“That all you got,” I taunted, moving this way and that, not allowing Lynch’s swinging fists a clear shot at my face, ribs, or stomach. “C’mon, big man, you can do better than that. Hit me. Give me all you have.”
Lynch advanced, grabbed my shoulder, and swept a foot behind my ankle, lifting me off my feet. I hit the cold, hard ground with a thud, and my head lolled to one side. Pain ricocheted around my brain, obliterating thousands, if not millions, of brain cells.
Lynch knelt and pressed his knee deep into my chest, stealing my breath.
The caveman grinned. “You want to see what I have, huh, tough guy? When I’m done, they’ll have to wire your jaw shut.”
Shane hunkered down, smirked and patted my cheek. “You’ll be lucky if you can eat more than baby food for the rest of your life.”
I struggled to get up, to shove Lynch off me. If I didn’t get away, they would leave me for dead. And I wasn’t ready to die. Shane Gorman wasn’t the last face I wanted to see.
Images of Tessa rolled through my brain. The first time I’d met her. The first time I’d kissed her. The first time I’d taken her to bed.
The next time I saw her, if I ever saw her, my face would look like ground beef.
The drone of sirens flew toward us, their flashing lights strobed across Shane’s face, wiping his smirk away. Relief flooded through me, washing away my adrenaline rush.
“I’ll make you pay for this, Devlin.” Shane spat in my direction, narrowly missing my face.
Lynch shot up and jumped into the waiting car, followed by Shane, but it was too late for a getaway. Niall’s car slid in front of Shane’s and blocked it from going forward. A second car slid up beside, and a third pulled in behind.
A dull, throbbing ache settled at the base of my skull. I stood and rubbed a hand over the egg-shaped bump on the back of my head. I flinched. It hurt like a motherfucker, but a few beers and several Advil would soon dull the pain.
Niall and the other police officers jumped out and unholstered their guns.
“Both of you, step out of the car with your hands up,” my cousin shouted.
Shane slapped his fist against the dashboard and called out, “This is entrapment. You have nothing on me.”
“Step out of the car,” Niall repeated.
Shane and Lynch stepped out with their hands up.
“I have friends everywhere, Devlin,” Shane said and snarled.
“You’re a disgusting excuse for a man.”
“Watch your back, dickhead. I’ll rip your head off as soon as I get the chance.”
“You do not have to say anything,” Niall stated while handcuffing Shane. “But it may harm your defense if you do not mention, when questioned, something which you later rely on in court. Anything you do say may be given in evidence. Do you understand?”
“I understand, alright,” Shane replied. “I understand you two and that bitch set me up.”
Niall bundled Shane into the back of a police car.
Before leaving, my cousin shook my hand.
I grinned and shook my head. “A few minutes later, and I’d have been put to sleep with a shovel.”
“Do you think I’d let that happen?” Niall asked. “I knew you had it all under control. Maybe there’s a career for you as an undercover cop.”
“Thanks, but I think I’ll stick to organizing conferences. I’ve another favor to ask. Don’t mention this to anyone in the family. What Gorman did to Erin is still a sore subject. And I don’t want Tessa to know until I tell her, so I’d appreciate no one contacting her about this until the New Year.”
“I’ll do what I can. You’ll have to give a statement, but I’ll see if I can postpone it.” He winked. “Christmas is a busy time for everyone. I can’t see anything happening for at least a week.”
“Appreciate it, man.”
Shane glowered from the back of the car. With any luck, he’d be behind bars for a long time. For now, with the gobshite out of the way, I had some breathing space and could enjoy the next few days with Tessa without having to look over my shoulder.
Chapter Fifteen
Tessa
I stretched a hand into the shower cubicle and turned the faucet to allow the water to heat.
Waking up with a man’s mouth between your legs should be a health requirement. I glanced at my reflection in the mirror above the sink. My eyes sparkled, and my face glowed. But then I frowned. I was a liar and a fraud. No better than Keegan’s ex. No better than my ex.
When Keegan confided in me about his past, my heart ached for him. And then there was his comment about me using him to make my lies more convincing. Sure, it was said as a joke, but his words resonated with me. Things were finally going smoothly, and I should feel happy, but the way I got the job niggled at me like a toothache.
I stepped into the shower and allowed the strong spray to needle my skin. There was only one thing I could do to ease my conscience and straighten out the tangled mess I’d created. But coming clean could create an even bigger mess.
It could ruin my career and lose me this job, but since we were so close to the wedding, Barb might allow me to see things through. If she didn’t, in time, I’d pick up the pieces and put my self-respect back together. Moving back to Long Island wouldn’t be so bad. I leaned my head against the shower wall. Who was I kidding? Moving home would suck.
Once the remnants of sleep were
