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I blink as I stare at him. He lifts his hand to his face to touch the side of his mouth as he licks his lips. I note the ring on his pointer finger. It’s the same ring I noticed all the McGowan men wearing today. All on the same finger.

I allow my gaze to take him in from head to toe. Ronan in a suit should be illegal. Ronan in a suit like this, with his tie loose and the top three buttons of his shirt open, should be a sin of the highest caliber.

This is why I’m going to take my ass into my room and forget all about him. He doesn’t get to ignore me then change his mind when he’s drunk. It doesn’t matter if he has found out my name.

He has me fucked up if he thinks this shit is going to fly. He can go find that blonde or hatchet face. I’m done lusting after him.

“Ach, yer not going to renege on me now, are ya?”

I jump as I realize he has closed the small distance between us as I got lost in my musing. He places one hand on my waist and the other on the back of my neck. I look into his eyes and my thoughts scramble.

“A deal is a deal, love. I told you your name, now you’re mine.”

“The deal was for you to tell me my entire name.” I try, wanting to see how much he might know.

“Danika Peoples, I have delivered. Now it’s yer turn. I have some sheets that need burning. Let’s stop wasting time.”

Before I can protest, he captures my lips. Are you fucking kidding me? This is how this man kisses.

I moan into his mouth and lock my fingers into his shirt. Ronan palms my ass in his big ass hands and lifts me into him. He’s straight devouring me.

My entire body quakes as he deepens the kiss and growls. He tightens his hold and lifts me onto his waist. I cup his face and give back as good as I’m getting.

Both our phones ring at the same time and it’s like a bucket of ice water. I slide down his front and take a few steps back. Not taking his heated gaze off me, he pulls his phone from his pocket.

I bend to pick my clutch up from where I dropped it. When I see who the call is from, I frown and turn to rush into my room. He knows my name, but that doesn’t mean he knows who I am.

“Hello,” I say as I pick up the line.

“Baby Girl, we need to cut ties with the Albanians. They have some shit coming down the pipeline that’s about to go south,” Lyric says into the phone.

“Why are you calling me?”

“If I end the deal with Bujar, he’s going to be pissed. This will have consequences. You’re away … by yourself. If I make a move like this, you can’t be out there playing civilian.

“I need you to lock in. Your men need to be with you. I’m covering your ass?—”

“Because Bujar knows who I am and what I look like because I had to pop out on him and his brother over that bullshit,” I think out loud.

“Yeah. You got it.”

“Then I’ll go see him first. Do what you need to do.”

“Baby Girl,” he groans. “You can’t do that. Our friends are just trying to force the Albanians to do something they want. They’re not going to allow you to touch them because they don’t plan to move them off the table entirely.

“The order was to cut their access for now. You come back here like John Wick and shit and you’re going to ruffle all the wrong feathers.

“It would be better for you to come home so no one around you is pulled into this. At the very least, allow me to send your team to you.”

I chew on my lip as I think his words over. This can’t touch Kaye or Dae-Dae. I’ve grown fond of all the McGowans. Especially the fine-ass man in the hallway—whether I want to admit it or not.

“Fine, I’m on my way back. I’ll be in New York by tomorrow.”

“See you when you get here.”

I end the call and walk over to the bed to unfasten the straps on my shoes. A headache begins to form, so I reach up and release my locs from their bun. I reach for my kiss-swollen lips as I listen to Ronan’s voice rumble quietly through the door.

“You were about to fuck up,” I mutter to myself.