“Have a seat, Col.”
I do as I’m told and take the seat in front of his desk that Shay just vacated.
“I have a job for you,” Tiernan says, not beating around the bush.
“What is it, boss?”
He clasps his hands under his chin and stares at me.
“What I have in mind might not be to your liking. You can refuse to do it if you so wish. I don’t want you to feel obligated to say yes just because I asked.”
“What do you need, boss?” I repeat, unfazed.
“It’s about Rosa.”
His somber tone, more than his wife’s name, takes me a bit off guard.
“I need someone that can watch over her. Just until I can find someone else to do the job. Someone I can trust.”
“You want me to babysit your wife?”
He chuckles sardonically.
“You’re spending way too much time with Shay, ceathrair. You can scarcely call it babysitting since my wife is hardly a child. But I do need someone I can trust unequivocally to protect her when I’m not around. And I don’t anticipate being around her much, hence, why I need you.”
I don’t ask him why he doesn’t want to spend time with his wife. I’m more concerned as to why he feels she needs to have her own personal bodyguard.
As if reading my thoughts, Tiernan leans back in his chair, his palms laid flat on his desk.
“This treaty Athair forged with the other families is still too fragile a thing. Like a newborn, it needs a village to ensure its survival. Someone might have a hard time letting the war go, and killing my wife, while she’s under our care, would make it extremely hard to keep the peace.”
“You think someone wants to hurt Rosa?”
“Not her, but us. Or even her brother, Alejandro. I might be wrong, but it’s a risk I can’t take.”
“What about the men that are protecting her now?”
“They’re good and fine standing outside a door. Not so much when it comes to accompanying her out in the real world.”
“Fair enough. McCarthy and Walsh have experience in doing that type of service. They used to be Iris’ bodyguards when she was a young lass. I’m sure they will be up for the job.”
“McCarthy is a bastard that can’t keep his dick in his pants, known for stepping out on his wife whenever a pretty face is involved. Walsh, on the other hand, is pushing fifty, has a bad knee, and rumor has it he’s become a raging alcoholic in his old age. Neither one is a good candidate to keep my wife safe.”
“What about Murphy?”
Tiernan shakes his head.
“Too young.”
“O’Brien?”
Another shake.
“Too old.”
“Hmm. What about Ryan? He’s a good lad. Competent. Trustworthy.” And gay.
But I decide to leave that part out, even if my gut tells me that Ryan’s sexual preferences might make him the perfect fit in Tiernan’s eyes.
“Too soft,” he rebukes evenly.
“How so?” I question, confused, since the lad is over six-foot-four in height and weighs well above two hundred and forty pounds of pure hard steel. There is nothing soft about him.
“Rosa’s strong and bullheaded. She needs someone who won’t be a pushover. Someone who isn’t afraid to tell her no. Ryan is used to dealing with foul-mouthed brutes, not delicate flowers. He wouldn’t know how to handle Rosa, and she would use that to her advantage. I wouldn’t even give him a week before she had him wrapped around her finger.”
“You think she could redirect his loyalty hat easily?”
“My wife can be very convincing. She’s used to getting her own way. Ryan wouldn’t stand a chance. Let’s leave it at that.” He smirks, almost sounding proud of his new bride.
“Is that why you think I’m the only one suitable for the job?”
“Yes. I can’t think of anyone else up for the task. Can you?”
When I don’t answer him, he pulls his chair forward, extends his arms on his desk, and clasps his hands together.
“The men you chose to guard the penthouse can stay. But Shay is right. Rosa will soon tire of spending every waking moment in that hotel room, no matter how luxurious it is. I need you to accompany her at all times whenever she goes out. When she retreats back to the hotel, you can let your men take it from there.”
I don’t have to think too hard on my answer since Tiernan’s request falls in line with the one Alejandro had forced on me. When I told Tiernan about the conversation I had with his brother-in-law before his wedding day, he didn’t seem one bit surprised, nor did he share Alejandro’s worries about his bride’s safety.