“And I want to slice his dick off and feed it to him, but we can’t always get what we want.”
“He wants to talk, that’s all.”
“That’s what he said last time, and you ended up betrothed to some old guy who probably can’t even get it up.”
I groan. “Enough of the dick talk; it’s barely eight a.m.”
“You called me.” Lucy holds up her hands.
“Because I wanted your help. Not because I wanted a lecture.”
“Well, it serves you right for agreeing to meet your brother when you’re not even allowed out to meet your best friend for a damn burrito once in a while. So, I don’t know how you think I can help.”
“Here’s my plan. I figured I could tell Kieran I want to hang out at your place, and Oscar can meet me there.”
“And how exactly do you plan on getting Kieran to agree to this?”
I think of our dinner last night and how I barely took two bites of food before Kieran was called away. It will be a low blow to say that he needs to make it up to me, but it might be the only hand I can play.
“Don’t worry about that.”
“Easy for you to say. When Kieran finds out about this, and he will, you can butter him up with sex. But me? I’ll be a dead woman walking.”
“He’s not going to find out.”
“Riley, come on. This has to be, hands down, the dumbest thing you’ve said in the time I’ve known you.”
“Thanks for the vote of confidence.”
“I’m serious. You actually want me to lie to Kieran Sullivan, your borderline terrifying boyfriend, and sneak your estranged brother into my apartment? Do you want me to die?”
“You’re not going to die.” I roll my eyes even though her words make my stomach twist. “Look, I’m not saying I’m going to forgive Oscar, but he’s family. If there’s even a sliver of a chance that we can work things out, I have to try. You know I do.”
Lucy exhales through her nose, muttering something under her breath about me being insane. “Fine. But I want it on record that I think this is a terrible, horrible, self-destructive idea.”
“Duly noted.”
Relief seeps through me that she agreed, even though I know she’s right.
This is a stupid plan. But it’s nothing if I don’t convince Kieran to let me out of the house, which is going to be a whole different battlefield to navigate in and of itself.
After I say goodbye to Lucy with a promise of keeping her updated with my plans, I head downstairs in search of Kieran. I find him in the kitchen, leaning against the counter scrolling through his phone with a strained look on his face.
Whatever it is has his full attention as he doesn’t even look up when I slide onto one of the stools at the island.
“Hey. So…Lucy wants me to come over later just to hang out, nothing big. I told her Jace will probably come, so you don’t have to worry.”
Kieran’s head snaps up at that. “What?”
“I said Lucy wants me to come over. It’s been ages since we’ve hung out just the two of us.”
For a second, I think he’s going to push back, but instead he sets down his phone on the counter and folds his arms over his chest.
“She can’t come here?”
“She can, but if I’m being honest, I’m going stir crazy being stuck in this house for days on end.”
I wait for Kieran to refuse, to tell me how dangerous it is for me to take a single step past the estate boundary, but it never comes.
