Page 44 of Three Irish Kings

She lets her shirt drop to cover herself, thank God.

“I know who you are. Cillian O’Shea. Enforcer of the Hayes clan.”

“Then you know how deadly I am.”

“I don’t, actually.” She tilts her head, looking at me curiously. “How high is your body count?”

I shake my head. “Too high.”

“You don’t know how many people you killed?” She looks baffled.

Unfortunately, I do. I remember every single one. But I’ll never tell her that. Never tell anyone that.

So, I just chuckle mirthlessly. “It becomes like breathing after you do enough of them. It becomes second nature.”

Lies. Your soul gets ripped from your body piece by piece every time you take a life. And deserved or not, it takes a toll.

Each life taken hurts just as bad as the first one. With so many, you’d think I’d gotten used to it by now, but I never have, and I think I never will.

I hate killing, but for my family, I’ll kill whoever it takes and smile doing it.

Except this woman, it seems.

She narrows her eyes at me. “I don’t think that’s true.”

“I’m telling you it’s true.” I look up at her, biting my bottom lip briefly before letting it go. Hoping she can’t read into me. “Which is why you should stay away from me.”

“You said you wouldn’t hurt me.”

“And I won’t.”

“Then there's nothing you can threaten me with, except a good time.”

I bark out a rusty laugh. “Is that really how you think? Didn’t you have enough fun with Dare?”

She shrugs. “Maybe I want more fun. If I’m going to be cooped up here, I may as well enjoy myself.”

“What, you don’t enjoy my company unless dick is involved?”

She laughs, throwing back her head, and the sound makes my heart skip a beat.

“Fine. We can talk. I’m not Maggie, but I’m also not in investment banking.”

“Then what is it you do?”

“Seduce men for money.”

I blink at her, and she bursts out laughing. “You really thought I was serious?”

“I don’t know. Seemed like you took down Dare pretty easily.”

She smirks. “Maybe Dare and I just have chemistry.”

I stand up before I know what I’m doing, taking a couple of steps toward her. “And you don’t have chemistry with me?”

“I didn’t say that.”

I have to stop this. I have to stop looking down into those green-flecked eyes, have to stop wondering what her mouth tastes like.