Page 35 of Stolen Temptation

“You mean…?” She blinks owlishly at me.

“He’s the heir.”

Her face becomes ashen. “I kicked the heir to the Irish Kings in the face,” she whispers, horrified.

“Yes, you did.” My smile is wider and more genuine than it probably should be. “Impressive work. Were you a Rockette in a past life?”

She ignores my joke. “What is he going to do to me for attacking him?”

Her fearful expression prompts me to clear my throat.

“Nothing.” My promise pulls her eyes to mine. “Ifyou cooperate.”

We sit for a moment in silence.

Her chest rises and falls. “Cooperate with what?”

“Me.” That sounds wrong, so I amend my answer. “My questions.”

“What kind of questions?”

“The kind where I ask, and youanswer.”

She huffs an annoyed breath while I settle in. Whateversheknows about Leo,Ineed to know about Leo. Whether I like it or not, I need this woman to trust me.

The way she did when she ran into me at the auction.

It’s too bad I couldn’t have investigated her connection to him then. Abducting her and bringing her here are already two strikes against me.

Getting her trust now will be a challenge, but it’s nothing I can’t handle.

My eyes rove over her face. Not for the first time, I wonder how a woman like her ended up with a sleaze like De Luca.

Then I chide myself for entertaining such a naive question. No doubt she wanted money. Power. The same things that most women who hook up with gangsters seek.

Kiara turns her head, her eyes glaring a hole in the wall across the room. Resisting the urge to smile, I pour sincerity into my tone.

“Just relax, Kiara.” The tension in her rigid shoulders doesn’t ease a single inch. “As long as you cooperate, no one will hurt you or make you do anything you don’t want to do.”

She scoffs. “Too late on that front.”

I suppose she’s got me there. “Touché.”

Her gaze roams over my face, like she’s trying to puzzle out exactly who I am.

Good luck with that. Sometimes, I’m not even sure myself.

Esmeralda, the head nurse of our medical unit, interrupts the tension by pushing a small cart into the room with a fresh set of clothes on top.

That’s my cue. I rise from my chair.

I give Esme a nod before addressing Kiara. “Time to get you out of here. But, first, change your clothes.”

Her eyes flash as she glances at the new outfit. “I’m surprised it’s not a bright orange jumpsuit to designate my prisoner status.”

I tap my chin. “Try to think of yourself as more of…an endangered species within the confines of our nature preserve.” My lip twitches at her offended expression. “Esme will help you get dressed, and then we’ll head to the house.”

“Thehouse?”