Page 66 of Three Irish Kings

“Do you want to talk? Or do you want me toserviceyou like the pet I am?”

I stiffen.

Fucking Liam and his wording.

“I don’t think of you as a pet,a ghrá.You know that.”

She opens the door with a jerk, standing there with tears streaming down her pretty face.

“Do I know that, Dare? Do I really? It’s not like you refused to participate last night.”

I sigh. “You wanted me, didn’t you,a ghrá?I couldn’t deny you.”

“It’s not fate that brought me here. It’s you. You and your friends kidnapped me.”

“I know. I know, and I’m sorry.” I swallow. “I don’t want it to be like this, but until I can prove to them without a doubt that you’re not Maggie Sullivan, we have to keep you here.”

“Even then, Liam says you can’t let me go.”

“I’ll talk to Liam.” I walk inside the room, hoping she doesn’t kick me out.

If she told me to, I’d leave. Not the house, but her room. She’s allowed a modicum of privacy, even if Liam doesn’t think so. Because she isnotanyone’s pet. She deserves the world. Not my world, the dark world of death and danger, but happiness and love.

And fuck me if I don’t want to be there right alongside her.

Why did Liam have to say that shit?

Truth is, I don’t think Liam is surewhatto do either. He seems to be just as affected as I am by this woman. And though I saw her first, claimed her first, right now, it doesn’t matter. Not really, because Liam made her fair game for all of us. All I can hope is that I can claim her heart before they do.

She looks up at me, her expression wary. “What’s in the bag?”

I lift it up, grinning. “Meet Betsy.”

She raises a groomed eyebrow. “Betsy?”

“Aye. She’s my laptop. I built her myself.”

“You call your laptop ‘Betsy’?”

My grin fades. “What, you think it should be something else?”

I look down at Betsy, the peeling stickers on her case, the wear and tear from a year of using her. I get kind of attached to electronics, and when she started wheezing, I just replaced the fan.

Soon enough, I’ll have to retire her for a new hard drive, but for now, she’s still my best girl.

Isla snorts out laughter. “I’ve just never heard of anyone naming a laptop.”

“Well, they should, shouldn’t they? I get a lot of use out of the old girl.”

I open the laptop and boot it up.

“What are you doing?”

“Looking for Maggie Sullivan.” I sit down on the edge of her bed, and she sits next to me, her thigh touching mine. The warmth of it is nice.

“Haven’t you done this already?” There’s curiosity and a hint of accusation in her tone.

“I have.” My tone, on the other hand, sounds a little defensive. There’s a reason for that. I haven’t done everything in my power to find Maggie Sullivan. In fact, I’ve hated thewhole idea of this mission since it started. We don’t hurt women. Traitor or no. “I just went down the wrong path.”