Page 80 of Fearless Sinner

“Very well.”

“I’m excited.” Olivia smiles. “This is going to be a memorable year for all of us. New baby on the way and my big brother’s getting married.”

“Hear, hear.” Virgo raises his glass again and gives her a kiss on her forehead.

“Hear, hear.” I raise my glass of wine, too.

We manage to get through dinner but as soon as we finish Seamus and I are outside on the terrace.

He walks up to the balustrade and rests his hands on the stone. I stop a few paces away and gear myself up for the lecture.

He’s the only person I allow to believe they have any control over me, and that’s because I value his advice. And I value him. He’s stood by my side all my life. When I couldn’t go to my father, I’d go to Seamus. He was much older than Athair but seemed so much more liberal and understanding.

He was so understanding that Olivia even went to him with her secrets when she and Virgo were seeing each other during the feud between our families.

“Let’s hear it then, Uncle.” I breathe out a ragged sigh. “There’s no way you’re going to tell me that Chloe and I haven’t known each other long.”

He turns to face me, his face contorted in that disapproving way. “How can I tell you that when I married my wife a week after meeting her? We were together for forty-five beautiful years.”

“Exactly.”

“I just wish you could have gone with someone from our world.”

“The marriage is only for six months.”

“I understand that, but I wasn’t hoping for six months for you, Cillian. That’s supposed to be a fallback clause in case things don’t work out. Not the actual plan.”

“It’s the plan for me, and Chloe is perfect for the plan.”

“Yes, I imagine so. You got someone you knew you could part ways with in six months’ time.”

His words grip me because that’s not how I feel about Chloe. “It wasn’t about that.”

“Yes, it is. All those women we interviewed spoke about the important things in a marriage. Love, family, children. But you’re treating this like a business deal. You haven’t even given yourself a chance to see it any other way. Now you’ve picked someone who isn’t from our world, so when you’re done with her you can put her back where she belongs.”

I hate when people call me out and I’m not ready to face off with them. “I’m not marriage material, Seamus. I am just doing this for business.”

“If you say so, lad.”

“I do, and I did what you asked me to do.”

“You did. I guess that’s all I can ask.”

I’m glad he doesn’t continue his argument, but his words stay with me.

I think about them all night, and I hardly sleep. They’re still in my head the next night as I walk into Ricci’s to see Chloe. She’s working tonight.

I haven’t been back here since that first night I went to see her. The place is packed and there’s an energetic vibe about it that I can feel among the people.

Roxanne is sitting with her boyfriend, Adrian, at the table in the far corner. They’re having dinner.

Roxanne spots me and waves. Adrian dips his head. I do the same to acknowledge them both, then Roxanne points toward the kitchen.

As if on cue, Chloe comes out carrying a tray of drinks. She serves it to a group of girls who look like they’re in a rock band. When she turns to head back into the kitchen, she notices me.

The smile that lights up her face is the kind a man keeps locked away in his heart.

I move toward her and kiss her right there in front of everyone, then I take her hand and lead her out back into the hallway so we can have some privacy.

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