Page 31 of Three Irish Kings

I’d hoped the silence meant Cillian had fallen asleep before locking me in, but Dare must have come to relieve him early this morning.

They’re... taking turns?

Luckily for me, Dare might be the weak link. He likes me. Or at least, wants in my panties. My theoretical panties, because I’m not about to put my old ones on or wear someone else’s, and it’s not like I packed a bag, expecting to be kidnapped.

But him wanting my body and me being willing to trade it for my freedom are two very different things, and I’m not sure I can actually go through with it, no matter how attracted I was to him last night.

I need a plan. Something that will allow me to escape but not require me actually having to get naked with any of them.

I turn to go back into my room, but Dare’s up in a flash, walking toward me in the hallway.

I freeze. “What?”

The adrenaline from last night has left my system, and now all I can feel is betrayal that he turned on me after all that flirting at the gala. After I almost let himkissme.

“This wasn’t my idea, you know? I didn’t want any of this.” He sounds almost mournful, voice raspy. Maybe it’s from the early hour since it’s barely past daylight.

“Then whose idea was it?”

“Ronan Hayes’s, of course.”

The name sends a chill down my spine. “Ronan H—As in the Hayes clan?” All air leaves my lungs. “Would have never pegged you guys for gangsters.”

“Maggie, you have to understand?—”

“Don’t call me that. My name is Isla. You’ve taken everything else away from me, so please give me the little courtesy of sticking with my name.”

He pauses, looking down into my eyes, searching my face.

I don’t know what he expects to find there, but finally, he looks away.

“Isla.” His voice is low and almost hoarse, and it sends a shiver down my spine that has nothing to do with being cold.

And just like that, a piece of the puzzle falls into place. “You’re not like them, are you? Liam is the hothead, and Cillian… Cillian is a quiet weapon waiting to strike. But you? You’re different.”

He snorts. “I’m more like them than you think.”

I shrug. “So, Ronan Hayes, huh? Tell me, what does the Hayes clan want with this Maggie character?”

He narrows his eyes.

“What? Since you obviously believe I am her, shouldn’t I at least know what I’m being accused of?”

“You know damn well.”

I huff. “No, I don’t. That’s the point. But fine, let’s talk about something else, like what do you do for the Hayes clan?”

I shouldn’t be asking, but my inquisitive journalist’s mind can’t help it. Besides, this is the real scoop, isn't it? Underground crime among the city’s elite. I can see the headlines now. They wouldn’t putthaton a back page website.

If I ever get out of here, if I’m able to survive this, I should get as much information as I can to write the story that will make me a serious journalist.

“I’m a tech guy.” His words are vague, but I can kind of see it, my eyes trailing along his body.

He’s long and lanky where Liam and Cillian are wide, more lean muscle than anything else.

Maybe he’s a runner, or a swimmer, but he doesn’t have the brute strength the other two do, even though he’s every bit as attractive as his friends.

“You three are friends, you said?” I raise an eyebrow.