Page 83 of The Mafia Assassin's Redemption-

I stopped short of stating he killed them. And the thing is, I know he did. Right?

“You think I killed them?”Torin had said in the car on the way to his boat.

“I put the bullet in your father.”He said this, too, but it was more like a question to me and he stopped himself from finishing the sentence.

But he was there. He came in. Shots were fired. My dad, dead, and Mom… I know she’s dead. In my head, I know that. But my heart won’t let go of a tiny part of hope that she got away.

But the bleakness, the flatness of his other words hit me. Sealing the fate of my parents. Me. Torin.

“I was meant to save you all and I didn’t.”

There was no one else there, no one but him for me to blame.

And now I’ve made it so much worse by wanting him. Craving him. Craving the part he’s opened in me. I know I don’t have a choice, I’m mafia born, and a blood marriage, though rare, is more than a regular marriage, more than most mafia marriages. It represents a transfer of ownership and canceling of debts.

I’m alive because of him.

He’s the demon in my life and, while I know he told me twelve years ago that he’d take care of me in the morning, he turns out to be my savior now.

Complicated.On every level.

Lucie is wrong.

My awareness starts to prick and sing, and I tune back in. The conversation’s low, and while I can’t make out the words, I know Torin’s back. Then a door slams.

Seamus comes in. He eyes me with blue-green eyes, wild ocean eyes, ones that spark with devious, devilish things.

“You’re actually pretty,” he says, the backhanded compliment from out of nowhere as he helps himself to a glass of whiskey.

“And you’re not as good-looking as you think,” I snap back, and he laughs.

He takes a swallow. “I see why Torin stepped in and married you.”

“Leave her alone, Seamus.” My heart thumps wildly as Torin speaks from the doorway, casually leaning against the wall.

Torin looks at me, his heated gaze burning holes through to my skin. I’m still in his T-shirt, boxers, and sweats. It’s all too big for me and I should’ve changed but…

I didn’t want to.

My skin warms and his brother glances at him. “I’m interested to know why someone tried to rub you both out.”

“That hit on me…” I stroke my hands down the front of the sweats. “The work I do at the church?”

“Seamus, there are things we’ll discuss later.” Even I hear the warning in Torin’s low voice. “But I don’t think someone is upset about Harry’s network that helps women escape the life. If someone was doing that, they’d be far more organized.”

His brother snickers and stands. “Your little mouse has teeth and balls, Tor.” He looks at me. “He’s right. If someone thought it was you, Hazel, you’d be dead, and I’m not sure even the blood marriage, or Torin, could save you.”

Then Seamus looks at his brother.

“Or maybe he could.”

“Finished?” Torin asks.

“For now. Going to talk with Cal about what happened. If he has any ideas about that body.”

As Seamus leaves, the air gets thicker, the space in the room seemingly tighter, and I have a hard time swallowing. I reach for the whiskey to take a sip, but Torin beats me to it, and our fingers touch, the spark racing right through me and straight to my clit.

He only meets my gaze and downs half my drink. Then he heads out through the dining area without looking back. He just stops at the stairs. Waiting.