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I didn’t move from my seat at the small table. I might have admitted to myself that she owned me. But I wouldn’t tell her that. She needed to come to me. Preferably on her hands and knees.

“My family will want to see proof of life.” She laid the dress on the chair and walked toward me. Instead of taking a chair, she sat on my lap, wrapping her arms around my neck. “When will you be back?”

“I’m not sure.” My arms wrapped around her waist, holding her to me. “I’ll stop by the desk and have them issue you a key. You can go home, change, and pack a bag.”

“Why am I packing a bag?” she asked, pulling back.

My hands went to her back and pulled her back to my chest. My teeth clamped onto the lobe of her ear before I whispered, “Because you’re staying with me tonight.”

“Pretty bold to assume I was looking for a repeat performance.” She tilted her head, giving me access to her neck. Her actions contrary to her words.

“Mo bandia, you passed out when I was done with you last night. Don’t lie and tell me you don’t want more.”

“Maybe.” The word came out on a gasp when I parted the robe and pinched her nipple.

“Your body doesn’t lie like you do,” I accused, a smile easily heard in my words.

I lifted her off my lap and stood. “Eat. I’ll call you when I’m on my way back. I expect you in bed, waiting for me.”

“And what if I’m not?” Her sass was an aphrodisiac I wouldn’t let her know about.

“Then last night’s punishment will feel like your favorite treat. Don’t test me, Freyja. I want you naked in my bed when I get back. Bring something to wear to dinner, and if you’re a good girl, I’ll take you out when I’m finished with you.”

I kissed her hard, then walked away. Giving her no recourse to deny me. Like I told her I would, I stopped at the desk and had them prepare a key. Giving them her name, they assured me she would get it.

If she wasn’t waiting for me later, it would be her choice. What she didn’t know was I wouldn’t chase after her. Last night was the single greatest night of my life. But if she didn’t feel what I felt, it wouldn’t matter.

By the time I left the hotel, it was almost eight-thirty. I strolled into the deli as though I didn’t have a dozen or more men waiting for me.

“Glad you decided to join us,” Callum said with a knowing grin on his face. I liked Callum. He was smart, and he was loyal. And if you betrayed him, well... let’s just say no one betrayed him twice. He didn’t allow second chances.

“Fuck off.”

Cian gave me a look, and I knew he wasn’t happy with the phone call this morning. He was playing with fire where Caity was concerned, especially if that was in fact another woman I heard in the background.

“You good?” I asked him.

“Always.” That was all he would offer on the disagreement from this morning.

“Alright. What do we know?”

Cian handed me a printout of a call log. Several highlighted numbers appeared on the list. One I recognized immediately.

“Tell me the son of a bitch is not using the same goddamn phone.”

“Yes and no.”

“What the fuck does that mean?” I asked, looking at Cian.

“Someone spoofed his number to another phone. So, while his phone is off, probably destroyed, he can still use the same number on another phone.”

“Are you fuckin’ with me? Tyran isn’t smart enough to figure that shit out.”

“That’s what led us to Garritt,” Callum offered.

My eyes shot to Callum. He sat on the edge of a desk in the deli’s office. Garritt Mahoney, the man currently hanging in his own walk-in freezer, inherited this business from his father, who had inherited it from his grandfather. Three generations of Irish-American business gone with one fuckup.

Callum motioned to his son, Niall.