Callie stared at the ring on her finger. Three one-carat diamonds flanked the center setting—a four-carat marquise-cut emerald. The matching wedding band Burke had purchased had one-carat diamonds and emeralds alternating across the platinum circle. She had repeatedly tried to tell him the rings were much too extravagant, but he had ignored her protests. As a matter of fact, Burke had pretty much disregarded any comments or suggestions she’d made this morning while he’d hurried her around London. First Leland had taken them from Callie’s house to the jewelers, where Burke had purchased the rings, then they had applied for the superintendent registrar’s certificate and license. One clear day would have to pass before the registrar could issue the certificate and license, but after that they would be free to marry. Burke had informed her that the ceremony would take place Saturday, in the registrar’s office.

Afterward, Burke had taken her to Marilyn’s, the exclusive shop on Regent Street where Marilyn Farris’s latest designs were sold. He’d kissed her quite passionately before he’d left, promising to return in time for them to share a late lunch. Although she’d enjoyed the kiss immensely, Callie suspected the show of affection had been an act for the satisfied Marilyn, who had kept saying, “I knew I’d be preparing your trousseau,” as if she’d correctly guessed the exact moment of some history-altering event.

Callie sipped tea and watched the models as they displayed the outfits that Marilyn insisted were essential for her honeymoon. The very thought of a honeymoon with Burke was almost more than she could bear. Surely he didn’t expect to whisk her off somewhere for a week or two. And if he thought they were going to share a bed—well, he’d better think again! This would be a brief, in-name-only arrangement. A pretense to keep her and Seamus safe from the wrath of one of Burke’s sinister business associates.

With everything happening so fast, she’d had little time to figure out a way to keep father and son apart. It would never do for Burke to realize that Seamus was his child. She wondered if it were possible that Burke could look at Seamus and not see the striking resemblance between the two of them. Surely Burke wouldn’t want to be bothered playing daddy to her little one. He didn’t strike her as the paternal type. Maybe she could keep Seamus hidden from Burke. But for how long? Days? Weeks? Indefinitely?

“Callie, you aren’t paying the least bit of attention to these lovely frocks of mine,” Marilyn scolded.

“Sorry, Marilyn. I’ll try to pay closer attention.”

“No need to apologize. If I were marrying Burke Lonigan on Saturday, I’d be thinking of nothing else but the man himself.”

“Yes. Quite right. Burke is something to think about, isn’t he?”

“Mm. Indeed.” Marilyn dismissed the models with a wave of her hand. “You can always come back tomorrow and finish choosing the items for your trousseau. I do wish I had time to design some things just for you. It would have been such a delight.”

“Thank you, but with the wedding on Saturday—”

Marilyn leaned over and, with a conspiratorial grin on her face, said, “Why the hurried wedding? There’s not a little one on the way, is there?”

Callie bestowed her most gracious smile on the nosy designer. “I can assure you that isn’t the case. In fact…I can be perfectly frank with you, can’t I?”

Like a cat anticipating a bowl of fresh cream, Marilyn licked her lips. “Most certainly. I can be a very trustworthy friend.”

Without a doubt Marilyn Farris was the queen of gossip in and around London. Her own mother wouldn’t have trusted her with a secret. “Burke and I have decided to wait until our wedding night.”

Marilyn’s eyes grew large and round as realization dawned on her. “My dear girl, how very clever of you. Making him wait. No wonder he’s totally bewitched by you.”

Marilyn clapped her hands, and a rather prissy young man came running to do her bidding. “Dudley, we aren’t going to bother with more items for the trousseau today. Ms. Severin will return tomorrow for that. But it’s essential that we find the perfect wedding dress for her. I’d like you to—”

“A suit,” Callie said. “Not a dress.”

“A suit?”

“Burke and I are marrying at the registrar’s office. I want a suit. Something in a beige or a cream or even a pale yellow.”

“Not white? I’d have thought, under the circumstances—”

“Marilyn, I’m not a virgin bride. Besides, with my coloring, I look ghastly in white.”

“You’re quite right, of course.” Marilyn patted her on the arm. “Wait here. I’ll choose several suits personally and have the girls model them for you.”

“Thank you.”

Callie checked her watch. Burke had left her here over three hours ago. What was taking him so long? She knew that he’d set up a meeting with that horrible man named Simon. While she was viewing Marilyn Farris’s latest fashions, Burke was brokering an illegal arms deal. A shiver raced up her spine. She was going to marry a criminal. And not just any criminal. A multimillionaire global arms dealer.

Marilyn returned, waving her arms like a bird ready to take flight. “Are you sure you don’t want some champagne?”

“No, thank you, the tea is fine.”

“Very well. Now, take a look at these. I’ve chosen five divine suits for you to view. Any one of which would be perfect for a morning wedding.”

Callie tried to keep her mind on the outfits as, one by one, the models displayed five absolutely stunning suits. But with the reality of her soon-to-be marriage bombarding her incessantly, she found it difficult to concentrate on choosing the right apparel. She had more important concerns than picking out something to wear on her wedding day. Things like keeping Burke from finding out that he was Seamus’s father. And making sure that she didn’t succumb to Burke’s hard-to-resist machismo. She couldn’t risk falling in love with him. If that happened, she’d be lost. And so would Seamus. They’d both be trapped in Burke’s life—and the secret part of his life that had put them all in danger. She didn’t want a global arms dealer to be her child’s father.

But he already is, an inner voice taunted. No matter what you do, you can’t change the fact that Burke Lonigan is Seamus’s biological father.

Neither of them ever have to know! For Seamus’s sake, she had to find a way to protect him from the truth.

Burke relaxed in the back seat of the Rolls as he replaced his cellular phone in his coat pocket. The deal with Simon had been made. Jonah had been informed and the wheels set into motion. Saturday, while Burke Lonigan married Callie Severin, the SPEAR operation to capture Simon would move forward, and by the time the newlyweds arrived in Italy, the exchange would have taken place. And if everything went as planned, Simon would be snared in SPEAR’s trap.

“Leland, I think perhaps you should stay with Enid Ludlow and young Seamus while Callie and I are in Italy. I know we’d planned to send someone else, but I’d feel better if you took this assignment yourself.”

“Yes, sir. Have you informed Ms. Severin that a bodyguard for her cousin and son will be necessary?”

“I’ll tell her before we leave for Italy,” Burke said. “A honeymoon, even a brief weekend at my villa, will be expected, by everyone in London as well as by Simon and his associates. Until Simon is captured or he no longer suspects me of betrayal, we must do everything possible to make this marriage appear on the up-and-up.”

“If Simon is captured, then you and Ms. Severin should be able to end the marriage rather quickly, shouldn’t you?”

“Not too quickly. It would look rather odd if we didn’t stay married at least six months. After several weeks, we can start a few rumors that there is trouble in paradise.”

“What will you do about keeping Ms. Severin on as your PA?” Leland asked.

“Hm. That poses a problem. She’s quite good at her job, but it would be impossible for us to work together afterward. I’ll arrange another position for her, something with equal pay and benefits.”

“We’re here, sir.”

Leland pulled the Rolls up in front of Marilyn’s, but before he stopped the car, a man rushed toward the vehicle. Leland unlocked the door, and the man jumped into the front seat.

“We’ve got a problem,” the man said. “I had to call in backup.”

“What sort of problem?” Leland asked.

“What the hell’s going on, Quigley?” Burke reached over the seat and clamped his hand on the man’s shoulder. “Is Callie all right?”

“No harm has come to Ms. Severin,” Quigley said. “MacDougal is with her. I thought it best to have someone right at her side. Seems there’s a couple of nasty fellows following her. One’s posted at the back of the boutique and the other’s just across the street. I know these two, Mr. Lonigan. They’re both common criminals who’d cut their dear old mum’s throat for fifty quid.”

“Damn!” Burke released his tight grip on Quigley’s shoulder. “Simon hired them, no doubt. As much to warn me not to let anything go wrong as to keep tabs on Callie.” Burke slapped his right fist into the palm of his left hand. “What did you tell her when you stationed MacDougal at her side?”

“I told her the truth.” Quigley glanced over his shoulder, his gaze locking with Burke’s. “That MacDougal and I worked for you. I showed her my identification. That silly woman who owns the boutique kept trying to eavesdrop on our conversation, so I told her that we’d been sent to help Ms. Severin with her packages.”

“I doubt Marilyn believes you.” Burke slid across the seat, opened the door and got out, but stopped abruptly and stuck his head back into the Rolls. “Until this deal is completed, I want full protection not only for Callie, but for Enid Ludlow, Mrs. Daisy Goodhope and most importantly, Seamus Severin. There’s no way to predict the actions of a man like Simon. He might decide to escalate his warnings into something a bit more deadly.”

“That’ll run up quite a tab, Mr. Lonigan.” Quigley shook his head as if he’d added up the sum and was amazed by the amount. “Three shifts for four people.”

“What the hell do I care what it costs,” Burke bellowed, then slammed the door and marched toward the entrance to Marilyn’s.

Fury boiled inside him, threatening to explode. He’d dealt with scum like Simon more times than he cared to consider. But in the past, no one else had been involved. No good friends. No special woman. And certainly never a child. Callie’s child. God help Simon if he did anything to harm Callie, her child or anyone she cared about.

Burke hated the feeling of helplessness that consumed him. He could handle the danger involved with being a SPEAR agent. In truth, there had been a time when he’d thrived on it. But things were different now. He’d screwed up royally by not expecting the unexpected from Simon. Why had he assumed the mysterious, notorious Simon wouldn’t pay him a late-night visit at his office? Because no one in their right mind would do something so stupid. Or so arrogant? That was what Burke hadn’t counted on. That the man would be arrogant enough to think that no one could outsmart him and thus capture him.

As he entered the boutique, Burke saw MacDougal, a tall, lanky Scotsman in a dark suit, who held two boxes in one hand and kept his other hand at his side. His gun hand, Burke surmised. Callie stood next to him, a couple of small bags draped over her arm. The moment she saw Burke, she lifted her hand and waved. No smile. Just a wide-eyed questioning stare. He deliberately forced himself to slow his pace, not to race to her side and frighten her more than she was quite obviously already frightened. Marilyn Farris hurried along behind, a curious look in her eyes.

“Afternoon, sir,” MacDougal said.

“Take Ms. Severin’s packages out to the Rolls and report in to Quigley,” Burke ordered the bodyguard, then focused his attention on Callie. “Are you all right, my darling?”

“Yes, I’m fine.” Callie smiled weakly.

“Burke, love.” Marilyn Farris kissed the air on each side of Burke’s cheeks. “She chose her wedding suit and a few other small items, but she must return tomorrow and make decisions on the rest of her trousseau.”

“That can be arranged,” Burke said. “Thank you, Marilyn. And if Callie and I host a reception after our honeymoon, your name will head the list of guests.”

Marilyn beamed, her large, red mouth spreading to form an ear-to-ear smile. “Of course, you must have a reception. It will partially make up for denying everyone the joy of attending a huge wedding.”

“Are you ready to go?” Burke asked Callie.

Callie nodded, then endured Marilyn’s kissing-the-air ritual before she clasped Burke’s arm. “I want to go home and check on Seamus.”

“Your son is all right,” Burke assured her, as he led her toward the boutique entrance. “There’s a man guarding your house and within the hour Seamus and Mrs. Goodhope will have bodyguards, as will Enid…if we can find her.”

“Oh, Burke.”

“Shh.” He led her out of the boutique and into the bright sunlit street. “As soon as this deal with Simon goes through—”

“How can you be involved in something so terrible, with people capable of murder… What kind of man are you, Burke Lonigan?”

Not the kind of man you think I am, he wanted to say. I’m one of the good guys, my darling. For nearly a century and a half, good men had dedicated their lives to an organization that got the job done when all else had failed. With tentacles that reached into domestic and foreign affairs as well as private business, SPEAR tried to safeguard the world from evil.

“Get in the car,” Burke ordered. “This isn’t a discussion I want to have in the middle of Regent Street.”

Leland opened the door for Callie, who obediently slid inside, her actions robotic. Burke turned to MacDougal and Quigley, who stood beside the Rolls. “Follow us.”

Once inside the car, Burke spread his arm across the seat behind Callie. She scooted away from him, as far as she could get on the other side of the Rolls. Slumping her shoulders, crossing her arms and holding her knees tightly together, Callie knotted herself into an agitated ball of rage.

“Don’t make this any harder than it already is,” Burke said. He also wanted to kiss her until she was breathless and begging him to make love to her. But more than anything he wanted to be able to tell her that he wasn’t a ruthless international criminal.

“I really don’t think I can eat a bite,” she told him. “I’d prefer skipping lunch and going straight home.”

“Your son is safe,” he reiterated, then took a deep breath. “And you have to eat. We have reservations at Bracewells. We’re a newly engaged couple and it’s essential that we be seen having a celebration lunch. After all, I want to show off my bride-to-be and she wants to show off her ring, doesn’t she?”

Burke grabbed Callie’s wrist, which she tried to snatch away from him. But he held fast and forced her to open her fist so that he could examine her ring. She glowered at him. He smiled at her.

“I’ve already apologized to you, Callie. I’ve told you how much I regret that you inadvertently became a part of the darker side of my life. But what’s done is done. Neither of us can change what happened. What we’re doing now is considered damage control.”

“How long will we have to live this charade?” She stared at her manacled wrist.

He released her immediately. “Six months, at most.”

“Six months!”

“I have a reputation to uphold,” he told her. “After the danger from Simon has passed, I’d prefer we didn’t end the marriage immediately. What would people think if Burke Lonigan couldn’t hold on to his bride for more than a few weeks?”

“You could tell people that I was at fault, that I didn’t live up to your expectations.” Callie looked at him pleadingly. “Now that I know what kind of man you are, I couldn’t bear being your wife, even in name only, for longer than necessary.”

“I see.” Burke’s halfhearted smile disappeared, replaced by a sullen frown. “All right then. Let’s follow through with the marriage and afterward, we’ll take it one day at a time. Will that suit you?”

“Yes,” she said. “It will have to suit me since it’s the best you can offer.”

“I don’t suppose it would do any good to ask you to have a little faith in me, would it?”

Callie scanned Burke’s face as if she were searching for the truth. “I’d very much like to have a little faith in you, Burke, but I’m afraid you’ve done nothing to warrant it.”

“Quite right. Best that we leave things the way they are.”

Callie really couldn’t bear it. She simply couldn’t! Enduring her fittings at Marilyn’s had been difficult enough without anything being added to the embarrassment of putting on a show for the city’s most notorious gossip-monger. And having other diners at Bracewells staring at them and whispering behind their backs had been dreadful.

But nothing could compare to the surprise party given by the staff of Lonigan’s Imports and Exports.

The moment Burke and Callie stepped out of the lift onto the twentieth floor, the well-wishers surrounded them. Juliette Davenport led the pack of smiling faces. Champagne corks popped. Classical music droned loudly from the corner where a string quartet played. Three waiters in white coats served canapés of lobster, foie gras and caviar.

“Smile, my darling.” Burke clutched her arm tightly and dragged her to his side. “These people think you’re a happy bride-to-be.”

Callie wanted to scream and run as fast as she could. Her dreams about Burke Lonigan had turned into a nightmare. One from which she couldn’t escape. She was trapped.

God, give me strength, she prayed silently. I have to do this. For Seamus’s sake. I have to go through with this marriage. But as soon as Burke releases me from our arrangement, I’ll take Seamus and leave the country. I’ll go to America. I can never allow a man like Burke to become a permanent part of Seamus’s life.

Juliette grabbed Callie’s hand. “I just knew there was something going on between the two of you. You could have given a girl a clue, you know, instead of denying that you fancied Mr. Lonigan.” Juliette lifted Callie’s left hand, and her eyes bugged at the sight of the ring. “Give us a look at that. Good God!”

“Why did you two keep your romance a secret?” Herbert Garvey, Lonigan’s accountant, asked.

“It—” Callie cleared her throat. “It all happened so suddenly.”

“I swept her off her feet.” Burke proceeded to demonstrate by scooping Callie into his arms.

Loud guffaws and tinkling giggles spread through the crowd. Several of the women sighed and swooned just a bit.

Smiling ever so sweetly, Callie spoke under her breath. “Put me down. Now!”

Burke eased her onto her feet but kept a tight hold about her waist. “Don’t try to escape, my darling. People wouldn’t understand why you would want to run away from the man you love.”

“When’s the big day?” Juliette asked.

“Saturday,” Burke replied.

“Not this Saturday,” several voices protested.

“I’m not taking any chances that Callie will change her mind,” Burke said. “If she hears too many stories about my sordid life, she may think she’s made a bad deal and—”

“Nonsense,” Juliette said and all the ladies nodded. “You know the old saying, a man wants to be a woman’s first love and a woman wants to be a man’s last love.”

“Am I your first true love?” Burke asked teasingly, but Callie noted the tension in his voice and the threatening look in those crystal blue eyes.

“Yes, you are,” she said softly.

“Hey, old man, after that sort of confession, you’d best tell the lady what she wants to hear,” Herbert Garvey advised.

Burke pivoted Callie so that they faced each other. He cupped her face with his hands and gazed into her eyes. “If I am your first true love, then, my darling, I promise that you will indeed be my last love.”

The kiss took her unawares. His lips mated with hers in the most tender yet passionate of kisses. Of their own volition, her arms lifted to drape around his neck. When Burke pulled her closer so that their bodies aligned perfectly, she moaned with pleasure. Instantly, he deepened the kiss and in seconds the world disappeared, leaving the two of them cocooned within a sweet moment out of time.

When Burke ended the kiss as abruptly as he’d begun it, Callie staggered slightly and opened her eyes. Everyone stood quietly, as if in hushed awe, their gazes riveted to the engaged couple. A heated blush stained Callie’s cheeks.

“Wow!” Juliette exclaimed.

Callie heard a collective sigh from all the ladies. She knew that they envied her and longed to be in her shoes. No woman alive could resist Burke Lonigan. He possessed an abundance of animal magnetism, bold black Irish good looks and a hypnotic charm.

Nausea churned in Callie’s stomach, but she knew she didn’t dare excuse herself. If she was sick, everyone would assume she was pregnant. No doubt that would be the speculation regardless. Why else would Burke be marrying her in such a hurry? But she could hardly tell them the truth, could she? That some lunatic with whom Burke did his underhanded business threatened to kill her. She wanted to scream at the top of her lungs, You people have no idea what kind of man you’re working for, do you? He’s a criminal who makes millions off the suffering of others. He sells weapons to anyone for the right price. Even terrorists!

How could she have ever thought herself in love with this man? A tormenting voice inside her replied, Because he’s the most exciting man you’ve ever known. An incredible lover. And Seamus’s father. Deny it all you’d like, but despite what you now know about Burke Lonigan, you still want him.

No, I don’t! she cried silently. Yes, you do. Her heart wept.