“I’m going to the bathroom,” I manage to choke out before slipping past the last few guests waiting to greet us and through the double doors.
But I don’t make it to the bathroom. Instead, I push through the service door at the end of the hall and step into the alley behind the hotel.
Cold air hits my skin, but it’s a warm welcome compared to the stuffy air of the ballroom.
My eyes close, and for a moment, I lose myself to the silence. That is, until a familiar voice cuts through it.
“You should be inside, enjoying your moment.”
I whip around to find Lorcan Sullivan leaning against the brick wall, with a cigar in one hand and his jacket slung over his arm.
I stiffen under the weight of his gaze. “Just needed some air.”
He takes a long drag on his cigar. “It can be overwhelming with a crowd like that. It comes with big expectations.”
I shrug, trying to keep my expression neutral. “I guess...”
He exhales smoke, his eyes narrowing slightly as he regards me. “You’ve got fire. I can see why Ronan chose you.”
Chose me?
Is he being serious right now? I’m not some shiny trinket that Ronan plucked off a shelf.
“I’m sure Ronan had his reasons.”
“He did.” Lorcan flicks ash from his cigar onto the ground before pushing off the wall. “This marriage is a good thing, for you and your family.”
I smile tightly at his words. He makes it sound like Ronan is doing this out of the goodness of his heart, which is about as far from the truth as possible.
Besides, I’m not sure Ronan even has a heart.
“How generous of the Sullivans.”
Lorcan’s broad shoulders shake as he chuckles beforetossing his finished cigar on the ground. “Just… make the most of the opportunity.”
I want to scream.
He says it like I should be grateful, as if marrying into this family is some kind of prize when, in reality, it's nothing but a gilded cage.
But I don’t argue. I’ve had enough fake smiles for one day.
“I should get back.”
He doesn’t stop me. Instead, he watches me go with a quiet curiosity, and I can still feel his gaze on my back long after I re-enter the ballroom.
As the evening winds down,I sit in the corner of the ballroom, sipping champagne as I watch Mila dance with Ronan’s youngest brother.
Her cheeks are flushed pink as she moves around the dance floor, a huge smile plastered on her face as she sings along to the music.
At least one of us is having fun.
I glance around and notice Ronan standing at the bar.
He’s taken off his suit jacket and rolled the sleeves of his white shirt up to his elbows, exposing the powerful muscles in his forearms. A rare smile graces his mouth as he talks to some of the guests, and a slight dimple appears in his left cheek, which I’ve never noticed before…
“I’m exhausted!” Mila collapses into the chair beside me, snapping my attention away from Ronan.
“Having fun?”
