Page 11 of A Temptation Too Great

When I step out the front doors, I see his SUV parked at the curb. A man standing beside it opens the back door. I walk over and climb in. I’m exhausted, but something deep down is telling me to go through with this.

We pull up to the bakery where Fiona still works once a week, and the door opens. Mr. Tiernan only made small talk during the short ride. He comes around to my side and takes my hand, wrapping it around his arm as we walk up to the front entrance.

Mrs. O’Sullivan stands at the counter and smiles. “Hello, Mr. Tiernan. Well, hello, Moira, it’s been so long since you came in. Welcome to you both.”

He leads me to a table in front of the big window and sits across from me. After Mrs. O’Sullivan takes our order, she heads for the kitchen. The door to the back opens again, and out steps my best friend.

I want to cry. It’s been weeks since I’ve seen her. I jump up and pull her into my arms. She holds me tight, apologizing over and over for Patrick taking me.

“It wasn’t your fault. I’m okay,” I reassure her.

“I’m so sorry I didn’t do anything about your brother sooner.”

Her words shock me, and I pull away, my eyes wide, shame coloring my voice. “You knew?”

“I thought it was your father, but I suspected there was something weird with Eoin.”

“My father has just never done anything about it. I should’ve told you.”

“No, hello, Da?” Mr. Tiernan interrupts with a smile.

Fiona returns the smile as she moves to the table, and her father-in-law pulls her into a hug.

“Where is that man of yours?” He jokes.

“He’s at the track for a couple of hours, at that office, while I’m here. Seamus is with me.” As she says this, Seamus steps out from the back to check on her. He lifts his chin toward Mr. Tiernan.

Of all Aidan’s men, Seamus scares me the most. He has long black curly hair and dark brown eyes that almost look black at times. He’s tall and muscular, but that’s not what frightens me. It’s the look in his eyes—cold as death. He wouldn’t think twice about killing, and he’d smile as he did it.

I’ve seen the long knives he carries. They’re practically short swords. When I was rescued from Patrick, he came into the room ready to kill and did. One of the guards stepped out of a side room, and Seamus sliced him open, letting his innards fall to the floor in front of him before cutting off his head.

He’s dark and menacing. But for some reason, Fiona loves him, and he is different with her. She’s like a little sister he wants to protect.

Seamus walks over to our table, and I force myself not to step back. No matter how tough I think I am, I know he’s the deadliest person in this building. I don’t stand a chance against him.

“Sir.” He nods his head at Mr. Tiernan.

“Seamus, my boy, you find yourself a girl yet?”

I watch as Seamus blushes, and I’m shocked. It’s the most emotion I’ve ever seen from him.

Seamus shakes his head, and the blush is gone instantly. “Sir, no woman would want my black soul.” He turns and walks away, leaving us to chat.

Fiona leaves Mr. Tiernan and me alone to fetch our order, then returns to the kitchen to finish whatever recipes she’s preparing for the week ahead. I look down at my cup of tea and the éclair Fiona brought me.

“Why do you want to be a police officer?” he asks me out of the blue. I look across at him. He’s not being flippant but serious.

I take a calming breath, thinking about how to say this without sounding stupid. “Sir,” I start, but he holds up his hand.

“Call me Niall or Da. No more ‘sir’ from you.”

I nod, my lips tipping up softly. “Okay, Niall. This is going to sound selfish, but I have to prove to my father and brother that I can do it. Originally, I wanted to be a police officer to become an investigator and solve my mother’s murder. The police have buried her case and aren’t in a hurry to solve it. It’s been six years since she was killed.” I pause, gathering my thoughts. “It’s not a want anymore. It’s necessary for me to have closure.”

“What if I told you I could help you? That you don’t have to become an officer to do that.”

I lean back in my chair, cross my arms over my chest, and cock my head to the side, raising an eyebrow as I take him in. He mirrors my stance, watching me closely.

“Why? What’s the cost?”

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