Page 7 of A Temptation Too Great

Since the moment she snuck out on me, I’ve been frustrated and upset with her. But now I see maybe she was hiding her past from me. No wonder she works out so much. She’s trying to find ways to protect herself. Standing up for herself tonight sounds like a first, and she’s going to need more protection. I pull out my phone and have one of my enforcers watch over her too.

I’m going to be there for her. I’ll protect her with my life if I must. She needs to know I’m not happy with what happened today, so I text her a message.

Me

I told you I’d kill him. He hurt you. No one does that to any woman, let alone mine.

Spitfire

Brody, please don’t. There’s too much attention on him now that I filed the police report. They’ll be watching him closer. Because of that, I need you to leave me alone too. Walk away now.

Me

I don’t care, baby. You know they call me the Harvester, not because I do crops, but because I’m the Grim Reaper. I’m not walking away, Moira. You can’t make me.

Spitfire

I know they call you that. Please just leave me alone.

Me

Please be safe.

She doesn’t respond back, but I can see she read the message. I take a shower before climbing into bed. My hand slides across the sheets to the side she should be sleeping on, but both of us got in the way of that. I should have just taken her and claimed her right then. She doesn’t know I blame myself for her being taken. I was with my da and didn’t want him to know I had a girl yet.

But I should’ve known he’d pick up on it. He’s been asking me about her since he met her at Aidan and Fiona’s wedding, asking if I nutted up yet.

I fall asleep dreaming about her, but also worried and plagued by nightmares.

Chapter Three

Moira

This morning, I’m on edge. The police department called me yesterday and said that even though I have video footage of my brother assaulting me, it will be hard for them to make a case because he’s family—and a police officer. I’m frustrated, and everything is irritating my nerves. Giselle and I are making our way onto campus when the hair on the back of my neck stands up. I look around and behind us. Giselle looks too. One of Brody’s club guys is watching us as we get our morning caffeine fix.

"Do you know him?" Giselle asks as I watch her intently, noticing her looking into her wallet.

Something is up with her. I want to ask her what’s going on, but my crappy mood makes me afraid I’ll say the wrong thing and cause her to shut down. She’s opening up more and more to us, but she still keeps so many secrets.

"No." I huff. "But I have a feeling that arsehole, Tiernan, sent him." I know it’s Brody. Even though I’ve ignored all his texts, he won’t leave me alone.

"Why would Aidan set a guard to watch you? I thought we were safe now that Patrick is gone?" she asks, stopping her inspection of her money. Her body shivers as she speaks.

"Ugh." I throw up my hands in irritation. I can’t even hide the fact that he pisses me off. My emotions are all over the place. She knows what happened to me the other night, everyone does. "It's not Aidan. It’s his fecking brother, Brody. That arsehole thinks I want to date him. He keeps sending his biker brothers to follow me."

"Brody does stare at you a lot,” she says, barely able to contain a giggle.

I twist around and raise an eyebrow. "Kind of like how Shane stares at you?" I smirk, watching her blush, which confirms what I suspected.

"I heard he brought you home last night." I smile, but she drops her head so I don’t see the soft smile on her face. I’m sure she likes him, and that’s a first. No guy has ever caught Giselle’s attention.

"Yeah, he took me to dinner."

We bump shoulders, me practically checking her. "Do you like him?"

She takes a moment to think, biting her lip. "I do, but I can't."

"Why?" I ask as we grab our drinks.

---