Free Aftermath (Dividing Line #6) by Heather Atkinson Page A

instant.
    “Well?” demanded Ryan.
    “She knows we did Frankie.”
    “You told her?” said Mikey.
    “Course not. She guessed. Naturally I refused to admit it. She said she won’t hold it against us, we did her a favour. Frankie was the brother from hell.”
    “I can believe it,” said Ryan.
    “She said she’d already had this conversation with you Mikey.”
    “She told me she’s relieved he’s gone and she wants nothing to come between our business deal but she never accused me outright of Frankie. Did she say anything else?”
    “Yes. She tried to get me into bed.”
    “You’re quite the belle of the ball,” said Ryan. “So you think everything’s okay?”
    “Yes I do. I think she just wanted to clear the air. Don’t worry about it.” As she spoke she looked across the room at Toni, who raised her glass to her. The most powerful woman in Glasgow knew they’d killed her brother. How could they not worry?
     
    Riley watched Ryan and Rachel from across the room. He knew who Toni McVay was and her conversation with Rachel worried him.
    “What do you think that was about?” said Beth, sat beside him. They’d taken a break from the dance floor, both overheated and in need of a drink, but it wasn’t just the exercise making them feel that way. Beth’s body pressed against his for so long, her heat seeping through his clothes to his skin, had driven him crazy. He’d been forced to suggest sitting down for a drink before his body betrayed him.
    “Not sure and I don’t think I want to know,” he replied.
    Beth didn’t want to worry about anything. The adrenaline from the dance and from being in such close proximity to Riley had made her feel so alive, which was heavenly after feeling like she’d died in that warehouse along with Nick. This beautiful, kind man was bringing her back to the land of the living and she gazed at him adoringly, the champagne going to her head.
    He looked back at her and smiled. Wow, she was stunning. “I can’t believe how beautiful you are.”
    “Thanks. You look really good in a suit.”
    “I don’t feel good. Actually I’m really uncomfortable. It’s so hot in this bloody thing.”
    “You should take it off.”
    “Excuse me?”
    “You should take it off. Want me to help?” she said with a confident smile.
    Riley thought he’d misheard. “What exactly are you saying?”
    Beth rolled her eyes. “I’m saying do you want to go upstairs and take your clothes off with me right now?”
    Riley’s mouth fell open. “Really?”
    “Yes, really Riley,” she smiled. “I want you.”
    He didn’t pause to think about whether this was right for them both, all he knew was that he wanted this woman. Badly. “Alright, if you’re sure?”
    “I am.”
    He took her hand and they both got to their feet, skirting the edge of the dance floor towards the exit, failing to notice Ryan and Rachel watching them.
    “Do you think…,” began Ryan.
    “Yes I do and it’s about time,” replied Rachel. She hoped he put a smile on her best friend’s face.
     
    Riley and Beth burst through the door of his room, kissing frantically, Beth pushing his jacket off his shoulders while he unzipped the back of her dress.
    “Careful, it’s only hired,” she told him.
    “Good job you told me that, I was tempted to rip it off you,” he said into her neck as it slid to the floor. “Oh God, you’re so gorgeous Beth.”
    “Get this off, I want to see you,” she said, unbuttoning his shirt.
    He was too impatient to feel her against his bare skin so he pulled it off over his head, the majority of the buttons still fastened, and threw it aside.
    Beth pressed her hand to a rock solid body. Her fingers traced the lines of his muscles, gasping when she felt the ridges of scar tissue.
    “It’s alright, most of them are from work,” he explained.
    It struck her how dangerous his job was and part of her felt scared. She knew they weren’t all from work either. Jasper White had left his