Page 71 of My Craving

I tighten my arm around his waist as he shifts far enough to open the laptop and plug in the USB. A few clicks later, he sends the files.

“Got it.” Rapid typing comes through the speaker while Zee works. “Give me a minute.”

I watch Nash’s screen while we wait. I still don’t like how much this unidentified man knows about him, but Nash was honest with me about Zee before I ever heard his voice. They’ve worked together for three years, and Zee has had plenty of opportunities to expose him if that was his intention. For now, Nash’s trust in him is enough.

“Duncan?”

“What?”

“Did you cancel an appearance at a charity function?”

“Yes.”

The typing stops. “That decision may have saved your life.” Zee starts typing again before continuing. “There’s a contact on the burner listed as Dare. I don’t have an identity yet, and the number is another burner, but the messages make it pretty damn clear Alina wasn’t working alone.”

Nash goes rigid in my arms. “What did she say?”

“Enough that I want time to go through everything before I tell you what it means. I’m going to trace Dare from this end and see if I can connect the number to anything useful.”

Nash’s hand closes around my forearm. His voice is low when he says, “I’m going to kill her.”

Chapter 33 Duncan

Nash is still glaring at the phone after Zee disconnects, his hand wrapped around my forearm like letting go might give me an opportunity to do something he considers reckless.

“Before you start,” I say, “I’m going Saturday.”

His eyes snap to mine. “The same charity dinner Alina is planning to attend after we just found out she’s been talking to someone about killing you?”

“Aye.”

Nash opens his mouth, but I tighten my arm around his waist before he can launch into the argument I can already see coming. “You’re going with me.” That stops him.

“I am?”

“As my date.” I slide my hand up his back. “Alina already knows about you, and keeping you somewhere else won’t make either of us safer. We’ll have Ronan and Taylor involved, security will know exactly what we’re walking into, and neither of us will be alone with her.”

Nash studies my face, probably looking for the part where I intend to change the plan once we get there. “So when I said we take the risks together, you were listening.”

“That still isn’t what I said.”

“It’s what I heard.” I give him a look, but his grin is already spreading. “You’re really taking me as your date?”

“A Sholas. I’m not hiding you, and if I tried to leave you here, you’d find a way into the building without me.”

“See? You really are getting to know me.”

Nash shifts until he’s straddling my lap and loops his arms around my neck. His grin fades as he looks at me, and the change in him is immediate enough that I wait for whatever he needs to say.

“This is real, right?” His voice is quieter now. “Because I’m all in, Duncan, and that scares the shit out of me.” His fingers move against the back of my neck. “Please don’t let me fall and then decide you don’t want this anymore.”

I cup his face in both hands and hold his gaze.

“Ní fhágfaidh mé choíche thú, A Sholas.” I brush my thumb across his cheek. “I’m not leaving you.”

His eyes search mine. “What did the Irish part mean?”

“The same thing. I’ll never leave you.”