Fionn Read Free Page B

snapped, “Call Shannon,” at the car, grappling for control of himself for the first time since he was a boy.
    “That didn’t take long,” his brother said by way of greeting.
    “I’m nothing if not efficient. I’ll hold her until you tell me different.”
    There was a pause. “You all right, Fionn? You sound…stressed.”
    Scrubbing a hand over his face, Fionn sighed. “Yeah. I’m good.”
    “You sure? If there’s something going on, I can handle this.”
    “No. I’ve got it. Though, babysitting a spoiled little rich girl will seriously try my patience.”
    “No doubt. I’ll be in touch. Just keep her out of sight for a couple of days.”
    Oh, he’d keep her out of sight, all right. Unless he changed his mind when she woke, Fionn would keep her tied to his bed. That’d definitely keep her out of sight.
    Twenty minutes later, they pulled into his garage. LeeAnn struggled in and out of consciousness, but refused to go under and stay there. She was a fighter—he’d give her that.
    Scooping her up into his arms, Fionn took her inside and straight to his bed. Once there he had a moment to wonder why he’d taken her to his bed instead of one of the many guest rooms, then swore under his breath. This was so unlike him, but he couldn’t bring himself to leave her side. Not while she was so sick, especially when he’d caused it.
    Frustrated beyond belief, Fionn found himself removing her shoes, top, and pants. Beneath the cashmere turtleneck and jeans that molded her body like a lover’s embrace, he was godsmacked by the curvy figure her garments had only hinted at. Sure those jeans had made him ache to shape her backside with hands, but the sheer beauty of her body unveiled was… There were no words. All he wanted to do was spend hours exploring it, tasting it, finding out what made it tick, what made it come. But he couldn’t. Not yet.
    Tucking her beneath the covers as gently as he might a babe, Fionn simply looked at her, watching the rise and fall of her chest as the drug kept her sedated. How would she react when she woke? Would she be frightened? Pissed? If she was smart, she’d be terrified.
    Recalling her earlier fear, Fionn found he didn’t want her frightened. Which was ridiculous. Fear equaled respect. It was the one thing he’d learned from his father and the man who’d raised them, Danny Sullivan, and the main reason he’d become so deadly. Until the day Danny Boy had beat Fionn nearly to death, Fionn had feared the man. Feared his father. But instead of the fear the big bastard had thought to reinforce inside the young boy Fionn had been, that beating had unleashed a fury so terrifying it froze the fear inside him until it shattered. In its place, the fury raged like an arctic storm, quelling any lingering emotion other than anger and hate inside Fionn. Only his brothers inspired anything other than mild disdain now. Harsh emotions were focused on Paddy O’Shea and Danny Sullivan. No one other than his brothers had ever proven to deserve any positive emotion from him. He loved his brothers with a strong, abiding love born of fire and pain. Love from his brothers had shown him there was no one in this world he had to fear. Fionn didn’t fear Paddy O’Shea, but the old man would do well to fear him.
    Which brought him back to LeeAnn Bates and her father. The old man was behind Bart Holden’s bid for power. Of that there was no doubt. He was testing Shannon. Well, that was OK. He’d find Shannon more than up to the task, and Fionn at his back in the shadows, just like the avenging angel his brothers had always accused him of being.

Chapter Four
     
     
    LeeAnn groaned, clawing her way to wakefulness even as she wished she could just cover her head up and sleep on. Head spinning, mouth tasting like three-day-old shit, she moaned as she opened her eyes. Moonlight drifted through a window across the room, the silvery light falling in unbroken rays over the floor. A quick inventory of