When he tilted my hips up a little more and started to drive into me faster, I snatched his arms and let go. He came with a roaring curse. Even after he was done, he kept moving inside of me, his eyes closed, making noises that were turning me on again.
I rested my head against his chest. “This is madness. Total madness.”
He grunted in response, kissing the top of my head.
He separated us and went to the closet. He came back and slipped a pair of panties on me. He pulled them up tight, and I could feel them pressing against my crotch, but I was too dazed to care. Cian didn’t take long to dress, but I did in a haze, all of my muscles and bones protesting in the most delicious way. I could sleep for days.
Maybe I would.
I felt like I could live on sex and sleep.
I could live on my husband’s touch.
An alert came through that someone was at the gate. I looked at Cian, but he didn’t react to it. He must have known who was coming. Maybe more men to meet with.
“I’m almost done,” I said, opening the medicine cabinet. “I just need to take my—” My birth control pills were gone. I took them every morning from that cabinet. I never moved them. I closed my eyes, wondering if I was losing my mind, until I turned and found Cian staring at me, holding up the box.
“I’m going to fill you up and give you a purpose. You’ll never miss a part of me, if you have this.”
I understood then…he wanted to have a baby. His words made a lump form in my throat. I hadn’t thought much about it. We were just figuringusout. But…having a piece of him, a piece of me…it made my heart race in the best way.
He stood and walked over to me. He leaned down and kissed me, and when he stood, our eyes held. He held the pills out to me, ultimately giving me the choice.
Another alert came across the alarm system that a visitor was at the front door.
When I didn’t move, he took my hand, put the box in it, and then left the room.
* * *
I stopped shortwhen I came to the top of the steps. Delaney was standing in the doorway. Cian held the door open for her. She was looking at him, then she ducked her head some and spotted me. I hurried down the steps, not sure why she’d come. She hadn’t answered my texts about Kyle on the way home the night before. I understood why, but I hoped she hadn’t come to let me know Kyle was dead or permanently injured.
“Hi,” I said as I came face to face with her.
“Hey.”
It didn’t seem like she was going to say anything else, so I just plowed right into it. “How’s Kyle?”
“He has a throat contusion, but he’s expected to make a full recovery.”
I nodded and looked at Cian. He had no expression on his face. It didn’t seem like he cared either way. Maybe Delaney noticed. Maybe she didn’t. Cian looked between us, shut the door behind Delaney, and then told me he was going to work.
Delaney and I watched as he rolled his sleeves up and disappeared upstairs. It seemed like our eyes lingered behind him for a few beats too long, to stall facing each other. Then I turned to her.
“You came to see me.” I gave her a small smile.
“Your husband can be very persuasive.”
As soon as the words were out, Keenan walked in behind her, and after he tapped his hat to us, he followed the direction my husband had gone in.
Cian had gotten Delaney to come here? I looked upstairs, not expecting to see him, but there he was, watching us. He gave me a subtle nod and then disappeared again.
“Oh,” I breathed out. “Cian had Keenan talk you into coming here.”
“Yeah, but you know I wouldn’t have come if I really didn’t want to. It was messed up what happened, but I still love you, Mae.”
I took her hand and squeezed. “Things are different for me now. Kyle didn’t say anything before he picked me up, and given how dangerous Cian’s business is…”
“I get it. I hope he rids Boston of the Craigs.”
