Page 136 of Bound Lies

Kieran chuckles. “You’re not dying, Riley.”

“I might as well be. If I fail my exams, I’ll be kicked out of school, and then I’ll not only be homeless, but ‘collegeless’ with no job prospects other than working as a barista, and I’m pretty sure I can’t survive in New York on a Starbucks wage.”

When I look up, Kieran is staring at me.

I frown. “What?”

“You’re not homeless.”

I shrug. “I mean, technically I am. I don’t live at home anymore, and I’m basically just squatting here until⁠—”

“Until what?”

My mouth opens and closes several times, but I realize I don’t have an answer to his question.

I hadn’t thought about the future much beyond asking the Sullivans for help and finishing my finals. But I’ve achieved both of those things.

“You’re not homeless. This—" He signals to the penthouse around us. “—is your home.”

My stomach flutters. “But⁠—”

“But nothing. Whatever happens with your college results, you’ll have a roof over your head and a husband who is not only insanely attractive, but also mind-blowing in bed.”

I laugh. “Well, in that case, screw college. It sounds like I’ve got everything I need already.”

Kieran winks, and that fluttering comes alive once again in my stomach.

He sets my coffee in front of me, sliding onto the vacant stool. “I don’t know why you’re so worried. You already know you’ve smashed it.”

I scowl at him. “Easy for you to say. You’ve never had to sit here and⁠—”

“—Ace your finals without even breaking a sweat?” He nudges my knee with his.

I narrow my eyes as I reach for my coffee. “You’re insufferable.”

“And yet, you married me.” He takes a slow sip of his espresso. “Tell you what, would it help if I said you could meet Lucy for coffee this afternoon?”

Suspicion instantly replaces my nerves, and I swivel in my seat to face him head-on.

“Seriously?”

“Seriously.”

“But I thought…”

“I met with Sean a few days ago, and let’s just say, he’s promised to back off. So, I think it will be all right for you to meet with Lucy, if Jace goes with you.”

I should be over the moon at the idea of heading out into society, but all I can focus on is the fact that Kieran met with Sean O’Keefe and I had no idea.

What if something had happened, and he was killed?

The thought sends a chill down my spine.

“Why didn’t you tell me you met with O’Keefe?”

“Because I knew you would freak out.”

“No shit, Kieran. He could have killed you.”