‘We’re closed.’
The voice is entirely devoid of emotion, sending shivers down my spine.
‘Sorry,’ I squeak. ‘Rose Hunter… said I could come in and?—’
For the first time in ages, I set eyes on Cillian Hunter as he steps out of the shadow of the doorway. He’s wearing a sharp, tailored suit and his dark hair has been perfectly styled. I catch sight of his jawline with just a hint of stubble and I’m reminded of his beauty. How is it possible for one man to look this good? He stops short of entering the bathroom when he sees me, his eyes running the length of my body, stopping and frowning when they settle on my chest and he sees I’m only wearing my bra.
‘Niamh?’ he says, his voice catching in his throat. He looks directly into my eyes and I’m lost in their icy-blue glare for a moment, unsure what to do, whether to move. He has the power to make me speechless and I feel insignificant and childish under his gaze. He clears his throat.
‘I don’t think you should be in here,’ I say, finally finding my voice.
Chapter23
Cillian
TWO YEARS AGO
The moment I swing open the door to the ladies’ bathroom, I knew I should have asked a female staff member to follow Niamh inside. But the last thing I expect is to see her standing half-naked. It takes me a moment to compose myself, she looks so serene standing there in the white lacy bra that she’s not been quick enough to cover up. I almost want to laugh at the sight, but I can’t, because she’s so beautiful, ethereal, that for a second, I forget to say anything.
‘Get dressed and go back upstairs,’ I bark at her when I eventually recover my composure. I don’t want to be alone with her in here anymore, the space is closing in around me and despite it being a long time since we were face to face, let alone have spoken to each other, I can’t trust myself to be a gentleman.
There have been so many nights over the past couple of years when I’ve thought about what I would do to Niamh to make her mine, and the pull to do so, right here and now is almost overwhelming. Her doe eyes stare at me innocently, waiting for me to leave, but all I can think about right now is bending her over the vanity counter and taking what I want. How I’d push her breasts out of her bra and play with her nipples until she moaned with pleasure. How I’d flip her skirt up, slide my fingers into her panties to feel her slick wetness, ready and waiting for me to be the one to fill her. How I’d slip one, then two fingers inside her, pumping slowly at first before going faster, teasing her to find her release.
My thumb would tease slow circles over her clit, until she was writhing, breathless, crying out my name as I push her over the edge. Then I’d drag my fingers from her and watch her suck them, so she could taste how sweet her pretty pussy is. And then I’d fuck her, hard, as we watch in the mirror. I can almost feel how tight she’ll be, how she’ll take every inch of my cock until I’m seated to the hilt. I groan quietly at the thought, the desire overwhelming as a light sweat pricks at my temples. I’ve never wanted someone so much, never mind someone I cannot have.
She’s breathing heavily, and I wonder if she’s thinking the same things as I am. I doubt it. She’s too innocent to imagine being fucked in a club bathroom. I barely look at her as she quickly, tearfully re-dresses, then hurries out. I adjust myself, the painful ache of my cock straining against my trousers and turn to follow her upstairs. By the time I reach the main level, I find Vittoria talking to Rose, who glares at me as I approach.
‘Well—’ Vittoria begins, then stops, her attention firmly fixed on someone just ahead of me. I hadn’t taken in what Niamh had put on, lost in my own thoughts, but now I can see she’s changed out of her usual demure tops and is wearing something my sister must’ve given her. The barely-there top leaves almost as little to the imagination as when she was stood in her bra just a few minutes before. I’d love nothing more than to bend her over and spank her for showing off so much of herself. Men won’t be able to look away, and I ball my fists at the thought of the unwanted attention. The attention I don’t want her to have.
Vittoria steps towards me and winds her arms around my neck. ‘We’ll leave you and your little friend up here to enjoy your drinks, Rose. Porn Stars? How… inappropriate.’
I grit my teeth as Vittoria laughs, although it comes out as more of a cackle. I try not to flinch at the sound.
She lets go of me. ‘I should go, darling. Don’t want to be late for the event. I promised my father I’d hostess at Sussurri tonight, so I won’t be finished until close.’ She strokes a red fingernail down my cheek, making me shudder, and not in a good way. ‘Walk me out?’
As reluctant as I am to leave my sister and Niamh, I can’t stay with them. I don’t think I could hide my responses, and Rose would ask questions I’ve no intention of answering. I smile tightly as I wind my arm around Vittoria’s waist and lead her away before my sister decides to murder her.
* * *
I spend the night watching both girls carefully. I know my sister finds it easy to pick up then quickly drop men, but when she’s in our clubs, I do at least try to weed out some of her more inappropriate choices. But Rose is confident, sure of what she’s looking for in a man, so it’s not her I usually focus my attention on.
By late evening the dancefloor is packed and both girls have switched from cocktails to soft drinks, which is a relief. There’s been no shortage of interest from guys, and I’m not surprised given the lack of clothing they both seem to be wearing. Although they’ve danced with multiple partners, most haven’t lasted more than a few minutes. The bouncers I employ have all been under strict instruction to remove anyone who gets too close. All strictly hush-hush, though, so Rose doesn’t realise what’s happening.
I’m seated in a booth overlooking the dancefloor. It allows me to keep an eye on the bar and the patrons. And tonight, it gives me a great view of Rose and Niamh. Unfortunately, Niamh’s been dancing with the same guy for at least an hour now and he’s sticking way too close to her. Too close for me to give him a friendly warning to leave her the fuck alone.
I watch as he helps her on with her jacket. She smiles at him, and he tucks her under his arm as they say goodbye to Rose and the guy she’s with and head to the door. It’s never got as far as this before with Niamh. Every time I’ve watched them both in my club, she’s never actually got to the point of potentially leaving with someone.
And tonight will be no different.
I retreat to my office and watch on the CCTV as one of the bouncers pulls Niamh’s companion aside as he tries to follow her out. She is waiting outside, her jacket tight around her as she huddles from the chill of the night air, oblivious, as her gentleman friend is directed back into the building and towards my office. I’ve given the bouncer strict instructions to watch her.
In the low lighting of my office, high above the dancefloor of The Three Graces, I explain more than once to the young man that Niamh is not his to take. When he finally understands, I leave Aiden to escort him out via a back door as I bind my grazed knuckles with a clean bandage and watch on the cameras as she checks her phone. Ten more minutes pass before I see her shoulders slump and she orders an Uber.
Chapter24
Cillian
‘So, all this time, and…’ says, Niamh, when I finish confessing what I did to keep her to myself. ‘How did you even think you had the right to… to make decisions for me like that, to control my life like that? It’s… wrong, what you did. You made me… you made me doubt myself, Cillian.’
