Page 29 of Reckless Desires

“How long has their mother been gone?” I ask.

“We just had her vardo a few days ago.” She smiles. “We are a big family. Do you have any siblings?”

“Two older sisters, one younger.”

“Are you close with them?”

I gulp. “Depends on what drama is happening.”

Truth is, after my father passed, things are always tense. It was never like that when Dad was around. He was the one who kept Mom and Stasia from clashing. Now that he’s gone, nothing is the same.

“I didn’t catch your name,” the woman says. “I’m Aunt Maeve.”

“Liliana,” I reply, throwing on a shirt.

“Ah,” Maeve replies, causing me to look up at her. “Lily. Pretty name.”

“After my grandmother.” I smile. “Only my family calls me Lily.”

She nods, but I can see she’s debating something.

I clear my throat. “Is there a way I can buy new underwear? I’m not using someone else’s.”

“Lucky you, new set in the other drawer.” She watches me. “You seem to be in pain. Are you alright?”

“That time of the month is coming, so I’m a bit stiff.”

“I’ll make you some tea that will ease the cramping.”

Before I can reply, she’s gone. I quickly throw on clothes and sneakers then poke my head out the door. Now that I’m fully clothed, I can run. Where to doesn’t matter. I just need out of here.

Quietly and cautiously, making my way toward the door, I stop right before the opening to the den area where there are a number of men speaking.

“Human leverage,” I hear Killian say.

My heart stops. He is going to put me back into the trafficking ring. They are all in on it.

“Your tea is almost ready.” Aunt Maeve sneaks up behind me, holding a wet cloth. She speaks sweetly, but her tone has an underlying threat to it. “You’re not from around here, dear, so I won’t hold it against you, but I’d hate for you to find out the hard way what the Boswell name means in this part of the North. Our reputation is far more dangerous than the Costello family. You could run. I won’t stop you. But those men in there, the Boswell brothers, one whisper from any of them will shake up a storm. You wouldn’t get far, and I can’t promise that you’d be returned in one piece.”

Boswell? I thought his name was Weste. I remain frozen. I turn my head when she stands beside me, and we share a look. I understand what I need to do. What Aunt Maeve doesn’t realize is that I’m an Andretti, and we are very good at making the best out of a shitty situation.

“Is she hot?” I hear a male voice ask and find my cue to enter.

“I like to think so,” my voice carries through the room, demanding attention.

But nothing prepared me for five sets of eyes, all crystal light blue, watching me like a hawk eyeing its prey. I’ve been in rooms with men of power my whole life, but this felt different. I am not in safe territory, and I know I shouldn’t trust any of them.

“Well, Kil, don’t be rude. Introduce us to your lady friend.” One of the men with chestnut brown hair says to Killian, who hasn’t taken his eyes off me.

“I wouldn’t call us friends,” I voice, locking eyes with Killian.

Aunt Maeve tosses Killian a wet washcloth. “Why don’t you clean up. I don’t want blood getting on anything.”

Killian catches the cloth as he makes his way toward us.

“Behave,” he commands in my ear. “They aren’t as kind as I am.”

“I’ve been able to manage you. I’ll be fine,” I whisper back with a smirk.