Page 10 of Vengeful Devotion
“Where to, Mrs. McBride?” the driver asks.
“Take us home please, Roland.”
Hope blooms in my chest as we pull away from the parking lot. It’s almost enough to drown out the seed of self-doubt.Almost.
That seed grows into a sprout when we pull up to the house. It’s really more of a mansion. It towers above the trees around. The stonework on the front reminds me of the castles Lia and I used to read about. We always dreamed of living in one. I guess that dream is coming true for me in a way. I wish I could tell Lia about this.
“Wow,” I say, sounding like a star-struck child.
“It’s beautiful, isn’t it? Patrick, my husband, had this built when we moved here from Ireland. It’s just like the home we have there.”
Ireland. So that’s where her accent comes from.
“It’s amazing. Do you live here all by yourself?”
“No. Four of my children live here, and we host most of our staff on the grounds as well.”
“Oh,” I murmur.
“Speaking of my children, would you mind not telling the others that you saw me with Warren?”
I furrow my eyebrows, curious about the reason, but also smart enough to nod my head and keep my mouth shut. Francine has given me a gift by offering me a job and a place to stay. The least I can do is keep her secret.
“Thank you. Ready?”
She doesn’t wait for my answer before getting out of the car. I clutch my backpack tighter as I climb out. There are men roaming the grounds. I can see the outline of their guns beneath their suit jackets. If I hadn’t grown up in Lonny’s home, maybe that would make me nervous. But I’m used to there being security around. Only, it’s usually to keep me in. My steps falter. Just the thought of entering another situation like the one I ran from is terrifying. I take a deep breath, telling myself that I’m safe and the guards aren’t there for me as I follow Francine into her home.
I half expect to see more of a medieval style, but it’s not. The beauty of the outside is matched on the inside by a modern design and an open layout. I twirl around, trying to take everything in at once. Francine’s home is warm and comforting.
My eyes land on a man lingering near the opening of a hallway. He’s the spitting image of Francine, with his dark hair and those electric green eyes staring back at me. They roam over me, caressing in ways I’ve never felt before.
“Declan,” Francine says, putting her arm around me. “This is Gemma Rossi. My new assistant.”
Declan’s suit rustles as he moves towards us. He’s wearing one similar to the men outside, but somehow the ensemble looks more dangerous on him. My body can’t decide if I want to run away or leap into his arms. His eyes never leave my face. The closer he gets, the more nervous I become. My throat runs dry, and my palms clam up as I feel my cheeks heat under his gaze.
I look down, breaking eye contact with Declan. Instead, I watch his feet, though the sound of his steps are drowned out by my racing heart.
He stops just in front of me, and I can’t help but look up at him. He’s the most beautiful man I’ve ever seen, and that scares me. The feelings he stirs within me are terrifying.
“Mother,” Declan says, turning away from me. “Come see me once you’re done with her.”
The way he spits out the word,herstings. Without another look or word, he stalks out of the room. It bothers me more than I want to admit. More than I’m willing to understand. But I can’t afford to give it any more thought. I’m not here to make friends with the broody, too-hot-for-his-own-good jerk. I’m here to do a job and I will do that job. No matter what.
CHAPTERFOUR
Declan
My mind isa mess as I walk back to my office. I’ve experienced nothing like what I just did with Gemma. It was like she called to me, just by looking at me. The siren's call of long, beautiful honey hair and sad blue-green eyes. But that is a call that will go unanswered. I have no room in my life for a woman. I never have. The only women I have are the occasional one-night encounters to scratch an itch. It's not that I don’t respect them, but they’re a means to an end. Nothing more.
Balor and the head of my security team, Dean, are waiting in my office when I get back.
Sitting behind my desk, I clear my throat. “What is it?”
“I checked out the warehouse in North Town. You were right, the guns weren’t there. There were a few security cameras around, but they were all disabled the night Seamus and Liam were caught,” Balor says. “We have nothing.”
I move my eyes over to Dean, hoping he has found something I can use.
“The guards I sent over to the logistics company haven’t reported anything suspicious.”
