Page 24 of Intimately Faithful

“He killed a woman in front of a good friend of mine and now he’s looking for my friend. I’m assuming it’s not to return her luggage. This friend … has Kuznetsov’s daughter with her.”

“Damn,” whistled Lawless, leaning back in the booth with one arm spread along the back of the seat. Shrewdly deep blue eyes looked on. “That’s out of your priest wheelhouse I’m taking a stab in the dark, yeah? Look. I’m going to be straight up with you. I don’t have a dog in this fight, so whether the broski is after your girl or not, it’s no skin off my nose, but the info was welcome.”

Danny wasn’t offended by the unfluctuating tone or instant dismissal. It was much as he expected it to go. But he hadn’t said all he wanted to.

Not quite desperate, yet he was still willing to do anything even if it means pissing off the local biker club.

“I’m calling in that favor, Lawless. I need them protected at all costs.”

Barking a laugh drew several head turns that neither man took any notice of. The server breezed by and brought Lawless a coffee without asking him, she then turned to Danny who smiled and politely refused, he was already too wired for caffeine. He supposed he should order something since they were taking up table space, so he went with a tea.

“When I offered that, holy man, it was meant for a church donation, maybe hack into the system and clean up a parking ticket. Not murder.”

God help me.He didn’t correct him. He should have told him it was only protection until he could get Aoife out of the country, but he didn’t say a damn thing. Just crossed his hands on the table and prayed for forgiveness for even daring to think of another human’s death as being the answer to a problem.

To gather his senses he asked. “How are you getting on with that situation you told me about?”

For a split second those eyes watching him, narrowed to nasty slits and Danny wondered if he was breathing his last air and then Lawless relaxed his face.

“It’s ongoing. You haven’t opened your mouth, have you?”

Danny snickered but sobered just as quickly. It wasn’t really the time to joke around because the situation Lawless was tangled up with did in fact revolve around men losing their lives.

“It’s kind of in the job description that I keep my mouth shut. I’m still curious why you chose to tell me, taking what I do into consideration. You said your other boys don’t know.”

Lawless shrugged nonchalantly, tapping his long fingers on the table in a rap of threes. “You were there.”

Danny remembered it had been a hot summer day when a conversation at a church fete had sparked to life between the two men sharing a drink and watching the crowd. Lawless had turned up that day to rehome some kittens to the locals. And then a conversation over a beer started as, “What would you say if….” Danny had been equally horrified and engrossed in the story that unfolded from Lawless.

“Are you still going ahead with it? Is it the right course for her?”

Sharp eyes pinned Danny as fatally as a hand around the throat. “That’s never changed course, priest. This friend tangled up in the Russian, if she’s gonna run back to him days later, then we can’t do a fucking thing, yeah? I won’t lift a goddamn finger for a flighty woman.”

“She’s not. And she won’t.” Danny gritted his teeth to even put thought of Aoife and another man in his head, let alone one who was capable of unspeakable violence and the length of time she’d already been around him.

He’d known his fair share of fist fights in his life. There was a time, around his late teens he was thinking of training for the MMA, he was damn handy with his fists and had been known around Galway for his abilities for never backing down from a brawl. Most mornings his ma woke to find his bloody clothes soaking in the sink.

But murder and hiding from the mafia, as Lawless suggested, was so far out his capabilities he was scared for Aoife.

Scared he alone couldn’t protect her from being hurt. Or worse.

He was already thinking about how to get her back home.

At least there, his brothers and father could keep her, and Misha hidden.

A Murphy was good at hiding in plain sight. And they’d do anything for family.

She’s yours to protect.A voice grated like a wounded animal ready to attack.

The idea she’d be lost to him yet again while he was this side of the world didn’t go unnoticed by his walloping heart or churning stomach, but as always, he’d keep her safe first.

Without saying another word, Lawless lifted a finger for Danny to shut up and he pulled out his cell phone, speaking quietly into it.

He ended with “Bring smiler too, he should be here for this.” When he hung up, he gave Danny his stare. Vacant of soul he’d say, but Danny witnessed how he took care of animals… and though the mission of the biker was about as unspeakable and deplorable as Danny had ever heard, it had a reason that painted Lawless in a light not many, if any at all, had seen him in. The vicious reputation preceded the man and the man liked it; Danny guessed.

Danny couldn’t, and wouldn’t condone the taking of another life, no matter what the reason behind it.

As he sat there, sipping the tea he didn’t want, being under scrutiny from the guy opposite, he knew his lines had blurred in only moments.

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