Page 50 of Her Michigan Mob Boss

“When did you even get here?” I asked Erin.

She shrugged. “Fifteen, twenty minutes ago. I saw the guys lying dead in the driveway and knew something was up.”

“You saw bodies in the driveway and came into the house anyway?” Sean demanded.

“Of course I did. I had to make sure my family was okay.”

“Fuck, Erin!” I shoved my fingers through my hair. When had my sisters gotten so reckless? “I want a full account of what happened here.”

“And you’ll get one later,” Emily said firmly. “Now go make sure Annie’s all right.”

“Go,” Max urged me. “Sean and I can handle things here.”

Knowing I could trust my brother and my closest friend completely, I nodded and got to my feet. I handed Sean my gun, figuring Annie wouldn’t be comfortable seeing me with it. There were others stashed around the house in case any other assholes attempted to launch an attack on us tonight. I doubted they would.

I made my way upstairs, dreading what I might find. Annie was an innocent. I hated the thought she might look at me differently now she’d seen the darker side of my world.

When I got to my bedroom, she wasn’t there, but I could hear her moving about my bathroom. I was glad she’d chosen to come here. She could have gone back to the room she’d occupied before we reconciled. My joy was short-lived. As I pushed open the door to the bathroom, I realized she was crying.

“Sweetheart,” I said carefully as I came to stand behind her at the sink. In the mirror I could see her eyes were red and swollen. “Are you okay?”

It was a stupid question after all that had happened, and I deserved the glare she threw at me.

“No, I’m not fucking okay!” The venom in her voice startled me. “I’m a terrible person.”

“Youare?” I almost laughed. I’d expected her to throw the accusation at me after I killed Mulhearn. “Why areyoua terrible person?”

“Because I wanted them all to die,” she spat out. “Because I wanted Danny Mulhearn to die. I wanted the man I came here to find to suffer an agonizing death. When you shot him, I was disappointed it was over so fast.”

“Oh, sweetheart.” Putting my hands on her shoulders, I turned her to face me. I brushed her hair back from her tear-streaked cheeks. “That doesn’t make you a terrible person.”

“So what does it make me?” she challenged.

“It makes you human. You were scared tonight. Men broke in here who wouldn’t have hesitated to kill you. They could have killed people you care about.”

“You should have heard what he threatened to do to Erin.”

I clenched my fists. “I can imagine.”

Annie drew in a shuddering breath. She inched closer to me. “I need you, Ciaran.”

Not wanting to move too fast and spook her, I trailed my hands slowly down her body, over the curve of her hips. I cupped her bottom and pulled her close as I bent to kiss her. My lips caressed hers as I tried to be gentle. Annie threaded her fingers through my hair as she pressed herself against me. Breathing in her sweet scent, I struggled to hold on to my control.

“Tell me you want this.” I searched her pretty blue eyes for confirmation.

“I do.”

Scooping her up into my arms, I carried her through to the bedroom and set her down beside the bed. I pulled her t-shirt up over her head, then unbuttoned her jeans. Today was the first time I’d seen her in anything other than a dress. The casual look suited her. Earlier, when she’d been in the kitchen with Emily, she appeared young and carefree. Now there was an air of melancholy around her I hoped I could banish.

As I slid her jeans down to reveal black satin panties, I felt my cock stiffen.

“I like these.” Reaching between her legs, I let my fingers glide over the silky fabric. “I like them a lot.”

“I wore them for you.”

Smiling coyly, Annie held my gaze as she knocked my hand away. She hooked her thumbs in the waistband of her panties and slid them down her legs. Then she took off her bra. She moved closer and unfastened my pants. Slipping her hand inside, she curled her fingers around my painfully erect cock. She slid her hand up and down my shaft.

As she stepped back, I removed my pants and underwear, then yanked my shirt off, sending buttons flying in all directions. Annie giggled.

---