Irish Bear's Bride (Boston Bear Brothers 3)

“I’m sure. He’s lethal in both human and bear form when he needs to be.”

“He didn’t seem inclined when the two of you were speaking before. He sounded like he wants peace, not war.”

“He does want peace, but he’s not afraid to make war to achieve it.”

“Peace through superior firepower,” she scoffed.

“Something like that.”

“Good luck. What about me, then? Where do I go from here?”

“I’m making arrangements for you to take the ferry to the mainland tomorrow. You’ll have to be careful. Now that they know we have you, they’ll be watching any routes off the island. In the morning, you and I have an appointment with a local special effects artist named Sarah.”

“Special effects? For what?”

“You’ll attract too much attention like you are. His men will be looking for you, and even if they don’t see you, they’ll ask others if they’ve seen you. You’re hard to miss,” Niall said.

Deidre smiled softly at him and said, “Thank you.”

It took him a moment to realize that what he had said had sounded like a compliment to her when he’d just been making an obvious statement. At least that is what he was telling himself. The truth was that it was damned hard to miss how attractive she was, but he couldn’t afford to be distracted by her.

“Yeah. So, she’ll be making you over into someone who doesn’t look like she’s in disguise.”

“What does that mean?”

“I’m not sure. I just know it’s not her first rodeo. She does make up for a lot of the film crews around the area, including special effects. Anyway, not something you need worry about tonight. Let’s just enjoy our food and get a good night’s rest. In the morning, she’ll work her magic, and we’ll stick you on the ferry to Liverpool.”

“What happens from there?”

“You’ll have money to get a room and I’ll get you a burner phone with some contact details for people who can help you. There’s a guy in Bootle who can get you a UK passport and all the credentials you’ll need to go anywhere you want after that. You’ll just need to lay low until then.”

“Thank you again.”

“No need to thank me. Perhaps one day you can return a favor for me.”

“I guess we’ll see what happens,” she replied.

“All right, well, let’s get some more drinks. Might as well enjoy your last night on the island, eh?”

“Aye.”

By the time the waiter called for last drink orders, Niall had managed to pick her brain for everything she could tell him about Trill and the Maguire clan.

“I feel like I’m being interrogated,” she said finally.

“You are, in a way. The more I know, the better.”

“I’m sure it is.”

“You dislike me, don’t you?” he said flatly, sitting down the pint of Hop House he’d been drinking to study her face closely.

She truly was beautiful. She brought to mind a pixie with her athletic build and spiky dark hair. She studied him back through golden-brown eyes that seemed old for her age.

“I dislike what you do.”

“What I do? What is it you think I do?”

“Your family was run out of Ireland by a more powerful clan, so you just picked up where you left off in America. You weren’t powerful enough to bully your way into control of Ireland, so you opted for another country where you could become some sort of new world mafioso.”

“Someone’s going to do it. It might as well be us,” he replied.

“Why? Why does it have to be that way? You could have become anything there, but you chose to use your muscle to hold others down, to take advantage of them.”

“I don’t see it that way at all,” he said.

“Aye. You wouldn’t now, would you? How do you see it?”

“We provide services to our community.”

“Services? That’s what you call it?”

“Aye. We bring in goods people can’t get elsewhere. We provide protection from people far worse than us.”

“If you say so,” she laughed, standing and smoothing out her dress. “I’m going to get to bed. I need to rest up for what sounds like a long day tomorrow.”

“Aye. Me, as well. They’re about to close this place down anyway. I’ll walk you up.”

“Not necessary,” she replied

“Okay. Well, I’m going the same way, so I’ll go up with you, but separately,” he joked.

“I guess that’s no harm. You are getting me out of here tomorrow.”

The elevator hummed as they rode up toward their adjoining suite. He hadn’t told her the worst of things. There was no reason to worry her over it. Instead, he’d be awake the rest of the night, watching over her until he could get her out of there. It served no purpose for her to be terrified when she was so close to escaping, and, if she didn’t happen to make it, there was no changing that.