Page 3

THREE

KEIRA

MATCH MADE IN HELL - Dutch Melrose, benny Mayne

T he small Craftsman-style cottage we pull in front of sits back from the road surrounded by more trees. It gives the illusion of privacy, but so did the snow-covered mountains of Colorado. The truth is, we’re back and the hiding needs to stop. There are too many unanswered questions. The biggest yet, where my father is hiding and, secondly, what the hell he wants from me.

Harkin put a damper on his plans when he showed up like a white knight, with his band of masked men. It still blows my mind when I focus too hard on the whole encounter. I have a family. A father who knew I was alive this entire time but chose to stay away. And a sister, a twin I thought dead the last few years. Not to mention, the elephant in every room Harkin and I are in when the topic comes up surrounding my niece, potentially his daughter.

I know he’s sitting on the results, waiting for the right time to unveil yet another secret. When James emailed me with my results to see if I was a donor match for my niece, Sofia, I’d asked if Harkin’s results were in too. James didn’t think twice about telling me, probably assuming Harkin was on his way to share them with me anyway. That was weeks ago.

His only redemption was that I didn’t think he’d taken the step of opening them. When I’d asked him before we left, I could see the hesitation in his eyes, the truth fighting to break free, but he decided to keep quiet. I’m not going to push; in the end it’s his business and I want him to trust me enough to open them with me. But our relationship will be tested if he doesn’t come clean soon.

Whether he likes it or not, I am a match. My niece is in dire need of a bone marrow transplant, and while I assumed it’d be true as her mother’s twin, you never know. I am curious as to why Alina can’t donate to her own daughter. Another secret for another day.

“You coming in or what?” Harkin calls, already standing on the small front porch with our bags. I don’t remember him getting out of the car, too caught up in the mess that’s become my life over the last year.

Leave it to Alina to throw a wrench in my happily ever after. I should have seen it coming; girls like me don’t get happily ever afters, where the prince swoops in and saves the day. We get thrown to the wolves and, if we’re lucky, we survive the fight from the pits to freedom. But the fight leaves us jaded, if not prepared for the next unexpected complication.

The car door shuts behind me, echoing against the quiet day. Stepping through the front door, I suck in a deep breath. We’re one step closer to regaining our lives. Not that I think my life will ever go back to being the lonely girl, working at the airport.

How does one go back to such a mundane life once she’s learned her father is the head of a crime family. From what Harkin’s learned, it’s not just New York. That’s his kingdom. His reach runs across the US and his connections are deeply seated back in his family's home country.

My family’s home country, at least half of it.

“Earth to Keira,” Harkin says, coming up behind me and wrapping his arms around my waist. “What’s got you so wrapped up in your head, you’re walking around like a zombie, sweetness?”

“My mind’s moving a mile a minute, being back in New York. We might not be in the city, but it’s like crossing the state line sent everything rushing back, tenfold,” I answer, staring out the big bay windows at the back of the house off the kitchen. His arms tighten further, pressing my back into his hard chest, grounding me to the moment.

“We’re going to figure everything out, Keira. I promise.” His lips skim across my neck as he whispers that heavy declaration in my ear.

“We might know more than we did three months ago, but we don’t have a plan. I don’t want to run and hide anymore. This can’t be what you want for your life. You didn’t sign up for this insanity when you met me.”

“Neither did you.”

His arm reaches up, fingers grasping my chin and tilting my gaze to look back at him. “There is no more you or I, there is only us. And we will figure this out together. I don’t care if it’s another two months or two years, Keira.”

I let out a frustrated sigh. “I don’t know that I can handle this for another two years.”

“You could. I have no doubts about that. But we’re close, sweetness. Once James gets here, we’ll sit down and make plans for our next move. Your father’s here.”

I spin in his arm and look up at him, mouth agape. “You found him?”

“Finally.”

“Why didn’t you...” The doorbell rings, interrupting my question.

“That’ll be James. Perfect timing. Now, I’ll only have to go over this once. I’ll let him in. Why don’t you see if they have anything to drink here.”

“Oh, send me off to the kitchen because I’m a woman.” I huff and roll my eyes at him.

“Little one, it’s been a long day of driving. But don’t think I won’t make that ass red if you roll those beautiful eyes at me again,” he threatens, with a quick smack to my ass, before walking back toward the front door.

I poke my tongue out at his back, staring after him.

“You’re playing with fire, baby. Keep it up!” he calls back at me, never turning around.

Damn man knows me too well.

Their footsteps sound down the hall. I pause at the fridge, looking at the emptiness within. Looks like we’ll need to send for groceries or pop into town if we plan on staying here for any length of time.

The footsteps pick up and I swing around right in time for a body to collide with mine, shoving me back into the open fridge. My brain stutters, trying to make sense of James welcoming me like this, but the long blonde hair caught in my mouth straightens that thought process.

“Stace?” I say in disbelief.

“Keira, oh my god, babe. I’ve missed you so much.”

I tighten my arms around her tall frame, before pushing her away to get a glimpse of my best friend. “But...” I shake myself. “I missed you too. But what are you doing here? How?”

Harkin and James step into the kitchen. They must have stopped in the hall to have words.

Stace leans in toward me, dipping her lips next to my ear. “I think I cracked the big guy.” Throwing a thumb over her shoulder, she points toward the guys.

James, she must be talking about him. His eyes are on us, well, not us, her.

Holy shit, is something going on between them?

“Surprise,” Harkin says when his eyes meet mine. But I can see it there, clear as day, he wasn’t aware of this little addition any more than I was.

“Keira,” James says with a small chin nod.

“Hey, James, good to see you again.” I give him a knowing look, but his mask doesn’t break. That’s fine. Stace can’t keep shit to herself, and I’ll figure out what’s going on between them soon enough.

“Any luck on finding something?” Harkin asks, breaking the tension brewing between the four of us.

“Nothing. We’ll have to order take out for today and go into town for groceries tomorrow.”

“Stacey and James can go. We’re not leaving the house unless necessary.”

“Fine,” I say with a huff. Another day, another place, but I’m still locked away in an artfully decorated prison.

“Why don’t we take this to the living room; it’ll be more comfortable, until the food arrives,” Harkin instructs, pointing in the direction on the other side of the kitchen wall.

James goes without hesitation, stopping to grab Stace by the arm and drag her away with him. I’m shocked when my friend doesn’t blanch at being manhandled. I watch after them disappearing, too stunned to notice my own demanding man walk up behind me.

His arms encircle my waist, as his chin rests on my shoulder. “What’s got you all pissed off, little one?”

Dropping my head back on to his shoulder, I let the soft chuckle pass between us. Of course, he could read that from one word. “I’m tired of it, Harkin.”

“It’s almost over.”

“Is it, though?” I ask indignantly, turning to face him.

His rough, callused hand comes up to settle around my throat. He doesn’t squeeze, just holds me in place, his thumb pushing up against my chin to maneuver my gaze to his.

“He’s not only back. I found him, too.”

I let a gasp fall between us. “When?” I whisper.

“Come into the other room, and I’ll share the news with everyone.”

His fingers tighten around my throat, pulling me forward until my body is pressed firmly against him. I love this side of him. It disarms and settles me. Makes me want to relax and throw my cares away. Give all the stress and worry over to him, but the anxiety of his news lingers regardless of all that.

“I’ve got you, sweetness.” Another promise, as he claims my lips and dispels any other thoughts from my mind. I melt into him, wanting more, but he pulls away too quickly for my liking. Whining in protest, I push myself into his palm, choking myself in the process. But I make it back to his lips and it’s worth the difficulty to breathe.

When his teeth nip at my bottom lip, a moan builds in my chest.

“Are you guys coming or what?” Stace yells from the other room, followed by something muffled I can’t make out.

“Tell them to leave,” I beg him, opening my eyes and seeing my lust reflected in his dark stare.

“I’ve created a monster.” He chuckles and shakes his head. Dropping his hold on my throat, he grips my hand and pulls me from the kitchen, dragging my electrified and needy body behind him.

Girls get blue balls too.

“Jesus, what took you two so long,” Stace says without turning around on the couch. I don’t miss the tight squeeze of James’s hand on her thigh, the silent warning blatant for my eyes to see.

Harkin drops into the leather wingback chair that reminds me of the ones from his office. I don’t bother finding my own seat. Instead, I follow him, dropping into his lap and pressing my ass into his hardness, wiggling just enough to get his attention.

If he wants to leave me wet and desperate, I plan to make this conversation as painful for him to get through as it will be for me.

“Keira.” His low timber sends shivers down my spine. “Behave.”

“Never.”