“No reason really. Was only calling to see what you think of the estate and to ensure it suits your liking,” Liam tells me.
I rise from the bench and begin to walk up the path. “I haven’t been inside yet, but I’m sure it’s great,” I say as I round the corner and walk in through the front door. Keeva’s at the top of the stairs smiling like a kid on Christmas.
“I’m taking the suite with the sauna in it, sucker!” she hollers, and her voice echoes through the massive space.
Liam laughs on the other end. “Sounds like Keeva’s enjoying the place.”
“I have a feeling she is.” I don’t tell him the part about we’ve never really had much in life, but he doesn’t need information he already has. I’m sure he’s done background checks on everyone in the family. He’ll know we certainly weren’t well off. Keeva’s the diva of the family, so I know for a fact she’ll be the one running around the house using the greatest amenities.
“Good. It’s important to me that you’re all happy there.”
“I’m sure we will be. This is quite the step up from what we’re used to,” I tell him.
Liam doesn’t comment in regards to what I’ve just said to him, but he does clear his throat and change the subject. “How are you feeling? We haven’t spoken much these past couple days.”
“I’m feeling like I was shot.” I laugh, causing him to chortle on the other end as well.
“There’s nothing like it. I’ve had my fair share of bullets enter my flesh as well. It does get easier, though. I hope you’ll see the easier days soon enough. Oh, shite, I need to get going. Caprice is going to lose her head in a moment if my son doesn’t stop talking back to his mother. I’ll speak with you soon.” Liam ends the call before I have the opportunity to say goodbye, so I slide the phone back into my slacks and walk further into the house.
Yes, I can get used to this. The ceilings are high and the rooms are spacious. In our townhome, we’d be toppling over each other by now.
My cellphone rings again, but as I fish it out of my pocket and look at the phone, I smile wildly. “Hey there, beautiful.”
“What a weird way to greet Liam,” Eamon says rather loudly, obviously fucking with me. He cackles as he walks off into another room, and I take a seat on the couch with a canvas cover over it.
CHAPTERFIVE
DELILAH
With Keenan finally out of the hospital, it’s like I can actually take a breath. He’s still recovering and will be for a long while, but for now, he’s as good as he can be.
I called him a short time ago, and he ended up inviting me over to the new house he and his family are staying in. Though, I’m not exactly sure why he needs to be in a new place when he has a perfectly good one right here in Belfast. I’m sure he’ll explain everything soon, but things seem odd to me, and I don’t like it.
It doesn’t take me long, but when I pull up in front of the address he gave me, I’m pretty sure that it’s wrong. This can’t be where Keenan’s moved to. There’s a white wall at least eight feet high surrounding the property and an iron gate. It seems far too secure for him. I double-check the address on my cellphone and realize he’s sent me a code to get access, so for shits and giggles, I put it in. Sure enough, the gate opens, and I drive on through. As I get to the parking area, I stare in awe at the house. It’s huge and not something I’d ever picture him in. What would he do with all of this space? More importantly, why is he in a place like this?
There doesn’t seem to be anyone around, and I’m not even sure where to park besides next to the blacked-out SUV, so I pull up and get out of my car. The feeling of standing in front of this place is a lot like being at a museum. I can only imagine what it looks like on the inside.
Surprisingly, Keenan answers the door himself as I knock. A place like this should have an entire fleet of people taking care of it, including someone to answer the door.
“You made it,” he says with a smile, though the way he holds his body, I know he’s still in pain. His shoulders are slightly rounded as if he intends to protect the trunk of his body. I’m not a doctor, but it seems too early for him to be home. Maybe that’s just my own worry clouding my judgment.
I hurry into the house so we can close the door and settle somewhere comfortable for him. He doesn’t want to settle, though. He takes my hand into his but doesn’t move us into the house just yet.
“I thought I knew the city like the back of my hand,” I tell him. “And I never knew this place was here, nestled into a neighborhood even.” He kisses my cheek gently then pulls me deeper into the house.
“That’s the point. It’s very secluded.”
“You want to be secluded?” I ask because it isn’t something I ever thought about Keenan. He always seems like he loves the city. “I can’t believe this isn’t outside of town or something.” With his yank, I hit his chest softly and cringe. That couldn’t have been comfortable, yet he doesn’t seem to register any of the pain.
“Outside of town would be expected. In the city isn’t. Now,” his hands settle on my hips, “are you going to kiss me or keep torturing me?”
A smile plays with the corners of my lips. Somewhere inside me there’s a jab about torturing him, but I think he’s been through enough right now. So I give in and kiss him.
I hate he has to bend over at all to reach my lips, but the feel of his strong mouth on mine causes any regret that weasels its way up to disappear. All I can focus on is the way his tongue slides into my mouth. I let him kiss me for longer than I should, given that he’s very much still recovering, but I can’t help it.
In Keenan, I get lost. He captivates me. He entices me until I have no sense left. Much like this kiss. Which I have to end so much sooner than I want to.
“Hi,” he says with a smile.
