Page 137 of Bound Lies

Kieran rolls his eyes. “I’m insulted by how little faith you have in me.”

“Be serious.”

“I am being serious. I have something on him that will make him think twice about making a move on any member of my family, you included.”

Kieran’s dark eyes linger on mine, and my breath catches under the intensity of his gaze.

The alarm on my phone buzzes, letting me know that the results have been posted.

I only have space in my brain for one catastrophe right now, so Sean O’Keefe will just have to wait until I know whether or not I’ve failed my exams.

“This is it.” I peel my eyes away from Kieran and refresh my browser.

His hand moves to the back of my neck and gently massages it as I scroll through my results as the nerves slowly morph into excitement.

I throw my arms around Kieran’s neck and almost knock him off his stool. “I passed! I actually passed!”

He chuckles in my ear as he wraps his strong arms around me and holds me tightly. “I knew you could do it.”

After Kieran and I celebrate my results right there on the kitchen island, I shower and get ready.

When I step out of the elevator down in the parking garage, Jace is waiting for me. He’s leaning against the blacked-out SUV, and his all-black ensemble makes him blend in against the paintwork.

“You’re going to burst into flames wearing a suit in this heat.”

He holds the door open for me.

“It’s part of the job.” He closes the door and climbs behind the wheel.

When we pull up outside Lucy’s building, she’s already waiting outside, practically bouncing up and down on her toes as she clutches her Columbia tote bag over her shoulder.

“We’re chauffeured now?” She slides into the backseat. “You’re moving up in the world, Riles.”

“Don’t get used to it,” Jace grumbles from the front seat, and I laugh.

“So, the all-powerful husband granted you temporary freedom?”

“He was hoping it would take my mind off the exam result nerves.”

“Nerves? Why were you nervous? You’ve never failed an exam in your life!”

“No, but…” I fiddle with the ring on my finger.

I put it back on after the night Kieran showed me how he would have taken my virginity, and ever since that night, it feels so much more significant. No longer is it a symbol of the deal I struck with the Sullivans, but a symbol of how Kieran feels about me.

“I was more distracted than normal.”

“If you ever get married again, maybe don’t schedule it during finals week?”

I chuckle. “I’ll try to bear that in mind.”

Jace drops the two of us outside a small independent café that Lucy and I first went to on our first day of college, so it felt like a fitting place to celebrate surviving this year.

Lucy groans as she follows me inside. “I was hoping Jace would join us.”

“Kieran says he has to stay parked outside. That’s the deal.”

“So sad.” She looks longingly out of the window.