The sun began to fall in the sky as they fucked quietly on the cliffs overlooking the Irish Sea. No one for miles to stop them or even see them as they took what they needed from one another. Her pace increased, the sunset behind her, framing her body against the sky. Her hips ground into him, forcing him harder with each stroke.
Then she was shaking, quivering as she called his name, moaning loudly as she climaxed heavily against him. Her body continued to rise and fall, fucking him harder and faster as her body responded to his in the most primal of ways. It didn’t take long until he succumbed to his own needs, filling her with his seed—exploding into the only woman he ever need to know again.
Afterward, they lay on the blanket and watched the sun disappear, giving way to the darkness and the stars that filled the night sky. Somewhere in the distance, an animal howled, calling out to his kin. The sound grew closer, threatening to steal their calm. Niall listened, trying to determine from which way it had come. Slowly, the world around him gave way, fading into a fog and then disappearing into the darkness as a voice filled his ears.
“Niall!” Ronan barked at him, breaking the spell he’d cast over himself.
“What?” Niall replied, looking toward his brother almost without seeing him.
“Did you not hear what I said?”
“No. Sorry. I was lost in my own thoughts.”
“I’ve got everyone on the way that I could manage. I didn’t get the dragons, so I don’t know how we’re doing there.”
“I take it you left word?”
“I did.”
“Well, it’ll have to be enough. I don’t see where we have any other choice.”
“We’ll be there in fifteen. I’m going to park and go into the care home. Pull around to the side, out of sight. He’ll not be looking for a hearse, but he will hopefully be leaving in one.”
“I’m going to need to know more of the plan,” Ronan told him.
“Just wait. As soon as I come out, we’ll take out his guards before they realize he’s down for the count.”
“Just us?”
“Yes. If I don’t come out, you need to leave. Join up with the others and decide what to do next. You’re the Alpha if I’m down or out.”
Ronan pursed his lips and nodded. Niall could see he didn’t like it. There were far too many unanswered questions and a whole lot of room for error.
“Are you sure about this, Niall? I feel like we’ve spent all this time planning only to throw it all out the window and fly by the seat of our kecks.”
“Maybe, but you can’t plan everything. Shit happens and you either seize the moment or pay the price. I’m about to take down a bear, and then we’re going to leave this place and finish off every bear in his inner circle. After that, we’ll see who wants to come to the table and if we want to let them. You got my back?”
“Always, Alpha. Always.”
“Here we are then. Let’s do this,” Niall said.
Niall parked the car and started to get out. After a moment, he paused and looked back at Ronan, showing a rare moment of vulnerability to his youngest brother.
“If you make it through this and I don’t, promise me you’ll find her and keep her safe for me,” Niall told him.
Ronan looked at him, seeming puzzled for a moment. “Deidre,” he said finally.
“Or whoever the Scouser turned her into. You know how to track it.”
“Consider it done,” Ronan replied.
“Thanks. I love you, bro,” he told him, not waiting for a response.
He took a deep breath as he walked to the care home and entered the front doors. There was no sign outside that Trill had arrived yet, so he felt good that he’d gotten there early enough to get ahead of the game. He walked up to the desk and gave them the name he’d gotten from Duncan.
“Fiona O’Leary,” he told her.
“Are you a relative?”
“No. I’m with the Rollins Bed company. Her son, Trill, asked us to come in this morning and get measurements for a special-order bed for her.”
“He did? He didn’t leave us any notes. I’ll have to call him.”
“No need. He should be along just any moment. He said he’d be here to meet me at three. I was just in the area and thought I’d be able to get a head start.”
“I’m afraid I can’t allow that. We’re under strict orders that no one gets in without his express permission.”
“That’s fine. I’ll just wait out front for him then.”
Niall glanced at his watch and then back at her. She looked confused as his abilities took over, the power his family had over the human mind kicking in to sort of rewind her brain, making her forget what he’d come in and said to her. After a few more seconds, she was where he needed her to be, and he released her, letting the ringing phone beside her garner her attention instead.