Tiernan A Dark Irish Mafia Romance - Jane Henry Page 0,69

I know he’ll be right behind me, I feel alone, and I don’t like that. It’s been a while since I’ve been apart from him.

I remind myself there was a time not too long ago that I enjoyed being independent. That I could handle things on my own just fine, and I’m still capable of being a strong, independent woman.

A light’s on in the headmaster’s office. I remind myself of my purpose.

Go to him. Try to find out who’s with him, who’s behind the plot to get us.

Allow him to seduce me, but not touch me.

Nice guidelines, Tier.

My phone rings. I frown at the screen and quickly silence it.

Tiernan.

“Hello?”

But there’s no answer.

“Hello?”

Again, no answer. I hear him moving around the room, and figure he likely butt-dialed me.

“Tiernan?”

Nothing. I’m just about to hang up the phone, when I hear something that makes me freeze in my tracks.

Is that… a woman’s voice?

“She just left,” says the voice. “You’ve got her occupied, don’t you?”

A low, manly chuckle. Oh, God.

I’m standing outside the headmaster’s door with the phone up to my ear. Oh God oh God, no.

No no no no.

I’m trembling as I hear panting, and the unmistakable sounds of clothes coming off and kissing.

I take my phone and whip it as hard as I can. It hits the wall and shatters into shards, making a terrible noise. The door to the headmaster’s office opens. He looks at me in surprise, then his face breaks out into a slow, wicked grin.

“Hoped you’d take my offer.”

I’m sick to my stomach. I want to vomit.

Tiernan sent me here so I… Christ, I can hardly think straight.

“Come into my office,” he says, tilting his head to the side. He gives me a wicked grin which makes my queasy stomach ache. No. No.

I go into the office, dread suffusing my limbs.

I brought trouble to the McCarthy clan. This isn’t going to work.

And whether Tiernan’s an arse or not, I will do my part in bringing trouble away from them.

The door shuts with a sickening click. He reaches for me, his hands on my arms. I shiver. I can’t believe I used to let men touch me for money. The thought of letting this one touch me for information is almost more than I can bear.

“Just like that,” a female voice comes from the other side of the room. “She loves a little foreplay.”

I whip my head to the back of the office but can’t see who’s sitting in the shadows.

“Who’s there?”

I should run. Tiernan made me promise I wouldn’t let myself get hurt, but here I am, outnumbered.

The woman rises to her feet and crosses out of the shadows into the light.

I gasp.

“Vivian.”

Clifford is still touching me, his sick hands on my back, stroking up and down. I push him away. I feel dirty and tainted.

Vivian takes her bag out and pulls out a syringe.

“What’s the matter, Aisling? Can’t perform without a hit first?” Her voice is sickening sweet, making the nausea in my belly even worse. It’s like a terrible, wicked dream, but I can’t wake up.

Tiernan’s with another woman.

Vivian spied on me.

She’s given me away to the police and framed me for murder. And the worst part is? The needle in her hand calls to me.

I want to forget that Tiernan did this to me. I want to forget that he means anything to me at all.

“You betrayed me,” I whisper to her.

“Betrayed you? No, doll,” she says, shaking her head. “I’m your friend, remember?”

She hands me the needle. “Here you go, darling. You don’t need me to do it for you, do you?” She gives me a placating smile. “Here you go.”

I want the blissful relief.

I want to forget.

I take the needle from her.

Chapter 17

Tiernan

I hate watching her leave that room, and a part of me screams inwardly when she does.

Don’t let her go.

How could I have such feelings for her so soon?

But this is the way of the Clan, I remind myself, just as I’ve reminded her. We don’t do things conventionally. We don’t do things the way others do. And it’s not like I’ve only just met her.

I knew the girl she once was. I knew the innocent lass who was my sister’s best mate. And I know the woman she’s become, unencumbered with the dull effects of the needle.

I go to take my phone so I can track her, but it isn’t there. Jesus. I look all around the room, but time’s wasting. I’ve sent the woman I love to the fucking