Lyse’s stomach lurched at the thought of Siobhan alone in that cottage. Robert McCullough and Santo Ferrina Sr. had embezzled millions before they’d been caught. Robert had been murdered, and Ferrina went to prison, but no one had found the money. Knowing she was in danger, Fionn had hid his mother in a small Irish village no one would associate with her, under an assumed identity no one but Fionn knew.
Until now, because it seemed as if Ferrina had traced Siobhan McCullough down.
Fionn stood, and she turned in her seat to watch him pace. He’s always thought better when he was moving. The problem was, they didn’t have a lot of time to think. The man watching Siobhan hadn’t made a move yet, but there was little doubt he’d contacted Ferrina by now.
“Your mother is in danger, Fionn.” Whether Ferrina was after the money or simply revenge, he wouldn’t stop until he got what he wanted.
Fionn rounded on her. “Who exactly is she in danger from, Lyse? You found my mam. You were watching her house. You brought me here, where Ferrina is most likely waitin’. Did you do that for yourself or for him? How am I to know you’re not working together?”
Chapter Six
“Why would I warn you about Ferrina if I was working for him?”
Those wide, innocent eyes, looking up at him with so much hurt, tried to sucker him every time. He wouldn’t allow it. “To lure me here. To be setting us up so Ferrina can trap two birds at once, have a better chance at finding the money.” He leaned in, grabbing her chair on either side of her shoulders. “I’ve got news for you both—there is no money. If we’d known where it was, we would’ve been after giving it back a long time ago.”
She didn’t flinch away, not like the last time he’d pinned her to a chair. “I’m not working for Ferrina, and I’m not after any money, Fionn.”
“Prove it.”
Her eyes went dark, sad, and her hand rose toward his face. Instinct had him grabbing her wrist, holding it away from him. She did flinch then, from his grip on her arm. Her eyes watered, so close he could see the pupils dilate in response to the pain. “You’re never going to forgive me, are you?” she said. Her voice was low and heavy with an emotion he refused to believe was genuine. “Why can’t you understand? I—”
He threw her wrist away from him, straightening abruptly. “Save it. I think I made my position clear, Lyse.” He leaned in again. “You don’t deserve forgiveness.”
Lyse surged out of the chair. The move forced him back, the shock of her aggression pushing him into warrior mode. His hands came up, ready to defend himself, but instead of attacking, Lyse spun away. “You’re a liar,” she said, voice vibrating with anger.
“I think you’re after getting that backward, Bat Girl.”
Her eyes flashed. “You say I don’ deserve forgiveness? Then why did you kiss me? You never kiss your women, ever, but you kissed me.”
Her words registered in his brain a second before a roar left his mouth. He charged, forcing Lyse against the wall and slamming his fists on either side of her head. “You were watching me?”
Lyse went white, but she didn’t answer. Smart woman. What little control he had left might not survive more of her lies. Leaning all his weight into the wall, he brought his mouth to her ear. “I didn’t kiss ya, Lyse. You. Kissed. Me.”
Her breath was coming in little pants that warmed the side of his neck. “But—”
“Don’t.” He clamped down on the anger fecking him up inside. “Just don’t.” A deep breath should’ve calmed him; instead it stretched his lungs, pushing his chest against Lyse’s full tits. He’d never realized how full they were, not with those shapeless plaid jumpers she wore and how tiny she—
He shouldn’t be noticin’, not with this wan. Not her build and definitely not her tits. Or that her nipples were hard, and his cock was wanting to join them.
He shoved himself away.
“We’re heading on,” he growled.
Lyse didn’t answer right away. He could feel her gathering herself, refocusing on the task at hand. He was doing the same, and it pissed him the hell off. Why did he keep reacting to this woman? Was it the danger of being close to someone he knew would stab him in the back at the first opportunity? He’d never been drawn to a woman like that, so why now? Why her?
Lyse cleared her throat cautiously. “Where are we going?”
“The cottage.” He had to get his mam away before Ferrina showed up. “How long have they been watching her?”
“Tonight would be three nights altogether. They have someone nearby during the day as well.”
He kept his back to her, willing the tight fit of his fatigues to ease. “You’re having the surveillance live, yeah? Pull it up.” He waved a hand at the computer.
Lyse eased into her chair like she was the one with something to be afraid of. Like she was the one who’d been betrayed. He didn’t comment; instead he watched as Lyse pulled up tonight’s video. Sure enough, their new friend was there in the shadows. “Damn.”
Lyse stared at the screen a moment, then turned to him. “Do you have a hat?”
“Have a what?”
“A hat.”
What the feck did that have to do with anythin’? “Why?”
Lyse sighed like he wasn’t very bright. That look on anyone else and he would be laughing. He gritted his teeth. “You’re trying to figure out how to get past the watchdog, right? If we can conceal your identity somehow, all we have to do is walk up to the door. Your mother’s a popular woman; she has visitors all the time. Two more wouldn’t be suspicious, but we don’t want
