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CHAPTER TWO

NIALL

F inn showed up with Una, informing me she wanted to see Anna. From Anna’s response to her, it was obvious the feeling was mutual. We left them together on the sofa, their hands clasped, talking quietly.

We sat at the table, sipping whiskey. Finn’s gaze kept straying to Una as if he were worried she’d suddenly disappear.

“She’s safe,” I assured him, touching his shoulder. “We got her.”

He sighed, visibly relaxing as if he’d needed to hear the words.

“I’m never letting her out of my sight again.”

“I understand.” I stared at Anna for a moment, meeting Finn’s questioning gaze.

I shook my head. “I can’t get more than five feet from her and she becomes upset,” I explained, keeping my voice low.

“I couldn’t take her downstairs. I stood inside the fucking bathroom facing the door while she showered to keep her calm. ”

“Una is reacting the same.”

“But Anna doesn’t know me ,” I replied, confused.

“Una probably talked about you. You carried her out of hell, Niall. It makes sense she feels safe with you.”

Unable to stop myself, I looked over at Anna again. She glanced up, our eyes locking, and then she lowered her head, tilting her face to Una. They were both dressed in clothing too big for them. Our clothing. As if we were surrounding them even when we were ten feet away.

“Get her some clothing from the boutique tomorrow,” Finn murmured.

“Yeah, already thought of that. I gave her what I could.”

“Has she eaten?”

“Tea. Toast.”

Finn chuckled. “These two are alike. Although I did get some soup into Una.”

“Damn it,” I swore. “I never thought of soup.”

He clapped me on the shoulder. “You’ll figure it out.”

“Doc Barnes says she’s severely undernourished. Dehydrated. She needs care and rest.”

Finn nodded, looking serious. “She’ll get whatever she needs. Una is very fond of her. Protective.”

“Yeah,” I muttered. “ I fucking get that .” Finn looked at me, a smile pulling on his mouth, but he remained silent.

“Have you heard from them?” I asked, meaning Roman, Luca, and Aldo.

“A text saying it was done. They should be here soon.”

“We need to meet.”

His gaze drifted to the sofa. “In my suite. I can’t leave Una.” He stood. “Bring Anna with you. She can stay with Una.”

I looked at them, holding hands, quietly talking.

He sighed. “I think they need each other right now.”

I nodded. “Okay.”

We met with the men a short while later. Everyone looked exhausted. Finn arranged food—platters of sandwiches and carafes of coffee filled the table.

Una and Anna were on the sofa. Across from them were Effie, Vi, and Justine—the men’s wives.

Finn had invited them, and it looked as if it was a good call.

The five of them were close together, their soft voices a hum in the background.

I knew they were offering comfort that Finn and I had no experience with.

Finn sat back, sipping coffee. “Fill me in.”

“Almost everything went according to plan,” Roman stated. His gaze flickered to Luca. “Almost.”

“What didn’t?” Finn hissed, leaning forward.

“Juan escaped.”

Every fiber of my body locked down, and I gripped the edge of the table to stop myself from yelling. I met Finn’s eyes, mine furious, his worried but calm.

“I thought he was dead!”

“No, the coward was pretending. He was shot and played dead. In the aftermath, he somehow got away. We don’t know how badly he was hurt, but we have men out looking for him.”

“Fuck,” I muttered. “Anna told me he was obsessed with her. She was there for over three weeks.”

“We’ll keep her safe and hope he’s crawled away to die somewhere,” Finn assured me.

Aldo looked grim. “I hope he dies painfully.”

“And the building?” Finn asked.

We kept our voices low enough the women wouldn’t overhear. The men assured us the building was demolished, the bodies burned beyond recognition, and none of us implicated.

“The rumor has already started that there was a fire in the lab, and the entire place went up with them all in it so quickly that no one could escape. All Lopez’s fault for having an auction in the same place as a dangerous lab,” Roman informed us.

We spoke at length about the syndicate, working together, and our mutual hatred for what Lopez had represented. The sort of drugs he made and sold were bad enough. Human trafficking was something none of us tolerated.

Some laughter made us look toward the group across from us. Finn smiled. “Your women seem to be the best medicine right now.”

“They understand,” Roman replied, a look of adoration in his eyes as he looked at his wife.

“I am obligated to all of you,” Finn said seriously. “I owe each of you a debt I can never repay, and I will be there if you need me.”

Luca grimaced. “Getting rid of him was in all our best interests. But we’re happy to have helped.

I think this has made the syndicate tighter with a common goal.

The message will be heard, however it is delivered.

” He stood. “But I need my wife and some sleep. We’ll talk more before we leave tomorrow. ”

We stood and shook hands. “Thank you.”

Anna shook her head. “I can’t take your bed, Niall.”

I lifted the covers. “I sleep on that sofa more than this bed, Anna,” I lied.

I was not letting her sleep on the sofa or getting a rollaway cot.

She needed the comfort of the bed. The distance from the door.

It seemed to bother her, although I’d shown her the proper locks and reminded her gently that she was safe.

I hadn’t mentioned Juan’s apparent escape.

I didn’t want her more upset. Still, she was anxious being close to the door leading to the hallway.

“Get in,” I said firmly.

She slid in, her body relaxing into the pillow. “Can you leave the light on?” she asked, sounding ashamed to ask.

I didn’t want her feeling that way. She’d been through a terrible ordeal, and she needed to know where she was when she opened her eyes.

“Of course. I’ll put it to low. The pills Dr. Barnes gave you will make you drowsy so you should sleep, but I’m right out there.” I indicated the living area. “I’ll leave a light on by the sofa as well.”

I was unsure what to do next. She solved the problem by grasping my hand. “Thank you, Niall. You saved my life. I’ll never be able to say thank you enough.”

“I’m glad we did.” I bent a little lower.

“No one deserves what happened to you, Anna. You know that, right? You did nothing wrong. They were looking for easy targets, and they found you. That we were able to get you out makes me grateful I am the person I am. That I have the skill set to defend those who cannot.”

Her eyes were wide as I finished talking. “I’m grateful too.”

For some reason, I bent low and brushed a kiss to her forehead. “Sleep. You’re safe and I’m here.”

“I’m grateful for that too,” she whispered, then rolled to her side, pulling up the soft comforter.

I stared down at her, loath to leave for some reason. Wanting to stroke her pretty hair and talk to her more. Let her feel the safety of me beside her. Assure her that I wouldn’t let anything hurt her again.

I had to step back, shocked at my thoughts. At the fact that my hand was already reaching over to touch her.

She didn’t want to be touched. She wanted a safe space, and that was what I was giving her.

Nothing else.

I turned and walked away.

The suite was quiet for about an hour. I was unable to sleep, tense and agitated. I kept seeing the barn. The darkness. Smelling the blood. Watching the bodies fall. Feeling satisfaction as they did.

I wasn’t a good man. I had no remorse for the lives we’d taken tonight. Knowing that by killing those sorry excuses for humans ensured that we saved others from the same fate as Anna, Una, and countless others brought me a grim pleasure.

The thought of what they would have done to her—to Anna—made me ill.

To think that her life would have been nothing but pain and humiliation.

That the sweetness of her smile would be erased and her lovely eyes dimmed of all happiness made my anger burn hot again.

I had no idea what the future held for her, but it had to be a damned sight better than the hell we’d pulled her from.

I flung my arm over my eyes. I needed darkness to sleep, but I refused to turn off the lamps after promising not to leave her in the dark. I sighed, finally feeling the exhaustion catching up on me.

Then Anna screamed—the sound so filled with terror, my blood ran cold. I was on my feet instantly, running. In my bed, Anna was fighting an invisible foe. Begging, pleading not to be hurt. Crying, thrashing, her fear so real, I swore I felt it in my chest.

Unsure what to do, I leaned close, calling her name. When that didn’t stop her distress, I wrapped my hands around her shoulders, picking her up from the mattress, shaking her a little to wake her. I kept repeating her name, assuring her.

“Anna, mo mhuirnín ,” I begged. “I’m here. It’s Niall. You’re safe. I have you.”

Finally, my voice broke through her panic, and her eyes flew open, wet with tears. “Niall,” she gasped, looking around wildly. “I was back there. Alone. You were just a dream. I was back there!” she wailed.

I reacted on instinct, pulling her into my arms. “No, you’re here. Safe. With me.”

She wept into my neck, her tears hot on my skin. “It was so real…”

“No. Feel me, baby. Feel me holding you. You’re safe.”

She shuddered, collapsing against me. I stroked up and down her back, whispering to her.

Reciting an Irish lullaby my mum used to croon to soothe me as a child.

I didn’t sing, only spoke the lyrics in a soft voice, feeling her relax.

But she clung to me, her fingers gripping my shirt as if afraid to let go.

Unable to resist, I slid my hand into her hair, the strands heavy and silky in my fingers.

“Don’t leave me,” she begged.

Without a word, I lifted her, then slid onto the bed. I settled her between my legs, her head resting on my chest, and I wrapped my arms around her, holding her close. I surrounded her, her small form fitting me perfectly.

“I’m staying right here. Go to sleep,” I murmured. “I have you. No one will touch you, Anna.”

I felt her breathing begin to even out.

“Ever,” I added.

I woke in the early morning, already exhausted. Anna’s night terrors were constant, even with me holding her. She would stiffen then begin to shake, and if I didn’t start comforting her fast enough, the screaming began. Or the weeping.

I wasn’t sure what was worse. Both felt as if her pain seeped under my skin—I could feel it so intensely.

Finally, about four a.m., she sank into a peaceful slumber.

In desperation, I had texted Dr. Barnes, and he told me to give her another dose of her pain meds and a sleeping tablet.

That seemed to help, and she was able to get some rest.

I fell into a light sleep with her wrapped in my arms, but I felt every one of her low grunts of pain or fractured memories as she relived them. I would soothe and whisper to her, easing her fear before it took a strong enough hold to wake her.

I looked down at her, surprised to find my hand fisted in her hair, holding her tight. I had never had a woman here before. I couldn’t recall the last time I had slept beside someone. And despite the reasons for Anna being here, I was surprisingly okay with waking up with her.

I carefully eased her to the pillow, sliding out from under her.

I paused, drifting my hand down her hair, then tucking the comforter tight around her.

I left the door open, the light on, and I grabbed my phone, making some needed calls.

A short time later, I had all I required, and I checked in on her, finding her awake and looking around the room, confused but calm.

“Hey,” I greeted her.

She looked at me, her hair tumbling over her shoulder, creases on her cheek from where she’d been sleeping on my chest earlier. She still looked tired, and I imagined she thought the same about me. She was shy in her response.

“Hi,” she whispered, her fingers nervously playing with the edge of the comforter. “I’m sorry.”

I crossed the room, sitting on the mattress. It dipped under my weight, and she shifted, her thigh pressing into my hip. “There’s no need to be sorry.”

“I kept you up a lot.”

I took her hand, stopping her nervous movements. “Given what you went through, hardly surprising.” I squeezed her fingers. “It’ll get better, Anna. You need some time to heal.”

She nodded, swallowing. “You slept with me.”

“You were calmer when I did.”

“Thank you.”

I smiled, glad she wasn’t upset. “I got us breakfast sent up. And some clothes for you to wear. You can shower again if you want, and then we’ll go see Una and Finn, okay?”

“Okay.”

I stood, holding out my hand. She took it, letting me pull her from the bed. I couldn’t resist teasing her. “You’re really short.”

She glanced up at me. “Maybe you’re really tall.”

I chuckled. “I am that. You’re tiny, too. I got a medium in the clothes, but I’m thinking maybe I should have gotten a small or kid-sized.”

She rolled her eyes, making me snicker again. I liked seeing her impish side. “Medium is fine. I don’t like things tight. And I’m not that tiny.”

“I dunno. A friend of mine’s daughter likes to play with these little dolls. She calls them Polly Pockets. You remind me of those.”

She blinked up at me. Frowned and shook her head. Then she did the most extraordinary thing.

She laughed.

The sound was light and effervescent. Feminine and sweet. Like champagne bubbles bursting in your nose as you sipped it.

I mentally shook my head. Champagne bubbles ? Feck, I was losing it. Obviously, I was even more sleep-deprived than I thought.

Still, I liked hearing her laugh.

And even more, I liked that I was the one who made her laugh. It made me feel ten feet tall.

I wanted to hear it more often.

I just had to figure out how.