Page 36 of Savage Promises (Quinlan Empire #2)

Shane

I step into the luxury trailer I use for my office the morning after my wedding to find Garrett fidgeting on a plastic chair. Connor, who brought him here, leans against the far wall, arms crossed, focus honed on his prisoner.

Garrett’s face is pale, sweat glistening at his temple. He’s trying to appear calm, but the subtle twitch of his fingers against his thigh gives him away. He looks thin having stayed three months in our safehouse where he was often reminded of who he belonged to by Blade and Jett.

I suffer a rare crisis of conscience. Concerned what Richard, or more importantly, what Lennox will think when she sees her brother.

“Morning, Garrett,” I say, my voice low and controlled, pushing my guilt away.

His eyes roam me up and down with a bitterness I wasn’t expecting. When his father made the deal for me to marry Neve, he didn’t budge, figured I’d take her as my wife in name only. But I made sure Garrett knew I married Lennox instead.

“You sound chipper.” He knew of the tension between his sister and me years ago and his bitter glare studying me now suggests he knows I fucked his little sister all night long.

“Because I am.” I don’t boast much because it’s still supposed to be a sacrifice. I toss my briefcase on the desk and stand over Garrett. “Let’s have it. Where’s the armory?”

Garrett’s throat bobs as he swallows harshly. “The warehouse is in the Bronx, near the river. The Albanians keep it stocked, but they’re sloppy when it comes to patrols and security.”

“Address.” I hand him a piece of paper and a pen.

He scribbles down an address and shoves it at me. “Here.”

I hand the paper to Connor, who looks like he had a long night in his tunnel. “I know where this is.”

“Not the safest place for weapons and ammo since it’s near that methane dump,” I say, pulling a tablet from my briefcase. I tap a few buttons and a drone launches from the roof of the trailer. “Let’s hope for your sake, Garrett, you’re not wasting my time.”

My old friend’s leg bounces as he watches a live feed on the wall-mounted screen. The drone zips over streets and down alleys before zeroing in on the warehouse. It hovers, scanning the perimeter, then slips through an open window.

Inside, crates are stacked high. Rows and rows of metal shelving with the unmistakable sheen of weaponry have my heart pounding. The Albanians are more organized than I thought they’d be. I recognize Russian-made assault rifles. Christ, they stole from the Bratva, too?

Connor grins greedily at the bounty.

“Looks like you’re telling the truth,” I say, locking eyes with Garrett as the tension in the room shifts.

“Now for the next step. You’re going to set up a meeting with your contact. Tell them you’ve got another shipment ready to sell.”

Garrett blinks with nervous energy that melts into confusion. “What? They’ll ask too many questions. They’ve already lost one shipment and two guys dealing with me. They won’t trust me.”

“We blamed that on the Italians,” Connor reminds him. “Now you need to come up with a good enough lie to make them trust you. Did you think we’d make this easy for you? Did you think we’d pat you on the back and send you on your way?”

“While we do all the work?” I bark. “You’re going to arrange to sell them a ten-by-ten box truck full of weapons. Only it won’t be weapons. It’ll be us.”

Garrett’s jaw unhinges like he’s about to argue, but one look at Connor’s face shuts him up. He nods quickly. “Fine. I’ll make the call.”

I watch him go outside and light a cigarette while he scrolls through the phone we gave back to him.

“How was your wedding night?” Connor asks me, looking ready to engage in some locker room talk.

As if I’d give him dirty details about my wife, I just sit at my desk and say, “Best night of my life.”

“No shit.” Connor scrubs his close-trimmed beard. “So, you recommend getting married?”

I laugh. “Thinking about it?”

He looks at me like I’m crazy. “Not even a little bit.”

I stifle my shock at Connor’s foolishness to think he won’t fall for someone as Garrett comes back into the trailer. I’d forgotten about the fucker for a minute.

“They bought it.” His voice is shaky but resolute. “They gave me a window of tomorrow night, eleven to twelve.”

“How many men will be there?” I ask.

He shrugs.

Exhaling, I turn to Connor. “I’ll get the IPs of their weapons team and hack their phones.”

“I’ll call Trace and Rhys to find the truck.”

“Aye.” I return my gaze to Garrett. “Be back here at ten p.m. tomorrow. If you don’t show—”

“I’ll be here,” he snaps and pushes out the trailer’s door.

“Do you want me to follow him?” Connor says, yanking a lighter and a smoke out of his coat pocket .

“Yeah, why not? Keep him on his toes.” I go to sit down at my desk and get to my usual day of reviewing contractor reports when the narrow metal door flies back open wrenching me from my desk chair and pulling my gun.

I shove it back in my jacket when a blonde wreck stumbles in.

“Where’s Havok?” she slurs, her smokey voice grating on me in one second flat. “He deals out of here, yeah?”

“Wrong trailer, sweetheart,” Connor says to her, but stands up straighter giving her a once-over that is so obvious I grab back hold of my gun.

What the bleedin’ hell is going on?

“Hello, Irish guy.” She smiles, seeing she has a fan in Connor, and saunters over to him.

She’s skinny with a huge rack, lots of lip gloss, and too much skin showing under a dirty cropped tee.

Havok. The code name clicks. He’s an Albanian drug dealer. A mid-level scumbag I made security kick off this construction lot twice already.

“Never heard of him,” I lie. “Get lost.”

She steps farther inside instead of leaving, batting her lashes at Connor like it’s a weapon. “Come on, you sure? Big guy, scars like spiderwebs, sells that real potent white thunder?”

Connor waves me off, licking his lips. “I got this.”

I grab his arm, muttering low, “Havok deals for the Albanians . Get rid of her.”

“You guys deciding who wants his dick sucked first?” She opens up her purse and spits a wad of gum into it. “You with the ring, I’m guessing you need a good blow job. Then you’ll tell me where Havok is, yeah?”

Twisting my ring, I say to this hot mess, “My wife sucks my dick just fine.”

She stares at Connor like she’s hungry. Just not blinking. A look that doesn’t belong on a strung-out girl’s face. “You’ll do just fine.”

“I know what I’m doing,” Connor whispers like it’s a challenge or the most fun he’s had in a month.

“You always say that,” I mutter, stepping back.

If anyone can handle her, it’s Connor. But looking at this hot mess has changed something about him.

He looks like he just got punched in the ribs.

I can’t say I know my brother’s type because his last girlfriend was sixteen and so was he.

He’s only ever fucked around since high school.

Anyone I caught sight of was blonde and big tits.

Let’s face it, that look fits the bill for a lot of guys. Except me. I didn’t want a blonde. I wanted my brunette beauty with curves.

“Come on, sweetheart. Let’s go look for Havok.” A smile builds on Connor’s wicked mouth, the cigarette tucked back into his jacket.

Oh shite.

Biting her lip, the woman looks Connor up and down. “Goodie. You’re much prettier than he is.”

She spins on her heel and walks out, hips swaying, boots scuffing, danger trailing behind her like perfume.

Connor winks and follows her out.

I really hope that’s the last time I see her.

LATER THAT NIGHT IN Lennox’s bedroom, I hold her thigh against my shoulder while I drive into her wet heat. Sweat coats my skin and hers. We’ve been going at it for hours in her bed, but I unload into her for the fourth time.

I love how her sheets smell and I have to keep talking myself out of moving her into my bedroom so I can wake up to this smell of vanilla and lime every morning .

Collapsing next to her, I pull her close and love how she curls up next to me.

“You’re shaking, baby,” I say, kissing her damp forehead.

“It’ll stop,” she catches her breath.

“I don’t want it to stop.” I brush her face and feel my nose twitch when Hawk hops up onto the bed.

My phone chimes with a text, and I grab it to read the message.

Connor: We got enough men to cover the four Albanians they’re sending to the warehouse tomorrow.

I’m not surprised they’re doubling their manpower considering they lost two soldiers last time.

Me: You got the truck?

Connor: Blade and Jett are driving it up from Maryland right now. I used one of those Italians’ credit cards to rent it.

Me: Nice.

Connor: You can sit this one out, Shane. We got it.

I think about that and consider what it will be like to fuck Lennox tomorrow night in the shadow of the great heist I planned. But the Albanians are unpredictable. I can’t allow my brother and two cousins to get hurt while I stay back and get laid.

Me: I know you do. I want to be there.

Connor: 10-4. See you tomorrow.

I chuck the phone aside and turn to Lennox to see her eyes full of worry. I told her about the plan. I trust her and won’t live any other way.

I envied how Griffin and Ava bonded, how they always seemed on the same damn page. I can’t believe I was lucky enough to marry someone I feel so connected to as well.

“It’ll be fine, baby.” I lay back and watch Hawk settle under Lennox’s other arm.

“Are you sure you can trust Garrett?” she asks softly .

“Trust is a strong word.” I finger my allergy patch, nose twitching. Maybe it needs to be changed out, or I need a higher dose. “He’s got more to lose by lying than by cooperating.”

Lennox sits up, the sheets pooling around her waist. “And if he’s setting you up?” Her voice is tight, her fingers clutching her elbows. “Shane, your brothers will blame me. Connor...he’ll come after me.”

I drop my voice to an icy whisper. “No one will touch you, Lennox. Not now, not ever. You’re a Quinlan. You’re one of us.”

Her gaze doesn’t waver. “And Garrett? What happens to him if he’s lying?”

“If he’s lying,” I say, my tone hard enough to cut glass, “he’ll wish he hadn’t. That’s all you need to know.”

Seeing my nose twitch, Lennox picks up Hawk, but I stop her. “No. It’s fine. I need to take a shower and get some sleep. Tomorrow will be a long night.”

I kiss her forehead and push out of the bed to leave my naked wife to sleep alone.

Everything stings uncomfortably as I walk to my bedroom. But I don’t trust how my heart beats so wildly for Lennox.

Not yet.