Merchants with Evil Intent (42 page)

      
He slid deeper until he felt a slight
resistance and noticed Camryn’s eyebrows furrow. “Should I stop?”

      
“You’d better not,” she warned.

      
He filled her with short, slow strokes, so
she could grow used to him and pumped further until he felt a warm sticky
sensation. “Okay love?”

      
“Aye,” she grinned. It hurt, but not
enough for her to stop him.

      
He thrust slowly, bending to kiss her.

      
She gripped his backside with both hands,
urging him.

      
He stopped suddenly and rested on his
elbows. His blue eyes explored her cinnamon eyes. “You’re a wee bit aggressive,
aye?”

      
A grin tugged at her lips, “Maybe.”

      
“I like it, a ghra mo chroi.”

      
Her lips curved. “What does that mean?”

      
“Love of my heart.”

      
Her eyes misted as he bent to kiss her.

      
He continued a slow pace, but couldna
hold back any longer. He thrust harder, deeper until they climaxed together.

      
Each tremor she had caused another in
him. He shuddered when he withdrew, pulling her into his arms.

      
“Declan?”

      
“Aye?”

      
“Can we do that again?”

      
He lifted on one elbow and grinned at
her. “Let’s clean up first and get something to drink, aye? I’m parched.”

      
“Can you hold me a little longer?”

      
“For as long as you’d like, love.”

      
He basked in the afterglow of lovemaking.
He couldna remember ever feeling so blissful or complete after making love.

      
“How many women have you had sex with?”
she asked, running her fingers through his chest hair.

      
“Only a few, but I made love to you.”

      
She sat up, intrigued. “What’s the
difference?”

      
He rolled to his side and rose on his
elbow, brushing his nose against hers.
“Tis a big
difference.”

      
She waited for him to continue and when
he didn’t she lifted her eyebrows. “What about Teaghan?”

      
He closed his eyes. “I thought we weren’t
going to discuss her.”

      
She opened her mouth to argue then
snapped it shut. Instead she said, “Ready to shower?”

      
He nodded; grateful the subject of
Teaghan was dropped.

      
They took their time showering, each lathering
the other sensually until Declan pulled Camryn up, wrapping her legs around
him.

      
He looked intensely into her eyes when he
entered her. Even soaking wet she looked spectacular. The gel didna need
make-up, she was a natural born beauty.

      
She looked at him under her long lashes.
“I love you, Declan.”

      
Those words gave him pause. The last time
a woman said those words to him he wasna able to respond in kind.

      
“I’ll love you for always, Camryn
O’Mara.”

*
     
*
     
*

      
At one in the morning Joe watched Camille
sleep next to him. The steady rhythm of her breathing calmed him.

      
Try as he might, he couldn’t fall asleep.
He’d never killed anyone before.

      
Lukov was a dirty bastard who deserved to
be brought to justice, but death?

      
The door to his room opened. He was
surprised to see McShane hobbling to him on crutches.

      
“Sir?”

      
“Wanted to see how you were doing and by
the looks of it, you’re doing pretty damn
good
,”
McShane motioned at Camille.

      
Joe nodded. “How are you?”

      
McShane sat and rested the crutches next
to him.
“Got a broken leg that’ll heal soon enough.”
He paused for a moment, “Joe, you did the right thing. Lukov came at full speed
towards you. You reacted as any other cop would’ve.”

      
A lump formed in Joe’s throat and he
pinched the bridge of his nose with his fingers. “I know he was a bad guy and
all, but I still can’t shake this feeling I have.”

      
“That feeling will never go away, but you
did the right thing and the department stands behind you.”

      
Joe nodded once and cleared his throat.
“Thanks for pushing me out of the way.”

      
McShane shrugged, “I didn’t want to see a
good cop get squished.”

      
Joe laughed, waking Camille. “Is
everything okay?”

      
Joe looked at McShane, then back at her.
“Everything’s fine.”

*
     
*
     
*

      
Viktor made an appointment with the owner
of the cottage, to view the place. He’d rent the place no matter how it looked.
He’d find Camryn; do whatever he wanted to do with her.

      
Then he’d dispose of her.

*
     
*
     
*

      
Camryn awoke encircled in Declan’s arms.
She ran her fingers over the scar on his chest, waking him.

      
“Mornin’, love,” he said in a raspy
voice.

      
“Hi.”

      
“Didja sleep well, then?”

      
She grinned, “Aye.”

      
He kissed her on the cheek and murmured,
“Smells like Ma is cooking breakfast. Why don’t you get dressed and we’ll go downstairs
together.”

      
He kissed her thoroughly before she got
out of bed.

      
She slipped into his robe and blew him a
kiss before leaving his room.

      
Declan lay back against the sheets
thinking aboot the previous night. ‘Twas one he’d remember always.

      
He heard the swish of a sword and turned
his head in time to see Eoghan coming towards him, his eyes alit in rage.
“You lecherous scoundrel!”

      
Declan moved away from the blade, it
looked so feckin’ real! “What’s your problem?” he yelled.

      
“Taking the maiden’s virtue!
Ye need a sound thrashing!” he bellowed with his sword inches from Declan’s
neck.

      
“
It’s
no’ like
that, Eoghan. I’m in love with her.”

      
Eoghan lifted an eyebrow and stroked his
chin. The pup seemed sincere. “Could ye not have waited until you were wed?” he
scowled, discarding his sword into the air, making it vanish.

      
“I doona think she’d would’ve stood for
that,” Declan grinned.

      
“’Tis baffling, the way things are done
nowadays,” Eoghan sighed. “You do mean to marry her, aye?”

      
“If she’ll have me.”

      
“What mean you? Of course she will. She
no doubt feels the same, I vow.”

      
“’Twould be a change to her life, Eoghan.
Living here, I mean. She has family back in the states, ya know.”

      
“Aye, but if she loves you, she will
stay,” Eoghan replied matter-of-factly. “Now, be gone. I grow tired of your
lovesick mug!”

      
“This is
my
room, Eoghan.”

      
“Right,” Eoghan blushed and disappeared.

      
Declan shook his head and quickly got
dressed and brushed his teeth. He walked to his door, running his hands through
his hair to settle it.

      
Camryn had pulled her hair into a
ponytail and wore faded blue jeans and a snug fitting black t-shirt. “Careful,
I see drool at the corner of your mouth,” she teased.

      
“I could say the same aboot you,” he
countered.

      
He took her hand into his and together
they walked downstairs. They heard several voices; two voices were familiar to
him. She groaned when she realized who the third voice belonged to.

      
He eyed her curiously and she shook her
head. They entered the kitchen and sitting at the long table were Ian and John.

      
He patted her hand, “’T’will be alright.”

      
“Well, there’s himself!” exclaimed
Siobhan.

      
Ian shot Declan a dirty look. He’d thank
him later for making him sleep in the car all night without food.

      
John jumped from his chair. Declan
released her hand so she could return the hug John gave her and was taken aback
when she stood like a statue in his embrace.

      
“Cam, girl, it’s so good to see you!”

      
“John, what are you doing here and how
did you find me?” she asked bitchily.

      
“I told ‘im where you were,” Mickey
replied entering through the back door with Nellie.

      
“Mickey!” Camryn cried. She ran and
hugged him tightly.

      
Declan’s jaw clenched and then relaxed.
Mickey looked just recently out of nappies for Christ’s sake and nothing for
him to worry aboot. But still, he didn’t like the smile on Mickey’s face.

      
Declan tore his gaze away from Camryn and
held out his hand to John, “Mr. O’Mara, nice to see you again.”

      
“Declan, good to see you. Thanks for
taking care of my girl.”

      
“I’d do anything for her, sir,” Declan
replied seriously.

      
A slow smile spread across John’s face.
“I believe you mean that.”

      
Declan nodded once and turned his head
away when the back door slammed shut.

      
“Shall I follow her?” Ian pointedly asked
Declan.

      
John closed his eyes and sighed, “She’ll
never forgive me.”

      
“I’ll see to her, Ian,” Declan murmured.
He turned back to John, grasping his shoulder. “She’ll forgive you.”

*
     
*
     
*

      
Typical Ireland weather, Camryn bitterly
thought. The sky was gray with formidable black clouds moving in.

      
A slight breeze drifted in from the water
causing her to shiver. She was in such a hurry to get away from John that she
didn’t grab a jacket. She wrapped her arms around herself as she walked along
the water’s edge.
     

      
Strange looking large white birds with
yellowish heads and eyes outlined in black soared above her making odds sounds.
It reminded her of a movie by Alfred Hitchcock. One landed close, studying her
for a moment before taking flight.

      
Suddenly, arms wrapped around her
shoulders causing her to jump.

      
“Sorry, love. I didna mean to scare you.”

      
She half laughed. “It’s those freaky
looking birds. Their eyes give me the creeps.”

      
Declan chuckled. “Those are gannets.
Nothin’ to worry aboot, unless you’re a fish.”

      
She turned into him and rested her head
against his chest.

      
He wrapped his arms around her. “Gel,
you’ll catch your death out here. Let’s go in and warm up, aye?”

      
“I’m not ready to see him,” she pouted.

      
Declan kissed her head. “He means well,
love. He’s worried aboot ya.”

      
“I know,” she sighed. “I don’t know what
to say to him. I really loved him, ya know?”

      
He gently lifted her chin. “Ya still love
‘im. If ya didna ya wouldna be so angry.”

      
“I’m just not ready to deal with him yet.
Don’t let me stop you from going in though. I want to stay out here for a
little bit, okay?”