Connor
The fury shining in Cat’s eyes almost makes up for the fact that she tried to get me killed.
“Wrong with me?” I shift, my palm flat on the car to maintain my balance. “I brought Sal to the exchange as planned, and two of your guys put bullets in him before we even step foot inside.”
“If you don’t want to eat a bullet yourself, you need to get the hell out of here.” Her eyes glitter and flash, reminding me of her name for the first time.
Catlike.
I scoff under my breath. “Like you care about my safety. You set me up.”
“I did not.” When her voice rises, she flinches and ducks down.
Oh, we’re playing this game? “Please.”
“No, I—”
“Cat, please. I’m the actor. You weren’t built for lies.”
She scowls, those red lips pouting. We’re close enough now that the scent of roses wafts from her collar, enticing my senses and tickling my tongue. I want to taste her again.
Hardly the time, Connor.
Finally, she huffs and glances away. “I didn’t coordinate an attack on you with my family, if that’s what you think.”
That, I believe. They kept her out of all the planning. A fact she’s pissed about. “But you knew what was going to happen before I walked in and didn’t say anything. Don’t lie to me. I can tell when you’re lying, and I hate it.”
She huffs and looks back at me, a mean little sneer on her lips. “What’s wrong, Connor? Am I going to hurt your feelings?”
I might appreciate her wit, but fuck, she’s so stubborn and annoying. I’m trying to form a connection here, and what matters more than how I went about it is that we both have a mind—the same mind—for business. How can she not see that we should unite forces?
“All I did was try to form an alliance to stop the Riccis from getting swallowed by Russian parasites, and you all but walked me into a slaughterhouse.” I can pout with the best of them, so I stick out my bottom lip and make puppy eyes.
Cat’s not impressed. “I don’t know what your angle is, but your actions aren’t altruistic, so cut the crap. You think I’m supposed to trust you after that one-man Dane Ryder show? After you catfished me to get me in bed?”
Now, now, let’s not get confused. I smirk. “That’s not what catfishing means. You saw my face, and you touched my body. I had my dick—”
“Shut up!” She smacks me on the arm.
Belinski’s head swivels in the direction of the Mustang.
I grab Cat and haul her closer. “Calm down.” I breathe the order into her ear while inhaling the cherry fragrance of her hair. “You’re going to get us caught.”
She exhales audibly and nods.
I plow ahead. “We agree on teaming up with your family to fix things. So don’t lie to me again. Okay?” My breath rustles her hair. “It really pisses me off.”
She averts her eyes. “I won’t lie if you won’t, asshole.”
I guess I’ll take that for now.
She breaks free from me and crawls to the edge of the bumper to spy on Nino and Belinski from the other end of the Mustang.
Damn, her fine ass is right in front of me. My hand twitches, and I fight the urge to slap her.
That’d probably get us both killed, and if not, she’d definitely strangle me.
“Those two are plotting to take you out.” She glances back at me, the gold in her eyes sparkling in the early evening sun. “Nino doesn’t see the laundromat as an ambush gone wrong. He’s weaving a different version of the story for Belinski.”
I’ll get to that gorilla of a brother in a minute. First, though, I’ve got more important things to discuss. “Did you like my note?” I slide my palm over her spine, the next-best thing to her ass. “I figured I should leave you a message, since that’s apparently all I’m good for.”
She whips around. “Your message just pissed them all off more, even if they didn’t know what it meant. You know the kind of strings I’m going to have to pull to untie this clusterfuck of a knot?”
I brace my hip on the Mustang’s bumper. “I can’t imagine any. I mean, you’re hiding behind a hunk of junk like I am right now, spying on your own brother. If you had any sway, you’d be in that pole barn with them.”
“I might be if you’d leave me the hell alone and let me work, but you’re an out-of-control wildfire. You’re fucking everywhere!” Her voice starts to rise again.
I grab her lapel and yank. Mostly to shut her up. “Or maybe you are.”
Yes. Cat’s the one who’s everywhere.
The solution to Finn’s Blue Hook Port attacks sits on her knees directly in front of me.
But how do I convince her that working together is the best path forward? Which new angle do I use?
“It’s a shame they don’t take you seriously. Your family.” I skim my hand down her jacket and over her breasts. “They don’t even let you speak at a meeting.” Flattery, though not a lie. They’re wasting her, and that’s a damn shame.
She tenses, her face red, her jaw clenched. “Let go of me.”
When I do, she tries to flee, knocking me temporarily on my ass. But her coat hooks on the bumper, and she falls back with an involuntary cry.
I immediately put my hand over her mouth. “Shh!”
While I’d love to sink a knife into Belinski and twist the blade, I’m not in the mood to kill Nino. Especially when offing him would screw up my plan.
In her struggles to free herself, Cat manages to elbow me in the ribs a couple times. In response, I wrap my free arm around her waist, trapping her in the process.
When I press my hand more firmly over her mouth, she tries to bite me.
Like a feral cat.
“Knock it off.” She shivers as my warm breath fans her ear. “You’ll get us both killed. You know what this looks like.”
Like Cat’s in bed with the enemy. Which she was, even if she didn’t realize that at the time.
I doubt Nino would care about that particular detail.
She stills. “Fine, I understand.” Her voice comes out muffled. “Get off me.”
“No. I don’t trust you.” I tighten my grip on her torso but loosen the hand on her mouth before sliding it down to her neck. “You nearly got me killed already. We’re waiting here together.”
Her throat bobs beneath my palm. “You’re an asshole.”
Can’t deny that. My lips travel down her throat. “You really want to know why I’ve been following you?”
She shrugs.
“Because you’re useful. You’re the only one in their right mind. You’re too valuable to leave in the hands of a failing family like the Riccis—”
“Shut up!” She kicks and elbows me some more, renewing her efforts to break free.
I hug her tighter and lie us all the way back. With her on top of me, I wind a leg around both of hers. She’s trapped, locked against me.
She starts to squirm again, little fighter that she is, but it’s futile. Though she’s a lot stronger than I anticipated, and my muscles burn with the effort required to keep her still.
“Shh. Listen.”
Cat finally relaxes on top of me.
We both watch Nino’s and Belinski’s boots from under the car.
I know this is important, but her firm, round ass presses right into my dick. Her breasts heave against my arm with each breath, and her hair tickles my nose.
Fuck, I find this woman incredibly distracting.
Belinski and Nino drift near, their voices just barely reaching us. I try to keep us still and listen.
Belinski claims he can wipe out a whole fleet of Gallagher enforcers at the Blue Hook Port during our next shipment. He aims to triple the men and the weapons. “Consider it a favor,” he says.
If one persistent truth exists in our line of work, it’s that nobody delves out free favors. Whatever he asks of Nino in return, the cost will be significant.
I’ve heard enough from those two. “Cat. If you were in charge, you wouldn’t have anything to do with the Russians. Am I right?”
“Or the Gallaghers.”
“And yet, here we are together. Thou dost protest too much.”
“I hate you.” She hisses out the words between her teeth.
A weird little flicker cools the heat in my stomach. I much prefer her moaning my name rather than cursing it.
I ignore the twinge, my focus back on Nino and Belinski as they map out a strategy to kill Finn’s family. I don’t really have a personal connection to Finn, but he’s Trinity’s half-brother, and Trinity’s Brody’s girl. And for better or worse, I love my baby brother.
So I’ve got to protect the Irish Kings.
Finn trusts that I’ll take care of this, and I don’t fuck shit up. Ever.
So I’ll fix it all. One thing at a time.
Starting with Cat.
“I know of at least one Gallagher you want.” I inhale the wild rose and cherry fragrance from her neck, clearing my senses with the fresh, springlike scent.
She smells so damn delicious.
I release her torso and drop my hand down her stomach to the front of her slacks.
“I do not.”
Despite the negative reply, her gorgeous neck slackens, curving onto my shoulder. The heat of her cheek sears mine. I unwind my leg to free hers, and her pelvis bucks up to meet my palm, begging me for more pressure.
Her body’s honest, even if her words aren’t.
I rub my fingers in slow circles, stimulating her clit through her pants, and she moans. When I clamp my hand back over her mouth, she bites down, not to draw blood but to muffle herself.
That’s it, Cat.
“There’s only one Ricci I want an alliance with.” I nibble on the shell of her ear. “I bet I can make you come right here, through your clothes. I will if you ask me to.”
Breathy and flustered, Cat huffs out a laugh. “I’m not asking you for anything. Ever. Now let go of me. I mean it.”