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I hum, pretending to consider it."Tempting.But I think I’ll keep this one.He has his perks."

"Oh yeah?Like what?"

I lean in, letting my breath graze his lips before I pull back at the last second."Wouldn’t you like to know?"

Before he can catch me, I slip from his grasp and disappear through the door, leaving him wanting.

Downstairs, I duck into the back office before starting my shift and pull out my phone.I need answers, and there’s only one person I can get them from.

I dial Cian.

He answers after two rings."Aoife.I wasn’t expecting to hear from you so soon."

"I wanted to check in," I say smoothly."Have you gotten any updates on my brother?"

"There’s been no sign of him.No one’s seen or heard a thing.”

“And you checked with your contacts in Dublin?”I ask, probing deeper.

“I did.They weren’t even aware he was in the city,” he confirms.

I keep my voice carefully controlled."I see.”

"I suspect your boss had something to do with it,” he says, letting the accusation hang between us.

"Eamon?You really think he’d do something to Ruairi?"I ask, letting just the right amount of shock seep into my tone.

"Come on, lass," Cian says, amusement laced in his voice."You know what kind of man O’Sullivan is.He’s ruthless.Strategic.You think it’s a coincidence that your brother walked into his city and suddenly vanished?"

I let the silence stretch, like I’m considering his words."I don’t know," I murmur."I can’t believe Mr.O’Sullivan would hurt him.Not with me here."

"That’s exactly why he would," Cian says."To prove a point.To show both you and Ruairi who really has control."

“I mean, I have heard things."I keep my voice low as if I’m wary of saying too much."The staff whispers about him when they think no one’s listening.They say he’s been disappearing a lot lately.Taking secret meetings.Avoiding questions."

Cian hums in approval, like he’s satisfied I’m starting to see things his way."See?It all adds up.”

"What do you think we should do?"

"I already have a plan in motion,” he says smoothly.

"What plan?"I ask, alarmed.

"It’s not something I want to discuss over the phone," he says."I’m coming to Dublin tomorrow.We’ll talk then."

I hesitate, then let out another breath."Okay.Tomorrow."

"That’s my good lass," he murmurs.

The line clicks dead before I can respond.

My stomach twists, a knot pulling tighter with every breath.

Cian believes I’m his.

Ruairi’s exactly where I need him—shackled in the dark, blinded by trust he should have never given me.

The walls tighten with every breath, the air thick with the stench of inevitability.