Page 140 of Three Irish Kings

She stopped me.

Is that because she was already planning to leave? God, my chest hurts.

I take a ragged breath as we pull up at the department store Dare sent us to.

“How the hell are we going to find her here?”

I sigh heavily. “I’ll go inside, scope out the place. You stay here in the car, see if she happens by.”

“There’s no way we’re going to find her here.” Liam’s face is shuttered, but his words are desperate.

“All we can do is try.”

He shifts in the driver’s seat, staring straight ahead, and I get out, heading into the department store.

Liam’s right. There are hundreds of people here, and she’ll be disguised.

I scan the crowd, and there’s a hundred women who look just a little like her, making my heart skip a beat every time my eyes rove over a pair of thick thighs or dark, curly hair.

But none of them are Isla.

Finally, I catch sight of a small woman in a hoodie, rushing toward the exit in a pair of sunglasses. I swallow hard, rushing toward her, and just at the exit, I catch up to her.

I put a hand on her shoulder and turn her around, and the glasses slip to show blue irises instead of hazel, and a left black eye.

The woman yelps and shudders, and I take a step back. “Sorry.”

It’s a low mumble, and if I had more time, I might ask her who did that to her, find the guy, and take out all my complicated emotions on his face.

But we have to search the city.

I spend another half hour searching the store, but to no avail. I’m starting to lose hope. Maybe shedidcall a friend, a family member, hell, an ex-lover.

The idea makes my stomach churn, but it’s not as if we asked her if she was in a relationship when we took her. It’s not as if we cared.

It was wrong to take her from day one, but I can’t regret it. Otherwise, Isla Quinn would have never come into my life.

Dare told us all about her father, Ryan, about how he had no real loyalties, that he was a paid mercenary of sorts, a loose cannon who could be had for the biggest bid.

I know the type, have worked with them.

Liam says he believes it means she’s just like her father, but I don’t think so, and I know he doesn’t either.

I think she learned how to be hard at a young age. I think she learned how to run. And I don’t know if we'll ever find her.

My shoulders slump as I walk back out to Liam, who’s leaning against the hood of his car, watching me approach.

“Find anything?”

“No.”

“Didn’t think you would. So, what now?”

“Liam, I’m in love with her.”

He nods. “Aye.”

“You aren’t surprised?”