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)
This time, I’m fairly certain my heart does work its way out of my chest and into his. “I really like you too.”
“I understand that doesn’t change things between us, but I wanted you to know.”
Why doesn’t it? Why can’t it change things between us? No. I don’t want that. I’m not supposed to want that…not even to keep my heart intact…but for him. This isn’t the kind of life he’s going to want forever. He sure as shit deserves better.
“I should go. Tiernan will lose his shit if I keep him waiting too long.”
“Okay.” He nods. “I’ll go clean up and then do some homework.”
I move away from him and adjust my softening cock.
“Shit. I should take care of that for you.”
“You did enough, Kitten. I’m good.”
We head inside together, Ollie going upstairs. I make a pit stop in the bathroom, wash my hands, then go into the office, where Tiernan, Rory, and Dean are waiting for me.
“About fucking time,” Tiernan says.
“Please, like you’ve never kept us waiting when you’re with your boy.”
“He officially your boy now?” Dean asks.
“Oh fuck.” Tiernan runs a hand through his hair.
“Nothing has changed.” I take a seat. “What’s going on?”
“Two days. We’re taking care of this shit in two days. Thursday is the only night they’re there every week. I want it done so we can move on.”
I nod. Thursday I’ll take my vengeance on the men who hurt someone who belongs to me…and it’s also the day I’ll put the nail in the coffin of me and Ollie…because I’m going to do the one thing he asked me not to do, the one thing I know he can’t live with—killing someone for him.
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
Ollie
There have been a lot of hushed conversations over the last couple of days, a lot of everyone getting silent when I enter a room or Cillian disappearing with Tiernan.
Cillian pretends everything is normal. He’ll make a joke or pull me toward him, wrapping his arms around me. He does that in front of them a lot now, tugs me to his lap or hugs me, and I love it but dread it at the same time. All it’s doing is making this feel more real, and that’s dangerous thinking.
Still, the heaviness in the air tells me something’s wrong, something dangerous, and that makes me want to cling to him every second of every day. I don’t ever want him out of my sight or grip. Why can’t I just hold on to Cillian O’Shea every moment of forever?
He meets up with me on Thursday after class. He didn’t bring his car, so we’re walking back to the house, our arms brushing with every step, making my fingers itch to reach out and hold his hand. What would he do if I tried it? I can’t see him as the type to walk around holding someone’s hand, but then, Cillian surprises me every day.
“I’m gonna be out tonight…me, Rory, Tiernan, and Dean. I’m not sure how late we’ll be…maybe all night.”
The hairs on the back of my neck rise. What is he going to do? Something I won’t want to know about, I’m sure. “Should I stay at my dorm?” I ask, surprised to find that the thought makes my stomach cramp. I want to be there when he gets home.
“No. You’re staying at home.”
“Um, pretty sure there’s a better way you could word that.”
“You’re the one who asked.”
“True, but you could say you’d rather me stay at home—well, your home.”
He groans. “I don’t want to fight with you. I want you at my house. I would appreciate it if you stayed there.”
His voice sounds off. Something major is going on. “Okay.” We don’t talk for the rest of the walk, which feels like it takes a hundred years. We’re almost to the end of their long gravel driveway when I stop.
What if he doesn’t come home? What if he gets hurt? My eyes feel like they’re about to well up, and I do everything in my power to stop it. I’m not going to cry. What would he think if I stood here crying? This is who Cillian is, who he’ll always be. Plus, I don’t even know what he’s doing. For all I know, whatever is going on tonight has happened numerous times since we started…doing this together.
Still, I can’t stop myself from saying, “Promise me you’ll be safe…and that you won’t go to jail. And that…well, I can’t say nothing bad will happen because I’m pretty sure it will, but you have to be okay.”
He groans, shoving his hands into his pockets. “I thought we didn’t talk about this.”
“We don’t.”
Cillian gives me a small smile. “Okay…so we won’t talk about how I’ll be okay. Nothing will happen to me. I promise.”
“You can’t promise that. If we were talking about it.”