Page 49 of While You Sleep

Cillian studied my computer screen, taking it all in, then his gaze slid to mine. “You’re talented. This is really good.”

My hands started to shake, and for some stupid fucking reason my eyes stung. I was not going to cry, no way. My face grew hot, humiliated over my reaction to Cillian saying something positive, because he was the only person besides my tutors and Fiona to ever say something encouraging about my work.

He studied me, and I quickly looked away. “I should probably get this done.”

He didn’t move for several long seconds. “We’re invited to a party tonight,” he finally said. “If you want to go, I’ll take you.”

“If it’s a repeat of the one at Alto’s club, I’ll pass,” I said, not looking his way because my belly was all flippy-floppy, and he smelled really good, and my eyes were still stinging because I was an idiot, and if I looked at him right now, I might cry and beg him to ease the ache rapidly building between my thighs.

“Nothing like that. It’s at Declan’s. It’ll just be our men and their women. It’ll be safe, relaxed. I think you might like it. It’ll be good for you to meet everyone. Maybe you’ll make some friends.”

I was starting to go stir-crazy in this house. Maybe it wouldn’t be so bad? “Okay, sure, that sounds all right.”

Still, he didn’t leave. Clearly there was something on his mind. Something he was hesitant to say.

I stared over at him, biting my lip as the tension in the quiet room grew.

He moved suddenly, gripping the back of my neck, and I jumped, an involuntary gasp bursting from me. His thumb swiped across my jaw, and his gaze dropped to my lips.

He dipped closer, and I held my breath.

But instead, his mouth went to my ear. “I’m proud of you, pet,” he said roughly, setting off shivers all over me.

Then he released me and headed for the door, while I tried to get my breathing back under control.

“We’ll leave at nine,” he said, then walked out.

Chapter Sixteen

Cillian

Declan had parties all the time. I never went, but I thought Sophia might like it. She’d said she wasn’t happy.

I didn’t like that she felt that way. It was new, thinking about someone else’s feelings so frequently when I had little understanding of my own.

But I was, and I didn’t like leaving her every morning, knowing she felt that way. She seemed to like her new office and being able to do her work, but that wasn’t enough. Sophia needed more than that. I just had to figure out what that was and how to give it to her. A party might be a step in the right direction.

As we took the elevator up to Declan’s apartment, I could feel her eyes on me. The door opened, and I took her hand. She let me, and that pleased me more than was rational.

We reached Dec’s apartment and walked in. The place was full, and I scanned the room.

She was safe here. Every man in this room knew she was mine. No one would fuck with her or try to touch her.

My brother spotted us and his brows lifted, then he grinned, striding over. “You came. Is the fucking sky about to fall?” He turned to Sophia. “Hey there, Soph, welcome to my humble abode.” He flashed a grin, the one that did an excellent job of convincing everyone my brother wasn’t a lethal killer, that he was the less monstrous one out of both of us, when that was a complete lie. Declan had been molded by Seamus just like I had, and he was as fucked up as me, only instead of shutting his shit down like I had, he covered all the dark, barbed parts of himself under his natural charisma. Kind of like Charles Manson. He was good with people, it came easily, and they were drawn to him, but he had no conscience to speak of.

“Hey, Declan,” Sophia said and smiled up at him. “I like your place.”

“Thanks.” He tilted his head to the drinks table. “Follow me, and I’ll get you a drink and introduce you to the family.”

The family. The men we knew would follow me when I took out Adam, the ones who no longer trusted Seamus to lead and were open to the change had been brought into the fold, the rest, well, they were no longer of consequence. Thankfully, there hadn’t been many. Sophia looked up at me, and I nodded for her to go with Dec and watched as she walked off. She was wearing a dress that made her look even more fucking innocent than she was. The light, floaty-looking fabric was the same color as her eyes and had thin straps. The top part hugged her tits, while the bottom flared out a little, draping over her round hips and ass and ending just above mid-thigh. If we were going anywhere else, I would have made her change.

Conor strode over, and I tore my eyes from my wife.

“Never seen you at one of these parties before,” he said, grinning. “At least not voluntarily.”

I grunted.

“You know, I thought you’d run right over that girl,” he said. “But I think I got it the wrong way around. I think Sophia might actually be good for you.”

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