redhead bumps into me as we rush out. My first thought is to put her on her ass, but my throbbing head saves her. I murmur an apology and keep going until we’re out of this place.
Dylan
I sit in my apartment staring into space after taking a shower. I left the gym right after Taegan returned to my office to find me standing in the same spot in shock. I had run after Ciara and the kid, but they were gone.
Ciarán.
I like him. He’s smart and he’ll be a good boxer if he keeps at it. Now that I know for sure who he is, I can see so much of Ciara and her dad in him.
She doesn’t remember me? She was in an accident. That’s how her mother was killed.
In my world, there are no coincidences. As the shock wears off, my mind begins to spin and my heart races. Chris called her Ariel and she called him Ciarán. Clearly they’re hiding from something or someone.