“Give me your suit jacket,” I counter, breaking the hug and holding out my hand.
He bites his lip but doesn’t call me out on my shit as he takes it off and puts it in my hand. I won’t forgive him, not yet.
“I want to redo my nest—my room—I don’t think I’d be comfortable in there during my heat,” I tell him.
He blinks at me. “That isn’t your nest.”
“What? But there are no windows.”
Cillian rubs the back of his neck. “I’ll make sure they uncover them while you’re gone.”
My mouth drops, and he grabs my hand. Fuck, why does it feel so good to have his skin back on mine? And why don’t I hate it anymore?
Why am I getting frustrated over not harboring a grudge? God, my emotions are everywhere.
“Can we sit down and talk when you get back?” he asks. I swallow and nod. “Good, be safe. Spend lots of money.” He grins, dropping my hand.
I feel a little better in my decision already. Without all the misunderstandings and hurt, there’s the potential that we could all honestly work together. I mean, maybe Finn isn’t an active member of the pack, but it would be better to have him around than not at all.
Finn doesn’t say goodbye, and I try not to let it bother me as I follow Declan and Lorcán to the waiting SUV.
I hate that I always get nervous when I fly, but even so, there’s this lingering sinking feeling in my stomach as the flight attendant takes her place and the pilot does his final checks.
“Here,” Lorcán says, handing me a shot of tequila that I toss back before handing him the glass again.
He takes the seat by the window next to me and closes the shade. The private plane is nice, but I’d be lying if I said it was as over the top as my father’s.
“I’m sorry I left during the fight.”
“It’s okay, you’re allowed to feel things,” I reply, meaning it for both him and myself.
“I just rented a hotel room and drank by myself; I didn’t do anything stupid.”
“I didn’t think you would.”
“I just wanted this for so long, and to find out that you automatically have a connection with them that I never would, on top of you hating me, I couldn’t take it.”
“Lorcán,” I sigh his name, and he places a hand on my thigh. It’s far more than he ever would have done as my bodyguard.
“You mean it? You are open to this, to starting fresh?”
“I meant it. You know what I’ve always wanted,” I whisper.
Despite the lies he told, he still knows me better than anyone else. He knows what a big deal it was for me to have a choice and what a hopeless romantic I truly am.
“I’m choosing this. I’m choosing you. That’s what’s changed, no matter how messy it all is,” I assure him.
The plane takes off, and I hold Lorcán’s hand, feeling comforted. As soon as we’re in the air, he whispers into my hair.
“Good, because I will always choose you.”
27
ELENA
“What doyou think about this one?” I ask while staring at myself in the mirror.
The dress is a red cocktail dress. It’s not as salacious as the ones I would wear at the High Roller, but it does cling to my body like a second skin.
