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His eyes flash with something that feels like both a warning and a promise.“We all have our demons,” he murmurs, the words a dark caress.“The real question is, what happens when they recognize each other?”

Eamon

Eve is still sound asleep,her red hair fanned out on her pillow.When my eyes opened, and I realized last night wasn’t a dream, that her naked body was pressed up against mine, I wanted to sink inside her and lose myself all over again.

I don’t know what’s gotten into me.I never spend the night with a woman.I fuck them and leave them—no strings attached.But there’s something different about Eve.Something mysterious that makes me want to unravel her.To learn all her secrets.

I’m confident it won’t last.We’ll have some fun for a few days.I’ll fuck her until she’s out of my system, and then I’ll be on my way home.Speaking of home, I need to check-in.

Sliding my pants on, I grab my phone.The morning air is warm.The salty tang of the ocean lingers on the breeze as I step onto the deck.The water below glistens, a vast stretch of turquoise that would be almost peaceful if my mind weren’t already spinning.

I glance toward the villa.She’s still asleep.I should leave her there and slip away for a while to clear my head, but something pulls me back.I find myself dialing room service and ordering everything on their breakfast menu.The absurdity of it doesn’t hit me until I hang up, but even then, I can’t bring myself to care.

My thumb hovers over the screen before I scroll to Seamus’s name and hit call.It rings twice before his gruff voice comes through.

“Boss.”

“How’s everything back home?”I ask, keeping my voice low as I glance over my shoulder into the bedroom.The last thing I need is Eve overhearing any part of this conversation.

“Quiet for now.No signs of movement.But I don’t trust the silence,” Seamus replies.

“Neither do I,” I mutter, running a hand through my hair.The Callahan’s have been a thorn in my side for months.Their constant skirmishes on the edge of my territory are a calculated game meant to test my patience.

“You think they’ll make a move while you’re gone?”Seamus asks, the question loaded.

“They’re not that stupid,” I reply, though the thought lingers at the back of my mind.“Keep the boys on high alert.If the Callahan’s make a move, handle it.Make sure they know where the boundaries are.”

Seamus grunts in acknowledgment.“And you?Still in paradise?”

I glance out at the endless water, but it’s not the view I’m thinking about.It’s her—her green eyes and fiery hair that matches her temperament.The way her body welcomed mine as if she was made for me.“For now.”

“Will you be returning tomorrow?”

“No,” I say curtly.“I’ve delayed my flight home.”

“Anything I should know?”Seamus presses, his voice dipping into that careful tone that tells me he’s prying without wanting to seem like he’s prying.

“Nothing that concerns you,” I snap, sharper than intended.The tightness in my chest comes out of nowhere.It’s unwelcome and hard to ignore.I don’t owe Seamus an explanation.I’m the one in charge.And yet, the fact that he even asked grates more than it should.

Especially when I don’t have a damn answer myself.

“Understood,” Seamus says.“Anything else?”

“Not for now.I’ll check in later.”

I end the call, tucking my phone into my pocket as I lean against the railing.My jaw tightens as I consider the implications of staying here longer than planned.This was supposed to be a quick stop.Business, and nothing else.But then I met Eve.She’s an unexpected complication.

Once again, I tell myself it’s nothing.A few days, and I’ll be on a plane home.And Eve?She’ll be nothing more than a memory.Even as I say those words, I know they’re nothing but a lie.The truth is, she’s already under my skin, and I don’t know how to stop it.

A sharp chime breaks the silence.Room service.

I drag a hand down my face and force myself to move, grateful for the distraction.Because if I sit with this feeling any longer, I might admit just how deep it already runs.

When I open the door, I find the attendant standing there with a polished smile, a cart piled high with silver-domed plates and fresh fruit arranged like art.He offers a quiet greeting I barely register, then pushes the cart inside and begins setting everything up with practiced efficiency.

The soft shuffle of footsteps from behind catches my attention.When I glance over my shoulder, Eve is standing in the doorway of the bedroom.She’s slipped back into the silk robe, the one that barely skims the tops of her thighs.The same one she wore last night.

The morning light pouring through the windows wraps around her like a spotlight, highlighting every curve beneath the delicate fabric.Her nipples are visible through the thin silk, a quiet invitation she doesn’t even realize she’s giving.