Chapter 1
CHAPTER ONE
CORMACK
My salvation drinks at a pub I own, one of many establishments the Delaney Family possesses throughout Dublin. I watch her nervously twirl her finger around the glass of wine. I can tell she’s not from here. The look in her eyes screams tourist, but where is she from?
She doesn’t see that she’s just caught the attention of the most dangerous predator, and I’m not talking about the asshole creeping closer to her.
“I’m sorry,” she mutters when a man intentionally bumps into her. The way she tucks her shoulders inward as a protective mechanism sets me off. I watch the fucker and snap my fingers, nodding to my men at the door.
If he thinks that shit’s going to work, he’s got another thing coming.
Not only do I not allow thievery in my businesses, but I also won’t allow anyone to get that close to my woman ever again.
Whoever she is, she sealed her fate by walking into my pub and looking so fragile.
She needs me to protect her, like I always will.
A pain in my chest develops as I consider that just forty-eight hours ago, my father passed away.
His death came suddenly, almost as if he had been murdered.
Although we have no proof. It hit me so damn hard that I’ve been in a dangerous fog that could get me killed.
Still, I let that cup of emotions sit because my attention is back on the enchantress perched on the stool.
She’s focused on the bastard who bumped her and pickpocketed her pocketbook out of her bag.
“I’m not interested. Leave me alone,” she says with grit and power that I love to see. My lips turn up into a slight smile until he utters his next words.
“I thought all of you Americans were slutty.” I’m going to kill this bastard. No one should ever speak to her like that.
“For the right man.” She pauses, looks him up and down before adding, “and that’s not you. Get away.” I hear her American accented rebuttal with pride in my chest.
I haven’t narrowed down where she’s from, but the accent is familiar.
It screams Chicago, but I could be mistaken.
I’ve been there several times on business over the past ten years, so maybe that’s why it’s ringing a bell.
Still, I inch closer to her as my guys yank him away from her. They don’t make a scene, but he does.
“Hey, I didn’t do anything. She’s the slut who started it.
” Does he understand that he’s about to meet his maker?
Well, he is. There are things that are intolerable to me, and number one on that list is disrespect.
I don’t kill every drunken fool who disrespects my establishment.
His mistake was not only touching what’s mine but insulting her as well.
I intercede, stepping up to him and snatching her wallet from his filthy grip.
“Take him away,” I order my men. He looks at me with a clear understanding of his mistake.
He knew I owned the place when he walked in, yet he pleads.
It’s useless because it falls on deaf ears.
With my back turned to her, I open her wallet and see her name, Gloria Anabella Grasso.
Like I thought, her ID says she’s from Chicago.
“Oh my God. He took my wallet,” she gasps, spinning in her chair. I turn after having closed her wallet.
“Here you are, Gloria.” I slide it onto the bar top next to her drink, and then her eyes meet mine for the first time. She gasps, clutching the small wallet to her chest.
“How do you know my name?” I point to the stolen property against her body. Blast, my eyes linger too long on her ample chest. I quickly dart my eyes to her face.
“Oh, wait, did you have him do that?” Her eyes narrow with the proper amount of suspicion is justified, but it still makes me chuckle. As if I’d need that piece of scum to do my dirty work.
“Sweet, Gloria. I would never stoop that low to meet my future wife. I would just introduce myself without pretense.”
“What? Tossing on the charm pretty thick, aren’t you?” she laughs softly while taking a sip of her wine.
“I’m just stating the truth. Now let’s go take this to the back, over there.” I point to where I had been sitting, watching the action.
“No, thank you. I should be going,” she says, grabbing her wallet and stuffing it back in her purse, zippering it this time.
“Then I’ll escort you home,” I offered. It’s not my endgame, but I’ll play along for now.
“I’m not from here, which you clearly are aware of, so home is a long way away,” she says, intentionally being obtuse. I want to kiss that smart mouth so much that I can’t take my eyes off her lips. Would she talk to me like that if she knew who I was? I’d sure as fuck hope so.
“You’re beautiful,” I mutter, lost in her eyes to the point that I’m coming off like a total ass, not unlike the piece of shit I had taken out of here. My lines are weak and full of brainless lust.
“Thank you, and do you plan to tell me your name, or do you think I’m just going to marry a complete stranger?” she teases, making the growing tension fade that she might not be as interested as I believed.
“I’m Cormack Delaney. I own this pub, Gloria.”
“Hello, Cormack. Still, I’m not going to just let you take me to my hotel. I don’t know you, and businessmen in suits definitely don’t make you saints.” She’s got me on that one because I’d never be forgiven for the souls I’ve taken.
“Do you really know anyone in Dublin?” She scowls, giving me a huff and crossing her arms.
“No, but that doesn’t mean…” I pressed my hand to her lips, stopping whatever useless reply she was going to toss my way.
“It means you need protection. Before you even dare argue with me, I’m extremely familiar with this area, and you’ve already been pickpocketed.
Now come sit with me and I’ll order us some dinner, so I can convince you to marry me.
” A few gasps can be heard around us since I’m certain all eyes are on us and the fact that I’m actually pursuing a woman.
She hops off the stool with an attitude. “Fine, but I’m not going to sleep with you.”
“Not tonight,” I breathe against the shell of her ear.
“Are you always this insistent?” She loses a bit of that fire as a shiver of pleasure passes through her body.
“Only when I want something enough.” And I’ve never wanted anything more in the world than I want Gloria.
“Okay.” I take her hand in mine, pretending to be leading her to the seat like a gentleman, but I’m selfishly stealing my first touch while letting everyone around see that she’s taken.
By tomorrow morning, not a soul in Dublin would have missed the news that Cormack Delaney is off the market. A bit of dread fills me as I consider the threat she could face with that information. For an instant, I consider holding off on that, but I want the world to know she’s mine.
I helped her to her seat, waiting for her to sit before taking mine. “So what are you doing in Dublin, Gloria?”
“It was supposed to be a weekend trip with the girls I was staying with, but they played me, ditching me here before heading right back to London.”
“Are you serious?” My hands flexed violently, ready to smash someone’s head in.
“Yes. Luckily, my father made sure I had everything I needed, although he won’t be pleased when he finds out I ditched my security.” Security? So her daddy has money.
“Baby, how much have you had to drink?”
“About two drinks. I think.” She hiccups, and I’m guessing she’s a lightweight when it comes to drinking.
“Well, you need some food in you. Are you sure they ditched you?”
“They sent me a message from London Underground an hour ago, giggling about how I need to stop being so trusting. I thought people overseas were nicer than us Americans, but everyone here’s been straight up assholes.
” She blushes when she realizes that she’s just called me that.
“Well, I don’t mean you. You’re bossy, but you haven’t been mean to me. ”
“And I never will,” I promise, bringing her hand to my lips, kissing the back of her soft, small palm.
“You want to get into my panties, don’t you?”
“Eventually. For now, I want you to tell me why your father let you go so far. I’d never let our daughters travel halfway across the world without me.”
“Well, I’m already eighteen and, well, I’m supposed to take time off before going to college.”
“College? And where did you plan on doing that?” Online is the best answer, but I have a chance to coax her onto that path.
The thought of her around a bunch of young college pricks would send me into a fucking daily killing spree until she was only left with female classmates and teachers.
It’s a bit overdramatic, but that’s the image that floods my brain.
“I hadn’t planned on anything at this point. It’s kind of why I asked to come abroad because I don’t have the faintest idea of what I want to be.”
“Well, you have time to be anything you want, except for being my wife. I’ll give you a day to come to that realization.”
“I’m supposed to just accept that?” My impulse is to bite that tongue and bottom lip of hers, tasting all that damn attitude before I fuck it out of her, but I hold back.
“Yes, my sweet Gloria. I’m not a man who changes his mind or makes rash decisions, but the second I spotted you across the room, I knew you’d be mine.”
“So what else do you own, Mr. Delaney? From the Ravazzolo tailor made suit with a Rolex that isn’t a knockoff, I’m guessing the bar business isn’t your only capital gain.” She must not be as drunk as she’s playing at.
“A smart woman, am I being played here?”
“Hardly. My father’s wealthy, and my mom picks out all his suits. I can tell a Ravazzolo easily. It’s my favorite even though my father prefers Hugo Boss.” That’s great to know she’ll prefer my suits.
“I don’t pretend to understand women’s fashion, but you look sexy in those jeans and loose top that lazily hangs over your shoulder.”