2. Ronan #2
I turned at the movement, watching Margaux pause her retreat with a drink in hand, her eyes following everything closely.
Something I’d never noticed when she’d been with her uncle is just how much she saw.
Perhaps she wasn’t the pathetic little minion I’d pegged her for.
The way she tossed back the drink she held added to that little bucket of surprise that was starting to fill with all the unexpected things that were the former Harrington heiress.
Now she was just the senator's niece, demoted to something worthless when her parents died.
I watched Carrow take the girl with him. My entertainment was him not knowing his little future bride was here.
I changed my course, stepping behind her.
“Tell me, little bird. Does he seem familiar?”
Her pretty pink lips opened and closed. Behind the mask I could see her eyes narrow.
“Maybe. But I doubt I know anyone in these circles.”
I couldn’t keep my hands to myself. When I gripped her upper arms, pulling her closer into my body and making sure she had a front-row seat, fucking hell, it was a whole new high flooding through me.
I didn’t chase women. I didn’t need to. But this one?
She’d gotten away from me once, and now it was my turn to get what was always meant to be mine, only she didn’t know that yet.
She didn’t know I intended to ruin her. Even if I had never wanted her, she’d given up and abandoned her promise, making my life just that much harder.
“Tell me, little bird. Have you ever met your fiancée?”
Her gasp was just loud enough for me to hear, but no one else would have noticed much of anything. No one other than my brothers. They knew the game and the rules and would be paying attention.
“Does he look familiar now, little bird?” I asked.
My attention went to the glass in her hand as the ice clinked. I couldn’t keep the thin smile from crossing my lips as I watched her grip tighten and her knuckles whiten.
I leaned in even closer, making sure she could hear my whispered words.
“Ah. I’m guessing you made the connection then. Something tells me the woman next to him isn’t his sister, is she?” I wanted to poke at her a little. See where this went.
She cleared her throat.
“It won’t matter soon enough. What is this all to you, sir?” The way she said sir had bite to it. She wasn’t afraid of me.
She yanked away, my grip just this side of too tight against her bare skin. This dress was pissing me off. I didn’t like how it hugged her hips and the ass that was pressed firmly against a hard-on I wasn’t doing well at concealing.
“It’s part of the game, little bird. Isn’t everything a gamble in the city of sin?”
The way her breasts pressed against the low line of the dress told me just how hard she was breathing. Good. I’d gotten to her and now I’d let her go.
This was the only real purpose of him being here. Stoking a fire.
The other table of players all stood, and Margaux stopped again, apparently realizing she didn’t have a drink to deliver anymore.
I moved with her and leaned into her ear from behind.
“Little bird, just say the word, and I’ll help you get your revenge.”
With that I left her, not waiting for her response. Hell, best that I didn’t analyze my own poor judgment.
I stepped away from her and listened as the remaining pretentious assholes left for the night.
“The night just got too rich for my blood. It’s important to know when to quit,” said one of the men.
Talon smirked, still sitting at the table like nothing could faze him, and really, nothing had been able to yet.
I leaned against the wall and watched my little game continue to unfold. The pieces were in place, but what would everyone’s next move be?
Margaux had turned around and ignored the commotion of the others leaving. Soon there would be only the four of us.
Margaux practically slammed the glass on the counter pulling all the attention her way even if she didn’t notice.
She wasn’t stupid, not like her uncle had tried to put out there into the world.
He kept her caged, letting her out only when it made sense to him, and even then I wondered if she knew just what that uncle of hers said about her when he was trying to sell her off to the highest bidder.
I crossed my arms over my chest as I watched the exchange with the other girl, Reina Xavier, the heiress to a fortune she’d probably never see with the way her dad fucked over the wrong people almost daily. Still, I wondered what she was saying to the little heiress.
It mesmerized me to watch the way Reina’s finger slipped against Margaux’s curls. She pushed her hair aside to whisper something in my little caged bird’s ear.
She nodded, and I watched as Reina grabbed for something behind the bar. Reina sauntered in my direction.
“Sir, the other girl, Mara, said she can finish off the rest of the night. It should be okay with just the four of you left. Agreed?”
I nodded.
“Yes. You should already see the payment in your account. I’ll let you know when we need you again.”
She hesitated, looking back at Margaux.
“She’ll be fine. I give you my word. In fact, here.”
I reached into my pocket and grabbed out the cash I carried around for things like this. I peeled a few hundreds off.
“I’ll give you a bonus and her twice as much to show my sincerity.”
Reina was smart enough to see the value in money, and I’d guess she was aware of the problems with her father. Good girl, really. But not the one I gave a shit about.
She took the bills, folded them up, and put them in her bra rather than her bag. Interesting choice.
“I’ll be checking in on her every thirty minutes until you guys call it a night.”
She took two fingers and motioned from her eyes to me.
“I’ll be watching you.”
That was almost funny, but I shrugged.
“She will leave alive and far richer than she walked in.”
What else could I promise? Not much. But the plan never involved her death. Not yet anyway.
“K. She better. Thanks for the tip.”
When I didn’t say anything else, she shuffled away and waved at Margaux one last time. One of the hired guards followed her to the door.
My brothers all looked my way, waiting for the next move.
“One more game, boys?”
I pushed off the wall and headed toward the bar, ready for my next move.