Slinging the bag over my shoulder, I sneak out of the office and down the hall toward the guest room that is mine and Riley’s for the foreseeable future. I appreciate that it’s the safest place for Riley to be, but I miss the privacy of the penthouse and the day-to-day routine that we were falling into.
I’ve never been one for mundane things, but with Riley, I crave those moments the most. Talking with her over our morning coffee or curling up together on the couch and watching a movie.
If everything about my life disappeared and all that was left were those moments, I can genuinely call myself lucky.
The door to our room is cracked open, and a soft slice of lamplight spills into the hallway.
I push it open gently and swallow a laugh when I find Riley sprawled across the entire bed.
Her auburn hair is fanned out behind her, and the blanket is twisted around her bare legs. Somehow, she’s managed to take up most of the mattress without even trying.
A small smile tugs at my lips. I guess it’s a good thing I’m leaving, seeing as there’s no room for me anyway.
I sneak inside the room and leave the note on the bedside table. I’m sure she would rather I wake her, but I can’t handle another goodbye. Instead, I linger beside the bed and watch her chest rise and fall in a steady rhythm as she sleeps.
It feels like such a long time since I’ve seen anything other than pain and worry etched into her features, and for the first time all night, the tension in my shoulders eases at the sight of her looking so at peace.
God, I love her.
The thought hits me harder than I expect, but I don’t cower from it. Because it’s true.
I love this woman, more than anything or anyone.
And yet, the feeling soon curdles into guilt because I’ve been neglecting her. Instead of giving her the attention she needs, I’ve been pushing her away.
I tell myself it’s temporary. That once Cormac is handled, things will be better.
But what if it isn’t temporary? What if I keep choosing work and family politics over her because it feels like the safer option?
Love is vulnerable, and that’s not something I’m used to feeling.
I’ve seen the way Ronan is being torn apart trying to balance it all, and he’s barely hanging on. If he can’t hack it, how can there be any hope for me?
When I get back, I need to fix this before I push Riley too far, and she decides I’m not worth it.
While I can’t force her to stay, I vow to myself to do something to remind her that she’s still the most important thing in my life.
Chapter Five
RILEY
The spacebeside me is cold when I wake, and the sheets are still tucked in tight around the edge, which tells me Kieran didn’t come to bed last night. Again.
My hand drifts over to the empty side, then curls into a fist.
I guess this is our new normal. Even when Kieran is technically home, it’s like he’s somewhere else entirely, his head so occupied with familial politics that it has little room for anything else.
Pushing the covers off, I swing my legs over the edge of the bed, my body feeling heavy from sleep.
I have no reason to get up, not really. Now that school is over for the summer, I could easily spend the day in bed watching movies, but I know that will only make me feel worse.
What I need is a distraction, and I have a feeling Ciara does too.
Just as I’m about to head into the bathroom to shower, a folded slip of paper on my bedside table catches my eye.
My chest tightens before I even unfold it.
Riley,
