Page 64 of Sinful Empire (Mount Trilogy 3)
Temperance reaches down and threads her fingers through mine. “Do you want me here, or do you want me to hold down the fort?”
“You should be home, resting.”
“Boss, you know me better than that. Besides, I just got knocked on the head. No one put a hole in me. I’m fine.”
“I’m not asking you to work. No way.”
She smiles. “You don’t have to. I’d do it anyway. If you need anything at all, call me.”
As she releases my fingers, I want to beg her to find Lachlan and bring him to me, but I never even told her about him in precise terms. The only person in my world who knows about him is Magnolia, and she’s somewhere in this hospital, in a coma. Because of that crazy blond bitch.
Who was she? Is that why he’s gone? Did she hurt him? The thought crushes me, sending me mentally stumbling backward. Is he dead?
No. No. No.
I refuse to believe that.
Lachlan Mount is superhuman. Not even a bullet could stop him. It didn’t before.
Then why isn’t he here? I’m torn between anger and desperation, willing to bargain away my soul just to see his face and make sure he’s okay.
He wouldn’t leave me. He wouldn’t.
I’m tiring again, but I have to ask my mom one very important question.
“Have I had any other visitors, Mom?” When she nods, my heart lifts. “Who?”
“Pretty much everyone we know in this town has stopped by. Your dad has kept them all in the hall, but it’s been quite the parade.”
“Anyone . . . anyone you didn’t know?”
Her brow creases. “What do you mean, honey?”
I want to ask her so badly, but I can’t. Instead, I take the coward’s way out and close my eyes to feign sleep as my heart cracks again.
Where is he?
Keira
“Dance with me, Lachlan. Dance with me in Dublin.”
His face, normally so stern, has changed tonight. He has changed tonight. When he takes my hand and pulls me into the crowd of dancing Irish men and women, a smile turns his mouth into the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen.
“You’re beautiful,” I tell him. I’m drunk and I don’t care.
“Men aren’t beautiful.”
“Lies. All lies. Because you are.”
He spins me as we pretend we know this Irish jig, and brings me back against his hard body. “We’ll agree to disagree.”
“Fine. But I’m still right.”
His smile brightens the entire room. I swear it could light a pitch-black sky. He leans in, his lips brushing against my ear. “Not right, but priceless all the same.”
“Pssh. We both know my price. You found it.” The answer flies from my lips without thought, my filter gone, thanks to the booze.
He jerks back, staring down at me, all humor gone from his face. “Don’t you say that. Because that is pure bullshit. I couldn’t buy you with every penny I have.”
