Page 70 of His Deadly Devotion

“Right now? Yes,” he says.

“Why?”

“Because this city is ours,” he tells me.

I blink. Once, then twice. “What do you meanours?”

“I mean, this city, the organization… it’s mine and yours. I killed my father, Aurora. You know how this world works. When the king dies, who takes over the throne?”

“His heir,” I whisper. “Holy shit, Connor.” This is huge. It’s also something he’s never wanted. “What are you going to do?”

“First, we need to get somewhere safe. And then, I’m going hunting. I’m going after them all, everyone with a taste for power, and I will deliver you every single one of their hearts.” He looks me in the eye as he says this.

“Orwe could wait until I heal a little and I could help you.” I smile.

“Deal.” Connor sits next to me on the bed. “If you call your parents, you can’t tell them what I’ve done, Aurora. They’re going to ask a lot of questions.”

“The criminal underworld is worse thanGossip Girl, Connor. It’s only a matter of time before they find out.”

“I know. We just… need to get in front of this,” he says.

“Okay. I have to let them know I’m alive, though. I don’t like that they’re worrying about me.”

“You can do that.” Connor pulls a phone from his pocket and places it on my waiting palm.

I dial my mom’s number. After assuring her that I’m safe and that I’ll be in touch soon, I return the phone to Connor and watch as he destroys it.

“You ready?” he asks me.

“To run away with you? Always.” I grin, even though it hurts to do it.

33

Just as we were about to slip out the door, Aisling caught us and ordered us to the dining room to eat before we ran off. I’m not sorry we stayed. My cousin knows how to cook. Plus, Aurora really needs the food.

“Did they feed you?” I ask, piling more potatoes onto her plate.

“Some girl kept coming in and giving me soup,” she tells me. “She smelled like old tea, but she sounded young.”

I look across the table to Patty. I have a feeling I know who it was. Fucking Maeve. I don’t know why she’d go along with my father’s insane cruelty. I honestly didn’t think she’d even have the stomach for it. Unless the old man had something on her and forced her to do his bidding.

Patty starts typing on his phone, probably finding out where Maeve is right now.

“This is really good, Aisling,” Aurora says. “I’m sure I’ve lost weight over the last couple of days, which means I can eat as much carbs as I want.”

“Babe, you can always eat as much as you want,” I remind her.

“You won’t be saying that when I’m the size of a house, Connor.”

“I would love you in any size you came in.”

“Okay, what the hell was that?” Aisling turns to Patty. “I think we need Father O’Brien. Connor is possessed.”

“No, he’s just smitten.” Patty smirks.

Aurora smiles at me. “I like you smitten.”

“I thought you liked him bleeding, considering how many times you’ve stabbed him,” Patty counters.