Surprisingly, Kiara fell asleep not long after curling up on the couch.
Must’ve been the injection Dr. O’ Sullivan gave her.
Getting up, I walk closer and stare down at her, tilting my head.
Even with the swelling and bruising, she’s still the most beautiful woman I’ve laid eyes on. Now that I’ve held her in my arms, I have a constant urge to touch her.
No touch has ever affected me like hers.
Crouching down, I lift a hand and gently push a wild curl behind her ear. Her auburn hair forms a halo around her face, her pale skin in stark contrast with the bruises on her jaw and cheek.
I always thought there was something wrong with me, that I was broken, unable to feel love.
Leaning forward, I press my mouth to her forehead, then hold still and breathe her into my lungs. I marvel at how she makes me feel. There’s no disgust. No urge to pull away.
Instead, I’m filled with a need for more. For everything, she has to offer.
My jaw clenches from the effort it takes to pull back, then the corner of my mouth curves up.
Chicago’s all that mattered up until Kiara. This city is mine. Always have been, always will be. So is Kiara Murphy. She just doesn’t know it yet. I’ll give her time to heal, to get used to me, but after that, I’ll make her mine.
My eyes drift over her feminine features, memorizing every inch of her.
So fucking beautiful.
Remembering how she clung to me at the office, warmth and possessiveness burst in my chest.
Cling all you want, baby. I don’t want you to let go.
My phone starts to ring, and it has me quickly standing up and walking to the study that’s behind the stairs.
“Liam,” I answer.
“It’s Viktor,” the head of the bratva says. “Luca told me what happened. You okay?”
“Yeah.”
“The girl?”
“Sleeping on my couch. Did you find out anything?” I ask as I softly shut the door behind me.
The Russian lets out an amused chuckle. “It’s hilarious.”
“What?”
“You’ll never guess who’s behind the Sicilians.”
A muscle starts to jump in my jaw as hatred pours into my veins. “Finn.”
“You expected it?”
“With the shit he’s been giving me, I’m not surprised. The fucker has always wanted me out of the way so he can take over the mafia.”
I should’ve killed him sooner.
“Can you find out where he’s hiding?” I ask.
“Probably. Give me some time.”
Viktor might be the youngest in the Priesthood, but the man is like a fucking bloodhound. If he’s looking for you, there’s nowhere on this godforsaken planet you can hide.
“Thanks.”
“Remember the meeting next week.”
Fuck. I almost forgot. “Yeah, I’ll see you then.”
Ending the call, my fingers wrap in a crushing hold around the device.
You can run, Finn. You can fucking hide, but come hell or high water, I’ll find you.
“Liam!” Kiara suddenly screams, panic and fear making the sound hoarse.
My body reacts before it even registers in my mind, and I’m out the door. My eyes search for the threat but only find Kiara asleep on the couch.
Am I fucking losing my mind?
Suddenly her body jerks. She makes a terrifying sound, almost like a wounded animal, then whimpers, “Liam.”
Nightmare.
Crouching beside her, I frame her face with my hands. “Kiara, wake up.” My thumb gently brushes over her bruised cheek. “Wake up, baby.”
Her eyes snap open, and it takes a couple of seconds before she focuses on me. Her lips part, and she starts to suck in desperate breaths, then she shoots forward, wrapping her arms tightly around my neck.
Feeling her breaths exploding over my skin and how she’s trembling, the most intense emotion I’ve ever experienced floods my entire being.
Love?
No, this is more than a simple emotion.
It’s obsession.
Moving her up, I lie down beside her, my body pinning hers to the couch. With my arms locked around her, I’m half leaning over her, making the trembling in her subside.
She pulls her arms away from my neck, only to wrap them around my lower back. I feel her fingers twisting in the fabric of my shirt as she grips fistfuls.
“Feeling nauseous?” I whisper, deciding to check her concussion while she’s awake.
“No.” The word sounds small and beaten down.
Not thinking it through, I turn my head until my cheek presses against hers. “Headache?”
She nods, her skin brushing against mine. “But not bad.”
My hand moves to the back of her head, and I softly start to massage her scalp, her hair feeling like silk.
Still clinging to me, she asks, “Can we remove the blanket? It’s getting hot.”
“I can move,” I say, even though I’m already pulling the blanket from between us and tossing it over the back of the couch.
Kiara tightens her hold on me, shaking her head, her breaths fanning over my jaw from the movement. “No. Please stay.”
I press a kiss to her cheek, then get comfortable. “Sleep. I’ll watch over you.”
We lie in silence, but it feels as if she’s screaming for me to never let go. Every couple of minutes, she starts to tremble, and once I whisper I’m here and not going anywhere, it subsides again.
She needs me.
My own emotions rocket between rage, knowing I won’t find a moment’s rest until I’ve killed Finn, and being totally absorbed by Kiara. The way her body fits against mine, it’s as if she’s a piece of me that was missing. She’s the emotion I was unable to feel. She’s the touch I missed my entire life.
In the early morning hours, I realize that I’ll raise heaven and hell for this woman. Within a matter of hours, I’ve gone from being attracted to her to being absolutely devoted.
With Kiara sleeping in my arms, I make peace with the fact that she owns me.
Give her time, Liam. She’s been through hell. The last thing you want to do is scare her off.
Patience.
