Chapter 97
1 took another drink, the ace chiming quietly against the glass as I attempted to concent
I in concentrate on
cate on anything other than the heat of his gaze still seared
It was absurd
I had no right to be bothered with whatever sullen, sulking fir Gillian Kright was having across the room. And yet, Loould feel it. Feel him
I brushed the thought aside and faced the har again, stirring the amber liquid in my glass. That’s when his voice sliced through the atmosphere
“Double Semch. Neat”
Smooth Slow Laced with that signature dash of Scotch branded arrogance that always had a way of
ay of getting under my h
my hide
While the bartender sloshed his drink I was tallying seconds before he would Bing a stick.
You sure know how to keep things interesting, sweetheart
I braced myself before I even turned around,
Cillian was lounging against the bar next to me, infuriatingly relaxed, as if he hadn’t just spent the past fifteen minutes staring my date into submissive silence. His dark blue eyes danced with amusement, the kind that warned he was going to say something that would make me throw my drink at hum
1 breathed slowly, reminding myself that killing was not looked upon.
I didn’t know my company was keeping you so amused,” I said, lifting my glass to my lips. “I thought you were occupied with–what was it again?– important work”
His lips curled into a smirk “Turns out this is far more entertaining”
Of course it was
I put down my drunk, eyeing him levelly. “Can’t you think of something better to do than stand there and bother me
“Not right
“Shucking.”
Cillian delni flanch, didn’t even blink. He just caned his head a litle, looking at me in that way that always made the hairs on my body stand up And then, with the same ipfuriating smoothness, he added, “So tell me, did Daddy Dratch set up another match for you?”
1 luze
My fingers wrapped around the
ruf my glass, my jaw clenching as I turard to lume completely.
There it was. The jab, delivered
masterful precison, designed to eut under my skin and strike the nerve lie knew was already frayed: Owen was an investor as Auden’s company. We met at alasard meeting and later he had asked me to be hus date. My father didn’t have any thing to
I should have left. Should have turned a deal car
smiled innocently and saul. “Yes
Cillar’s sourk wavered
I leaned in a little, iny tone just as biting as his had been “Owen is a good nun. Intelligeti, charming, extremely well behaved. Perhaps I’ll finally setile down with someone who actually respectful?
His whole body fro
It was subule—so subtle that anyone the night not have caught it. But I dal
1/8
Chapter 97
The subtle clench of his jaw. The curl of his fingers into a loose fist against the E
bar. The flicker of has dark blue eyes, deepening into s
something
The tension hung thick and charged between us, pushing against my skin, wrapping around my ribs.
Then at hd, he moved
Slowly, on purpose, he stepped closer, his voice dropping low enough that it was only for me.
“Thats the said the tone dripping with something harder now. That’s all the fight you’ve got left?”
James finally broke you, huh?”
I blinked
He didn’t just say that
I hadn’t heard Cillian bring up my father in ages. He steered clear of that. But today, it seemed like he was on a mission to attack.
It shouldn’t have hurt.
Lund yer
I raised my chin. “Perhaps I don’t wish to fight him anymore”
–Cillian biew a slow hard breath through his nose, and I sensed the way his jaw locked up. The way his fingers jammed into the wood of the bar as if
he was bracing himself physically from responding.
“Maybe I’ll be his little good girl and marry the rich guy he has set me up with.”
is mouth topped up in a dangerous smile. His next statements were lower. Darker.
“Balishat”
I shrugged “Believe what you want
you want to believe”
A muscle in his jaw ucked, and for an instant, I thought he might speak again. But before he could, a voice cut across the air.
“Am I interrupting something”
To see Owen standing next to me, his face polite but wary
before I could speak, Cillian spoke up hrst
Owen looked uncertain, switching between us like he didn’t know which one of us to trust.
bright guy
I took a breath, lurring a striile. “Not at all” I replied smoothly, moving away from the bar, “In fact, I was just going to ask if you’d like to dance”
He undled. “Yeah sure
1 molded, taking him hand. As I did, I could sense Gillian’s glare searing
1 wouldn’t glanerat i
the side of my fave
Berfund to acknowledge the pounding of my hart sidan my chest, the thrumming of my crire body from the realue of our cacounter
Ingrad, I allowed Owen to take my hand and guide me unto the dance Book, abandoning Callian Knight.
Despite the fact that, somehow, I could will sense him.
Chapter 97
Waiting
And too far too close, even from where he stood in the other room:
