Chapter Twenty-Seven
KIERAN
"Fuck!"The word bursts out of me the second I shut my office door.
Of all the ways that conversation could have gone, I picked the worst goddamn one.
I can still see Riley’s face in my mind, the way her eyes welled up as she tried to keep herself from crumbling.
She thinks I wouldn’t have touched her if I knew she was a virgin, but that couldn’t be further from the truth.
If I had known, I would have made a whole event out of it. Candles. Music. Abed. I would have given her a night she would want to remember, because losing your virginity is meant to be special.
Instead, I gave her a quick fuck on the edge of a pool deck in Vegas.
What the hell was she thinking, letting me do that? But more importantly, what the hell wasIthinking? Regardless of her virginity, I should have at least taken her back to the room before getting my cock out, but I was so blinded by need that all I could think about was burying myself inside her.
I collapse into the chair behind my desk and run my fingers through my hair as I’m hit with a realization that knocks the wind out of me.
I'm not just into Riley. This isn't just a fling or some lust-driven distraction.
I'm falling in love with her.
That truth hits me like a wrecking ball, considering the fact that I’ve probably just ruined every chance I had with her.
The way she looked at me before I left… She’s never looked at me like that before, like she hated me.
I rub a hand over my face, dragging it down my jaw. I need to fix this and soon, before I lose her for good.
My phone buzzes in my pocket with another incoming call from Ronan, and I close my eyes for a second and inhale deeply before answering.
"Yeah?"
"What the fuck, Kieran? I would appreciate it if you answered the damn phone.”
"At least I’m easier to get hold of than Cormac. But hey, you don’t seem to have a problem with that.”
"Now is not the time to talk about Cormac. We’ve got bigger problems."
“Oh, yeah?” I mutter, only half-interested.
"Sean sent a crew to the estate and tried to get through the west perimeter.”
I straighten as my stomach turns to lead.
“Riley and I barely left your estate two hours ago.”
“I’m well aware. Clearly, Sean knew she was there and decided to send a message. He’s not just after you anymore, Kieran. He’s coming for all of us."
My jaw clenches. "Was anyone hurt?”
My thoughts immediately go to Ciara.
“No, thank fuck. The threat was contained before they could get anywhere near the main house.”
I exhale a slow breath, trying to rein in the fury simmering beneath my skin.
"We need to fight back, Ronan. We can’t afford to let Sean think he can walk all over us. Clearly, my little run-in with his men wasn’t enough of a deterrent to keep him away and next time, we might not be so lucky." My blood runs cold at the thought of Sean’s men being so close to both Riley and Ciara. How the hell did he know where she was? "Give me another shot at Finn.”
