Page 69 of Bound By Darkness

Inside, the air smells faintly of sawdust and grease.Along one wall, there’s a table and a few metal chairs—a makeshift meeting area that’s just out of the main flow of work but still in plain sight.

Two men stand off to the side, their sharp suits a stark contrast to the gritty, industrial backdrop of the warehouse.They exude a cold authority, their postures rigid, arms loosely crossed as they wait assumingly for Cian.He approaches them with the ease of old acquaintances.

“Boys,” he says, his tone warm but calculated.“Hope I didn’t keep you waiting too long.”

His words are smooth, almost disarming, but there’s a sharpness beneath the charm that suggests he’s playing his own game.

“Who’s the girl?”one of them asks, his eyes rake over me like I’m something to be bought and sold.

“Her name doesn’t matter,” Cian says, his hand pressing lightly against my lower back.“She’s with me.”

The way they watch me makes the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end, but I don’t give them the satisfaction of a reaction.Cian jerks his chin toward a seat off to the side, but I’m not here to be sidelined, and I don’t take orders.

Instead, I cross the room with slow, deliberate steps, swaying my hips, and slide onto the edge of the table, ignoring the chairs completely.The cold metal seeps through the leather of my pants, but I don’t show a hint of discomfort.Leaning back on my palms, I cross one leg over the other, the motion tugging my blouse just enough to keep their attention locked on me.

Their expressions are a mix of curiosity and calculation as if they’re trying to decide what role I play in all this.I flash them a small, confident smile as if I’m completely oblivious to their scrutiny.

“Take a seat,” Cian says, his tone firm but laced with amusement.“In a chair.”

Offering a casual shrug, I slide off the table and move to one of the chairs.The men eventually turn their attention back to Cian, though I know I’ve made an impression.

They speak with ease, their tones confident, their body language relaxed.No tension, no unnecessary caution.

With a disinterested expression, I cross my legs and lean back as if the discussion is nothing more than background noise.Let them think I’m just a pretty face here to kill time.It makes it easier to listen without drawing attention.

While they talk and share details about the shipment, timing, and security, I pretend to scroll on my phone, all the while absorbing everything.They don’t so much as glance my way.Which is exactly why they don’t notice when I snap a few discreet photos, angling my screen just right.

Ruairi might’ve set this in motion, but after I bring this information to Eamon, he’ll stop it before my brother can do anything about it.

The deal wraps up, and Cian leads me back to the car, his hand lingering on the small of my back as we walk.Once we’re inside, he starts the engine, but instead of pulling away, he turns to me.

“That little show you put on in there,” he says, his voice low.“Every man in that room was watching you, and not one of them was thinking about the deal.”

“Oh?”

“They wanted you,” he continues, his gaze dragging over me like I’m something he owns.“Fergus even asked if I’d share you.Said a woman like you shouldn’t be wasted on just one man.”

My stomach churns, but I keep my voice calm.“I didn’t notice,” I say, then add, “and for the record, I’m not yours to offer.Or anyone’s.”

Cian’s lips twitch in amusement.“You’ve got this ability to wrap men around your finger without even trying.”

Leaning in just enough to close the space between us, my voice drips with sweetness.“Wrap men around my finger?That’s quite the compliment.”

His gaze darkens.“You’ll have us all on our knees begging for a taste.”

I let my fingers trail idly along the edge of my seat as if I’m considering his words.“You think so?”I ask, my tone teasing.“Maybe you’re just easy to impress.”

Cian lets out a dark, humorless laugh.“It’s not about being impressed.It’s all you.There’s something about you that gets under a man’s skin and makes him desperate.Makes him want to risk it all to have you.”

I bite my lip just enough to make it look innocent.“Well, maybe I like a little danger, too.”

Cian’s grin widens, sharp and predatory.“Oh, Aoife, you don’t just like danger—youaredanger.And that’s what makes you irresistible.”

His eyes linger on my lips, and for a moment, the tension in the car feels suffocating.He thinks he’s in control, that he’s playing me.

“You’ve got men like me ready to burn everything down just to keep you,” he adds, his voice low and possessive, the words dripping with intent.

“Careful, Cian.Playing with fire might get you burned.”

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