Page 44 of Earn Me

It was Keiran's first time to call out to God.

Because his whole life, he had been too ashamed to ask for God's help because he had believed he was beyond saving.

But now...

"Yes," Keiran said rawly. "I love her."

He had always loved her.

And yet he had never tried to see it from her eyes.

Never tried to consider what she would be thinking, all those times he was gone, hunting for Onesimus' abductors.

His gaze turned to Giancarlo, terror gnawing at his heart. "What the fuck do I do now?"

"You grovel. But not now. I stayed behind because I've just received word. The Castellos are on the move."

Fuck, fuck, fuck.

"They want you to pay for the damage Marvin Quinn's fraud caused them."

"And if I don't?"

An alarm sounded off at that moment, its eerie timing almost suggesting it was the answer to his question.

"Is that what I think it is?" Giancarlo asked grimly.

"It's going to buy us some time. But not much."

The sound of an alarm cut them off, Keiran's security system alerting them to the possibility of an attack.

Fuck.

Neither of them bothered to speak, both of them springing into action as they walked back to the penthouse.

Onesimus was already in the living room, and although Cadence's pale cheeks were still streaked with tears, the expression on her face told Keiran that she had already been briefed about the situation.

"We need to keep you safe," he told her grimly. "Will you go to Giancarlo? They won't think to look for you there. I'll take care of business here."

"I don't want to leave—-"

"You'll only distract me." Keiran turned his back and faced Giancarlo right after, missing the way his abrupt tone and words caused a stricken look to cross his wife's face. Keiran pointed to the ten-foot-tall painting in the dining area. "That will take you to the building next door. Keep her safe."

He turned to his wife again, but this time she was clearly avoiding his gaze. "Cadence?"

"I s-should go. We don't want to distract you."

Fuck.

He realized too late that he had hurt her with his words.

Again.

He had hurt her without meaning to.

Hurt her even though she didn't deserve it—-

Again and again.

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