CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE
Ella
I let Geoff Bracken take my arm and lead me onto the dancefloor.
Even if it meant letting my father introduce me to a man I don’t want, I was coming to the gala if Balor would be here.
Dad already frowned at me dating a cop, who many already think are too violent. But he held back the I told you so when I showed up at his apartment, broken and terrified.
Not that polished rich men don’t hurt women. Domestic violence knows no boundaries.
Balor made a point to tell me he wasn’t one of those men. That he and his brothers were dead set against mistreating women.
Shoving his dick into my mouth and coming all over my face aside.
Geoff runs a hedge fund, according to my dad in the blatant setup disguised as a casual introduction.
I smile, waxing on about living in Australia for six months and teaching special-needs kids there. He wrinkles his nose, figuring out he’s dancing with a working-class girl and not a princess looking for a prince.
God, I miss Balor, but he greeted me so coldly before. I overstepped the other day, watching him shower. He may have been teaching me a lesson, but I loved it. I want us to play more like that. I made it clear that I’m not looking for anything serious.
After a few more minutes of Geoff’s grating voice and self-boasting, I’m sick and thinking how I can escape him.
A deep voice sails over my shoulder. “I believe that woman belongs to me.”
Geoff’s eyes widen and he swings me around. “Excuse me?”
“Your dance partner.” Balor stuns in his new jet-black, double-breasted tux. “She belongs to me.”
“O’Rourke, is it?” Geoff’s snippy tone signs his death warrant.
“Aye. You know who I am?”
“Everyone knows who you are. And your family. You think you own this city?”
“I don’t think we do. I know we do. Now—”
“Geoffrey, Balor O’Rourke is my boss,” I jump in to avoid bloodshed. “And my father’s boss. I’m working tonight and he needs to talk to me. That’s what he meant.”
Balor holds his hand for me to take, his razor-sharp glare taunting Geoff. “Are we clear?”
“Fuck off, O’Rourke.”
Balor’s glacial scowl deepens. “Take your hand off her, or I’ll take it home as a souvenir.”
The icy tone and the gory threat should appall me. I’m freaking turned on.
Geoff drops my hands and shoves his into his pockets. “Whatever.” He spins and hikes toward the bar.
Being free of Geoff’s grimy hands brings air back into my lungs.
“Try not to kill him,” I say to Balor to show I’m not afraid of him. That I completely get who he is and what his family is involved in.
“I don’t kill people. I told you that.” He pulls me into his chest, but we’re on the dancefloor so he shifts his legs as if we’re dancing.
“I don’t care if you do.” I shrug. “You won’t hurt me.”
“You sure about that?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“I’ve seen evil. Stared it in the face. That’s not you. I trust you,” I whisper .
His features rearrange as if I’ve handed him a diamond mine.
“You should trust me.” He bites back another comment. “Did your father introduce you to Geoff?”
“Yes, of course.”
“I’d like to think your father doesn’t know that Geoff Bracken is in the middle of a vicious divorce with the pregnant wife he cheated on.”
“What?” My extremities go cold, questioning my father’s intentions with me.
I know he never wants me near Wes again. Does he think a rich philanderer is okay so long as he doesn’t hit me?
“Perhaps your father doesn’t know about the mistress.” Balor exhales with tightened frustration like he’s trying to give Dad the benefit of the doubt.
“I think my father is just old school,” I say to save him. He’s still Balor’s employee and being paid an enormous salary. I don’t want to make Balor doubt his judgment.
“Why else did you really save me from Geoff?” I pull the pin and drop that grenade to challenge him.
He visibly swallows. “I’m...working through issues.”
A twist of excitement twirls in my belly as I finger his lapel. But the working through hits a nerve. “Issues, such as the desire to only sleep with a paid escort so you can keep your heart out of the equation?”
“Something like that.” His jaw tightens when he drinks in my stare.
My heart jumps into my throat, and I can only hope he means me.
For me.
“How do you feel about that?” he asks. “That I want to get past my hang-ups.”
Not wanting to seem too eager, I play it cool. “I think progress that leads to healthy relationships is a good one. ”
He barks a laugh. “That is the most benign bullshit safe answer I’ve ever heard.”
“I’m not sure which adjective there I should argue. After this week—”
He jerks me closer, cutting me off. “I’m sorry about the other morning.”
I bite my lip. “Which part?”
He huffs. “All of it. I shouldn’t have gotten so damn inappropriate with you.”
“Inappropriate? You crossed inappropriate by putting on a show for me in your shower.”
“The blood in my veins was roaring through my ears that morning. I didn’t catch or didn’t process anything you said,” he gets low and gravelly. “Did you like what you saw?”
“Yes,” I say on a breathy moan.
“And what I did? All of it?” His smile implies the cum facial he gave me.
“Yes,” I whisper.
“Fuck.” He lowers his head. “Ella...”
“I think we need to be honest about this working situation. You don’t need me, but I am needed at the Fredricks school. Even if I’m just an aide right now. This position will allow me to apply next year to get my old job back.”
I don’t need his permission to take the aide’s position. But my father arranged for Balor to hire me. I’m trying to be mature and respectful about my responsibility.
“What are the hours?”
Excitement pulses through me. “Nine to twelve, Monday through Thursday. And they’re closed for all major holidays.”
“What about transportation?”
“I used to take the subway there.”
“That’s not happening.” Balor shakes his head. “How about we do our thing in the morning because that part I do need. You’re making a difference, getting my ass in gear every morning. It’s been a terrible week without you. After you finish with me, I’ll drop you off at the school and my new driver—”
“New driver?” I glance around to locate Trace, who I saw earlier.
“Trace is my sister’s bodyguard now. I have a new driver, Denton. One of my brother Kieran’s guards.”
“Oh.” It hits me that no matter what, his brothers want Balor protected. And Balor wants me protected.
“I’ll have Denton pick you up at noon and bring you back to the office to catch up with me.”
Excitement hums under my skin. I want to hug him. I want to kiss him. I want to fuck him.
Balor’s lips part to say more but they slam shut. My heart aches when he puts some distance between us, but he doesn’t let me go completely.
“Snow,” he says over my shoulder.
I shudder that my father might have been watching me. “Dad?”
“What happened to Geoff?” He turns to find his so-called friend.
“The guy with the pregnant wife?” Balor snaps.
My father goes ashen. “He’s getting a divorce.”
“To be with his whore,” Balor says. “Not a person I’d let a woman I care about spend time with.”
Dad’s eyes stray to our linked hands, but we’re dancing. And Balor is my boss who admitted to saving me from a creep.
My father might also be aware of Balor’s proclivities when it comes to sex and knows, or thinks, he’ll never make a move on me. Or Dad thinks Balor is mob royalty who is waiting on a princess to become available.
Even if my father thinks something is going on, Balor is his boss and chewing him out will get him fired. Or worse.
“I didn’t realize,” my father says. “Ella, I just got a call from a...client. My side work, that you approved, Mr. O’Rourke. I need to leave. I’m sorry.”
“No problem. You’re not on the clock. You’re free to do what you want,” Balor says icily.
“Can you make sure Ella gets home safely?” Dad asks gently.
“Of course,” Balor responds.
“I’ll walk you out, Dad.” I go to break free, but Balor doesn’t let go of my arm.
“You don’t need Ella to walk you out, do you, Snow?”
“No.” Dad’s gaze cuts from Balor to me. “I trust you, Mr. O’Rourke.”
“As you should,” he says with a deadly tenor.
“I will be staying at our house in Connecticut for the rest of the weekend.” My father kisses me on the cheek, where he whispers, “Be careful.”
I nod and watch him go. With him out of earshot, I glance back at Balor. “He told me to be careful. Am I in any danger?”
“He told you to be careful with me?”
I nod.
“And he whispered it so I wouldn’t hear, but you told me what he said to you. Why? ”
His question carries a lot of weight, so I choose my answer carefully. The O’Rourkes honor loyalty. From what I’ve seen they’re loyal to each other first. There comes a time when a woman has to break from her father and give herself over to a man, make him her priority, and steer her loyalty to him.
“Because I believe you want what is truly best for me.” Even if it’s not him. But he seems willing to open his heart to me .
“Good girl,” Balor breathes into my skin, kissing me on the forehead. “I have one more question for you, Ella.”
“Yeah?”
“Are you coming home with me tonight or not?”