She didn’t look convinced.
Somehow, I found myself leaning toward her. It was like I was a magnet, drawn to her, no matter how much distance I put between us. “First of the all, the Mafia is Italian. The Mob is Irish. Not that it matters. But anyway, my grandfather and my father worked really hard to make sure I kept my distance. I’m not a part of that organization. And my father is just what I told you, Patrick’s legal counsel. Nothing more.”
She pulled the towel filled with ice from behind her back. The cubes started falling out. “Then why were you with him last night?”
I took the towel from her and scooped the cubes up. “Here, let me fix it.”
She shook her head. “It’s fine.” She was staring at me, waiting for me to explain.
There was no denying the way we’d crossed paths. “Things have changed recently for my old man, and I’ve been going with him on ‘calls’ whenever I can.” I tried to tell her as much as I could without telling her more than she needed to know.
She rubbed her fingers around her eyes. “Look, Logan, I already know my sister must have been involved with something really bad or Michael wouldn’t be jumping through hoops to try to fix it. And by doing so, I can only guess that now Michael is involved in something equally as dangerous. The question is, should I be worried for myself and Clementine?”
The towel was dripping on my pants, so I set it in on the table, and then I stupidly moved closer. “I’m not going to lie to you or try to make you feel better. I’m going to be honest. Yes, you should.”
“Now you’re really scaring me.”
“I don’t want to, but you need to understand how dangerous this situation is. What do you know about the drug ring?”
She pulled her legs up. “Nothing. I don’t know anything.”
My eyes met hers. Was she lying? I had no idea, but I chose to believe her and tell her what I could. “Patrick Flannigan, the guy who runs the organization my father works for, is the one that told my pop to pay O’Shea a visit. It was a warning, not a social call. Patrick is a dangerous man and his son, even more so. O’Shea might not realize it, but he is in over his head. You have to believe me about this, Elle.”
She sat still, as if absorbing my every word.
“What’s he doing? What’s his plan?”
My question jarred her. She twitched a bit and then reached for a bottle of water. “I don’t know.”
I narrowed my eyes at her.
“I don’t. He doesn’t tell me anything.”
That only made the guy a bigger ass in my eyes. I took a deep breath. “Any chance you can take Clementine and get out of town for a week or so?”
She took a swallow of water and seemed to move subconsciously closer to me.
My body reacted to her close proximity. My eyes were focused on her. I couldn’t help but watch the path that the liquid took as it moved down her throat. Every minute I spent with her, I found myself wanting her more and more.
I couldn’t stop it.
I wanted to ease her pain.
But it was my cock that was really feeling the pain of it. It was rock hard. And tough shit, there was no relief coming anytime soon.
It took her a second, but she looked at me and I cleared my lustful thoughts. “No, I can’t. I just opened the boutique. I couldn’t possibly leave. I only have Peyton and Rachel to help me with it, and besides, I have nowhere to go even if Michael lets me take her.”
“Okay, I get it. But you have to think of yourself. I want to help you, but I can’t if I don’t know what he has planned. You need to sit down with O’Shea and make him tell you what’s in his head.” I had to be straight. There was no dancing around it. He didn’t have time to fuck around.
She nodded. “I’ll try.”
“You have to tell me what he tells you.”
She looked hesitant.
“That’s the only way I can help you.”
“Logan, I just don’t know. I’m risking a lot by being here, but something inside me tells me I’m safer here than anywhere else. What I don’t get, though, is . . . why do you want to help me? Aren’t we supposed to be on opposite sides?”
I shook my head. “No, we’re not on opposite sides. We’re on the same side. I promise.”
“How do I know I can trust you?”
I brushed some hair from her face. I knew I shouldn’t be touching her but I had to. “Because all I want is to keep you and that precious little girl sleeping in the other room safe.”
She leaned into my touch and I felt it everywhere in my body. “I don’t understand. Why? Why would you help us?”