Page 31 of Her Michigan Mob Boss

“I gave you a chance to do this the easy way. Now, we’ll do it my way.”

“What are you talking about?”

“You’re staying here, Annie. Your life is in danger, and I’m the only one who can protect you. The sooner you get used to that, the better.”

What the hell was he talking about? I scrambled off the bed as Ciaran turned and strode from the room. I didn’t make it to the door when he walked through and closed it behind him. The unmistakable sound of a key scraping in the lock sent a prickle of fear through me. Although I knew it would be futile, I tried the door. Of course, it didn’t budge.

“Ciaran!” I beat my fist on the door. “Let me out!”

Even as I yelled the words, I knew it wouldn’t happen. I was stuck in here until he decided to free me. Perhaps he would come to his senses and let me out in time to catch my flight. I wouldn’t hold my breath.

Fumbling around on the wall, I found the light switch and flicked it, bathing the room in a yellow glow. I leaned back against the door and looked around. A king-sized bed sat in the center of the room. There was a wooden dresser under the window and a nightstand by the bed, but otherwise it was pretty bare. A door at the side led into what I hoped was a bathroom.

With nothing else to do, I returned to the bed Ciaran had dumped me on. I climbed under the covers and curled up on my side. As prisons went, at least it was a comfortable one.

Closing my eyes, I tried to calm my nerves. Why did Ciaran say I was in danger? Did he really believe that or was it a ploy to make me do as he asked? I guessed I’d just have to wait and see.

ChapterTwelve

Ciaran

As I walked into the breakfast room the next morning, I sensed the hostility radiating from my sister who was sitting at the table with Sean and Will. Last night, I’d told my brothers that I was keeping Annie here. They needed to be aware because her stay required us to enhance our security measures. From the scowl on Emily’s face, it was obvious one of them had told her my intentions. Predictably, she was pissed.

“What the fuck, Ciaran?” she demanded, leaning forward to glower at me across the table. “You’re holding Annie prisoner?”

I scrubbed a hand over my face. After another restless night, I was weary and in no mood for a fight. A certain pretty Scot was wreaking havoc on my sleep. My decision to lock her in the guest bedroom had been a split-second one. I hadn’t wanted to be so heavy-handed with her, but she’d left me no choice. A credible threat had been made against her. Though she didn’t understand it yet, her safety came first.

“Annie’s not a prisoner. She’s here so I can protect her.”

Emily snorted derisively. She’d often railed against the measures our brothers and I took to keep her safe. Though we didn’t drag innocent women into our business, some of our rivals, Danny Mulhearn included, were less scrupulous.

“And you had to lock her up to do that?”

I blew out a breath, my impatience already wearing thin. I hated it when my siblings questioned my judgement. All of them pushed me occasionally, and I allowed it to an extent, but they knew better than to interfere in my personal life.

“I’m going to let her out this morning. She can have the run of the house.”

“The run of the house? You’re talking about the girl like she’s your pet.”

Surprisingly, that comment came from Sean. I’d have expected Will to be Annie’s champion, but not our brother. Sean usually didn’t give a shit about how anyone treated a woman as long as he wasn’t abusing her.

“She’s not a pet. She’s a cherished guest.”

“Yeah, sure, Ciaran.” Will added his two cents’ worth. “A cherished guest who can’t come and go of her own free will.”

The way all three of my siblings were ganging up on me was unusual. It was an indication of how much they liked Annie. She’d fit right in with us at dinner last night. Sure. She’d been nervous at first, but she soon relaxed and joined in the conversation. Emily had been disappointed when I insisted on staying home rather than joining them at the club. She wanted Annie around as much as I did.

“It’s for her own good. Danny Mulhearn is looking for her. If he got hold of her…”

Shaking my head, I left the others to fill in the blanks. My brothers had seen firsthand what Mulhearn was capable of, and my sister had a vivid enough imagination to work it out.

“I don’t know,” Emily said. “Are you sure you haven’t manufactured a crisis as an excuse to make Annie stay?”

Was I exaggerating the risk? I considered for a moment and dismissed the idea. Mulhearn had a lot to gain by backing me into a corner and he could use Annie to do it. I’d been careless when I showed interest in her atLola’s. I should never have kissed her so publicly. Sending her to the spa only made things worse. I’d never done something like that for a woman, and Lisa Sullivan had clearly realized Annie was important to me. The spa manager would pay for selling me out to Mulhearn when Jace finally tracked her down.

“No, the threat is real.”

“Did you explain it to her?” Emily asked.

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