Page 74 of The Endless Want

“Then get a grip on your borders,” I say. “If I can spot a Russian operative shadowing me, so can anyone else. Unless you enjoy being spied on.”

Liam’s eyes darken, but under the irritation, I see something like worry. A crack in the steel. He lowers his voice. “Conor’s been telling me you’re… slipping.”

I bark a laugh. “Conor’s been telling you everything lately.”

“He’s watching your blind spots,” Liam snaps. “Because someone has to.”

I take a step closer. “You put him up to it.”

He smirks. “What, you thought Conor suddenly grew an interest in your emotional well-being? You two barely tolerate each other before noon. Yes, I told him to keep an eye on you. Someone needed to. You’ve been running hot.”

I let out a slow, humorless breath. “Funny, because the person I’m running hot about is someone you keep pushing into danger and then blaming when she breathes wrong.”

Liam freezes for the briefest moment. A flicker of understanding. A hint of guilt. Then he masks it. “Ailish is doing exactly what she’s supposed to do,” he says. “And you’re the one who keeps storming in like a goddamn hurricane every time she trips over a crack in the sidewalk.”

“She was attacked, Liam.”

“I know,” he snaps. “And unlike you, I can’t go on a killing spree every time I panic.”

There it is. The truth underneath the truth. He is panicking. He’s just better at wearing his armor. He exhales slowly, rubs a hand over his face, and when he looks back at me, the sharpness has dulled. “Look,” he mutters. “About Ailish… I’m not blind. I’ve noticed she’s been off. Tired. Distracted. Jumping at shadows. I’ve been meaning to talk to her about it.”

Every part of me goes still. Distracted? Tired?

He shakes his head. “I know you care about her.”

I nearly flinch. “I don’t⁠—”

“Jesus, Declan,” he interrupts. “Don’t insult both of us. I’m not stupid.” I clamp my teeth so tightly my jaw aches. Liam softens further. “Just… go easier on her.”

I scoff. “Easier?”

“Yes,” he says firmly. “She’s been carrying more weight than anyone, and I’m not about to lose one of my best strategists because you two can’t keep your history out of your heads.”

History. The word curdles inside me. Liam continues before I can bite back. “And she’s not your responsibility.”

My laugh is sharp, almost bitter. “Is that what you tell yourself?”

He narrows his eyes. “Don’t start. Not now.”

We stare at each other—two men who share too much loyalty and too many secrets—until he finally sighs. “Just get your shit together,” he mutters. “And stop making scenes that can be traced back to us. The Russians don’t need reasons to escalate. You gave them one now.”

“I told you,” I growl, “he was following me.”

Liam shakes his head. “No. He was watching to see who mattered. And now they know.”

My stomach drops, cold and violent. “What the hell does that mean?”

“It means,” Liam says quietly, “that our surveillance just flagged chatter. The Russians aren’t talking about watching me anymore. They’re talking about leverage. And they mentioned her.”

I feel the floor shift beneath me. Leverage. Ailish.

No. “No,” I say, voice low, dangerous. “They wouldn’t⁠—”

“They know you killed their operative,” Liam cuts in. “Publicly. They know you only ever get that reckless when something personal is on the line. You think they don’t know what a man like you looks like when he’s protecting something?”

He steps closer, voice hardening. “And now they’ll know Ailish isn’t just my strategist.”

He pauses, a finely sharpened look slicing right through me. “They’ll know she’s yours.”