Page 73 of Killian

“First off, I’m not your buddy, and it is my business because she’s with me.”

“Shewaswith you. Celine and I have a past, don’t we, honey?”

“A past?” Killian looked at Celine.

“This is… Blaine. He’s going back to Spokane soon,” she quickly added.

Celine knew Killian was beyond angry. His jaw clenched as he narrowed his eyes at her, then he stepped closer to Blaine.

“Get your fucking hand off her now.”

Blaine raised his hands and laughed, then looked at Celine. “We’ll talk soon.”

When he walked past Killian, he bumped into his shoulder, but Killian didn’t take his eyes off her.

“Killian—”

“We’re leaving,” he said, then turned and walked away from her.

Celine followed him as he stopped at the bar, paid the tab, then strode out the door. To say he was pissed was a huge understatement and she wondered what she could possibly say to make it better.

When he pulled up to the back of the house, he shut the truck off, stepped out, and she did the same, then followed him inside the house. She set her purse on the bar and watched as he sat on the bench, took off his boots, then stood and walked toward the living room.

Celine sighed, then walked into the living room. She saw him sitting in the recliner.

“Killian—” She stopped when he sat up,slamming the footrest closed and got to his feet.

“How many times have you talked to him? And don’t lie to me,” he snapped.

“He came by my house last weekend, then in the shop Wednesday, and he followed me one day, but I stopped and told him to leave me alone. That’s all.”

“That’s all?”he snarled.

“Killian…”

“Why did you lie to me?”

“Because I was hoping he’d leave.”

Killian scoffed. “You know how I feel about someone lying to me. What else haven’t you told me?”

“About what?”

“You tell me.”

“There’s nothing.”

Killian paced across the room, then back. His hands were on his hips, his lips were flattened, and his jaw was clenched. He was angry and she knew that anger was aimed at her.

“You lied when you told me you thought you saw someone but were wrong.”

“I’m sorry,” she said. “I never want to make you angry with me.”

He stopped pacing and stared at her. “Celine, the minute he showed up in Clifton, you should have told me. Lying by omission is still lying. I deal with people lying to me all day on my job.”

“I didn’t want to upset you.”

“What thefuckdo you think I am now?”

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