Page 125 of Carnal Wagers

His forehead rubbed against mine as he shook his head. “She’s meticulous. Hasn’t slipped up except once, nine years ago. I came home early one day and walked in on her trying to murder my wife. We got her DNA, but nothing else except some basic descriptors. She’s not in any database. It’s like fishing in the ocean without bait.”

“Wait. Wait. You said your wife.”

“Aye, Sarah.”

Of course. The wife he cared about. “Sarah,” I repeated with bitterness.

“I love hearing your jealousy.”

“I’m not,” I gritted out.

His finger pulled at my pouty bottom lip. A trickle of amusement tugged at his strained features.

“No need to be. She would never have had anything on you.”

I had no idea what that meant, and right now, I wasn’t ready to dissect it.

“I’m just confused. That’s all. Your wife, Sarah”—because the name felt like an important distinction to make—“died seven years ago, not nine.”

I was pretty sure about that detail.

“You’re right. Sarah died a victim of the Love Knot Killer seven and a half years ago, but that wasn’t the first time LK tried to go after her.”

“I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be. You’re not her killer.” His finger trailed down my jawline and below my chin, then lifted my face. “Can you understand why I fought this, between us, so hard? You mean the world to me, síbhean. You’ve given me new life, and I won’t let her take it from me. Not ever again.”

“Cillian…”

“Every minute of every day, you’re in danger because I couldn’t resist.”

I wrapped my arms around his neck. “I’m in danger every day because you’re a mobster, and I’m no innocent.”

“No, you aren’t. You’re my match.”

The rough grit of his voice sent shivers down to my needy pussy, reminding me she’d been horribly denied.

“Stay with me, love. Willingly. Don’t make me force you.”

“I need time to myself.”

“Absolutely not.”

“It wasn’t a request.”

“You don’t understand how obsessed you’ve made me. I can’t get enough of you.” His hand dragged down my spine. “Touching you.” Around my waist. “Holding you.” Lower to squeeze my butt. “Fucking you. Every moment with you reminds me I’m alive. I won’t risk you.” He bit and sucked at my jaw. “You’re mine. That means you stay with me.”

I broke his hold with one twist and slip of the hand, then stepped back from him.

“Let us get one thing straight. I might really like you, but no one restrains me. No one limits me, and no one stops me from living my life the way I want to live it. Not anymore. Not even you.”

He advanced on me and grappled me back in his arms. “I’ll have to work harder to show you how serious I am.”

“I wasn’t joking. I’ll leave if you do that.”

“You can try.”

“I will.”