Page 19 of Keep Me

“What kind of rule is that?” I stammer. “If a wife is loyal to her husband, buthecheats, she loses out on her house? Fuck that.”

Anna purses her lips and gives me a stoic glare. “Life is rarely fair.”

I stare out the window of the car as we drive down the busy city streets, wondering how the hell I’m supposed to keep a man like Killian faithful to me when we’re not even in a real relationship.

***

The rest of the drive is more boring talk about the contract. It starts to feel hopeless by the time we reach our destination. As I approach the manor for the second time in my life, I stare at it, amazed that anyone can truly live there. It looks like something out of a historical novel, not the twenty-first century.

I know from experience that the inside isn’t quite like the outside. The interior has been renovated, the kitchen opened to the sitting room. The walls aren’t dark and foreboding but white and airy.

“Welcome home,” Anna says with a smile as our driver opens our door.

As we step into the manor, memories come flooding back. I pick up the same cologne and spice scent I remember from the first time I was here.

But something is different this time. Unlike last time, there isa heavy beat of music playing somewhere in the house.

“What on earth?” Anna mumbles.

Then I hear the unmistakable giggle and moan of a woman upstairs. My cheeks heat and I bite my lip as I turn my attention toward Anna to gauge her reaction. I know the sounds of sex when I hear them. The last time I walked into a scenario like this, it was my boyfriend. This time it’s my soon-to-be husband.

“Excuse me,” Anna says to me as she stomps angrily into the house. “Killian!” she calls with fury.

I hang back in the entryway for a moment.

The girl upstairs giggles even louder.

When Anna reaches the living room, she lets out a scream. Her hand flies to her mouth, so I hurry to catch up, curious to know what has her so bothered.

As I turn the corner into the large sitting room, my jaw drops when my gaze lands on a completely naked woman scurrying to cover herself on a dark-green upholstered sofa.

“I’m so sorry, miss!” the young woman stammers as she rushes to get dressed. “My apologies.”

“Killian!” Anna shrieks as she takes off toward the stairs. Her heels click loudly against each one.

I stifle a laugh, biting my bottom lip as I turn away from the naked woman and follow Killian’s sister toward the stairs.

Killian’s loud footsteps echo through the house as he rushes to meet his sister’s rage-fueled attack. A moment later, there’s a heated argument between them, and I stop in my tracks. I’m about halfway up the stairs, eager to listen to their fight but not interested enough to get involved.

“You can’t just barge into my house!” Killian bellows.

“Will youpleaseput some clothes on?” Anna shrieks.

“I’ll do whatever the fuck I please,” he replies, that deep Scottish accent bringing back memories of the day he yelled in my face. It should scare me, but it doesn’t. It just activates my anger.

Heavy footsteps pound against the floor. I take a few moresteps, peering over the railing to see Killian’s white ass as he disappears into one of the bedrooms.

Anna turns back toward me, looking flustered. “I’m sorry about this. I told him to expect us today.”

I shrug. This entire scheme is growing more futile by the second. The likelihood of me making it more than a few months is dwindling by the second.

Twelve months? Impossible.

“You realize there is no way this is going to work, right? He’s not going to keep his dick in his pants, and I’m sure as hell not going to—”

Feeling his anger-laced green eyes on my face, I slant my head to see a now-dressed Killian watching me from the bedroom.

“Yes, he will,” Anna mutters heatedly. “There is too much on the line.”

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