Page 55 of Sins of Innocence

"You're mine to protect."

"But we just met yesterday."

His shrug says that doesn't bother him nearly as much as it does me. Or like, at all.

"Okay, I get that arranged marriages between strangers isn't as out there in mob life as it is in normal life." Only I didn't realize I was in the mob life until after Troy died…was murdered. "However, I'm assuming the reasons for them are usually mutually beneficial. What do you get out of this?"

"A family."

Those two words are too darn poignant for this early in the morning. "You could get a family the normal way. I mean, you're gorgeous and apparently have enough money to satisfy even a New York socialite."

"Like Allison?" he asks with clear distaste.

"They're not all like her."

His half shrug says he doesn't agree, but doesn't really care either way. For some reason I cannot fathom, this man wants to protect me and my girls, which apparently means marriage.

It's just been me to protect my family for so long, my heart squeezes at this man's determination to share that burden.

And I might have screwed that up already by letting my temper out in my texts to Allison.

"Uh…about Allison…" I let my voice trail off, taking another sip of the perfect vanilla latte.

Kieran tilts his head to the side in inquiry.

A quick tap on the screen and the facial recognition unlocks my phone. I hand it to him. The message app is already open to the thread with my former employer.

He reads the most recent texts and then scrolls back through the thread. A lot further back.

"That's an invasion of privacy," I say without much heat.

All he'll learn from those messages is how demanding my former employer is.

"You offered," he says without looking up from my phone.

"Well, while you're reading that scintillating string of messages demanding I come into work early, stay late or work on a Saturday, I'm going to get dressed."

Kieran kicks a chair out from the table without looking up. "Stay in here. Moving around the apartment will wake up the girls or your mom."

"I can be quiet."

"Doesn't matter."

"Care to elucidate?" I sit down in the chair he pushed out and open the pastry box, willing to satisfy my need for carbs before getting dressed.

It's not as if Kieran has noticed my puckered nipples or how the aureoles show behind the thin fabric in the bright light of the kitchen.

"Human subconscious is often aware of things the conscious mind isn't."

That makes sense, but it's not true for all people I bet, or maybe some are just better at ignoring their subconscious.

"It feels like Joy has a sixth sense for when I'm up and about." I'll get up to use the bathroom, and she'll be waiting outside the door when I come out, no matter how quiet I try to be. "I'm surprised she hasn't woken already and come to find out what I'm doing in the kitchen."

"She got up and used the bathroom right after we came into the kitchen."

"I would have heard her."

"Too stressed."