Total pages in book: 108
Estimated words: 104802 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 524(@200wpm)___ 419(@250wpm)___ 349(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 104802 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 524(@200wpm)___ 419(@250wpm)___ 349(@300wpm)
He’s watching me. He’s always watching me, in this way that makes no sense, but I don’t call him on it. Just drink all the water until Cillian pulls it away and asks, “Do you need more?”
“No. I’m okay. Thank you.”
“Stop saying that. It’s annoying.” He sets the cup down.
“Being nice is annoying?”
“Yes. You’ve met my friends, remember? As you pointed out earlier, asshole is our default.”
I believe I said jerk, but still. He’s not wrong, and yet he also is. The things Cillian has done for me today aren’t things a total jerk would do. All of them coming here last night for me isn’t either.
Don’t do this. Don’t excuse his bad behavior.
Getting me water doesn’t change who he is or the things he’s done.
“I’m here to take you for a chest X-ray,” a man says, startling me.
“I’ll be right here waiting for you, Kitten.” Cillian grins.
“You’re not gonna stop calling me that, are you?”
His voice is low and sultry when he says, “Why would I do that when you like it so much?”
My gaze darts to the X-ray tech, then back to Cillian. There’s definitely some…thing. Something sexy in the way he just said that. What I don’t get is why he’s talking to me that way…and in front of someone else.
“I never said I like it.”
“Your eyes don’t lie.” Cillian reaches out, brushes his thumb over the pulse in my throat. “And neither does this. You like it. Now go get your X-ray so we can get you home where you belong.”
He steps out of the way, the tech clearing his throat.
Cillian watches while I’m wheeled away.
CHAPTER NINE
Cillian
“Hey. I’m on my way to class. How’s he doing?” Tiernan asks when I call. I’m happy for him. This school thing means more to him than it does to me or Rory. We’re here because of him. And even if he’s never going to be able to use it, Tiernan really wants his degree—at least he does now. He was originally studying law, but only because it’s what his dad decided. It’s always good to have a dirty lawyer on your side, and Tiernan was going to have to be that. Now that his dad is dead, he’s not pre-law anymore. He’s getting his degree in English Literature, a fascination of his that none of us except Dean understand. Apparently, he’s into that shit too. A mob boss literature snob. Leave it to Tiernan.
“Good. Looks like he’ll be able to go home today. He can’t stay alone, though, T. Not only because of his health, but we don’t know what those guys are planning.”
“Fuck. Why is it always something? Why can’t we just have normal shit happening in our lives?”
“Because we were born into a life of organized crime?”
“Funny, asshole.” Tiernan sighs. “I’m not sure how I feel about him staying at the house. It’s one thing when we throw a party and then everyone gets kicked out. It’s a lot harder to hide the shit we need to hide if someone is there twenty-four seven.”
“You let Dean do it,” I argue.
“Yeah, and you gave me shit for it. If I remember correctly, it was you telling me all the reasons it was a bad idea.”
“But you did it anyway.”
“Because Dean is mine.”
And Ollie isn’t mine in the same way Dean is Tiernan’s. He doesn’t need to say it. Not that I want Ollie to belong to me forever. I’ve decided I definitely want to fuck him, but I’m not claiming him or anyone else forever. I’m still going to make sure he’s safe, though.
“He yours, Cil?” Tiernan asks, joking, but with an honest question in his voice too.
“Fuck no.”
“Then there’s your difference.”
“We still can’t let him get hurt.”
“Shit. I know. But we’re supposed to be the bad guys. We’re not supposed to be the ones helping people.”
I chuckle. “We are the bad guys. This doesn’t change us. I can stay at his dorm if you want.”
“No. Bring him home, Cil. You belong with us. We’ll figure it out.”
That soothes something in me. I know Tiernan feels this way—him and Rory both. Aislin and Dean as well. And I hate that I still need to hear it. It makes me feel weak, unworthy. “I will. Or at least, I’ll try. I don’t know if I can get him to stay there.”
“He’s annoying.”
“He’s adorable.”
Tiernan chuckles. “Whatever you say. I gotta go. We dropped your car off this morning so you have a way to get home.” T has a key to my ride like I have one to his, and luckily, my set was in my pocket last night. “We’ll have a discussion tonight on how to move forward. It all depends on what Conan finds out for us.”
I knew it, knew that deep down, Tiernan wouldn’t let this go either. We might be the bad guys, but we take care of those we care about. “Thanks, T. See you later.” I end the call.