Tiernan (Dangerous Doms 6)

“Yes.”

“If we go back… if we run… we miss any potential chance of finding out who he’s with. Right?”

I nod warily. “Right.”

“But if we stay… he doesn’t know we’re onto him. He doesn’t know Deacon went to Malachy. If I…” She bites her lip and flushes. “Play into his hand, I could…” She grimaces. “Find out.”

“No fucking way.”

“Tiernan, I—”

“No. I will never allow you to use your body for anything else again. Do you understand me?”

Hurt flickers across her features, and she winces. “I didn’t… I didn’t mean it that way. And I hate that your mind went there immediately.”

I sigh. This is something we’ll have to overcome.

“And you can’t very well beat my arse and fuck me every time we have a fight,” she says with conviction.

“Why not?”

She blows out a breath in frustration. “Because that’s not how it fucking works!”

“Oh? And when do I give a crap about how it fucking works? I know how we work. And beating your arse then fucking you senseless works just fine.”

She throws up her hands in frustration. “You are infuriating, Tiernan Hurston!”

“You’re no peach yourself,” I say, rolling my eyes at her. She bends and kisses me.

“I still think you’re bloody adorable.”

She gets out of bed, when my phone buzzes.

I pick up the phone. Keenan. Bloody hell.

Second thoughts about you coming home just yet.

I clench my jaw. Why?

He pauses. Aisling watches me. She twirls a piece of her short black hair between her fingers.

Keenan: I want you safe, of course. But I also want to know who at the school’s responsible for the infiltration. Do you think you can work with Lachlan, Tully, and Malachy to find out? I’ll be there with Cormac later on this afternoon.

Aye, sir.

Keenan: I want Aisling safe, but I know she’s in good hands with you.

No pressure, Keenan.

Keenan: Let her bait Clifford. Find out what he knows. See what he’s made of, and who he’s in touch with.

My fingers fly over the keys, my temper flaring before I can stop myself.

No fucking way.

Keenan doesn’t reply for a minute. I’ve never flat out defied him. I could be disciplined for this, and harshly. But his response is gentler than I expect.

I’m not saying she should compromise herself, brother. Just a temporary situation to out our enemies.

I blow out a breath. I’ll talk to her and think about it.

I put the phone down and reach for Aisling. “Come here,” I say. I hold her to my chest. I never knew this woman was as fierce as she is. I never knew I needed the love of a woman like her, but I fucking do.

“Keenan wants us to find who’s behind all this here,” I say in a low voice. I don’t want to be overheard. “Thinks you should bait him.”

“Aye, it’s the only way, isn’t it?”

I grit my teeth. “I don’t like this. Could be fucking anyone. We know the headmaster can’t be trusted and he used a student to find out information. But he isn’t working alone, is he?”

She bites her lip and shakes her head. “No… likely not. You’re right. Who else would it be?”

“One of your roommates?” She shakes her head.

“Doubt it. Karla’s a good friend of mine, and Shane’s fucking clueless.”

“We don’t know that.”

She laughs. “Well, we may not, but be that as it may, Tiernan, I think they are the least likely suspects, really.”

I sigh. “I don’t want to use you as bait.”

Her face gentles, and she holds my face in her hands, the way she does. The way that makes my heart ache for her, every fucking time.

“You won’t be using me as bait, babe. I volunteered myself. I need to put myself out there if I’m going to be of any use.” Her eyes cloud. “Please, Tiernan. Let me be of some damn use. I hate that I’ve brought any danger to the McCarthy Clan, and you know I did.”

I shake my head sharply. “Don’t you go there, Aisling. Not at all. I was the one who killed him.”

She winces, but I don’t regret speaking plainly.

There’s a knock at the door. I look at her.

“Don’t look at me,” she says with a shrug. “No idea.”

I push out of bed and get dressed as I head toward the door. I look out at the peephole and see Malachy. He looks at the peep hole and flips me off. With a chuckle, I open the door.

“You alright?”

“Aye.”

He looks behind me, but Aisling’s run into the jacks. “Ruby good?”

“Aye.”

He sighs. “You returning to Ballyhock, then?”

I shake my head and gesture for him to come in. “No, not yet. Keenan wants us to see if we can find any information. He’s on his way here.”

Malachy looks hopeful. “Good. If you’re here, you’ve got me on your side as well.”

I jerk my chin at him. “Thanks, brother.”