Page 75 of Pints & Potions

A loud pop from the logs in the fireplace punctuated his statement, annoying her further. “You’re not the boss of me.”

She might as well stomp her feet and stick out her tongue like a child. And yeah, her tone was petulant, but so what? His bossiness grated on her last nerve. Piper almost told him as much, but his booming laughter rang out and made her smile—reluctantly, at that!

Her inconvenience was nothing compared to theirs. Bridget had called all the visitors booked for the next month and either rescheduled or refunded their deposits. All for Piper’s safety, and with minimal complaint. Hoyt had written a check for double the amount of what they’d lost, but it still didn’t make up for the inconvenience or the potential loss of return customers.

Piper snuggled into Cian’s embrace. “Fine, I’ll stay inside.”

“Even if another incident like the fire happens.”

She thunked her forehead on his rock-hard pec. “Even if another incident like the fire happens,” she dutifully replied with her crossed fingers hidden behind his back.

“Let me see your hands, darlin’.”

Aghast, she drew back and stared at him, open-mouthed. “Why… what… how…you don’t believe me?” Her voice shot up an octave with each word, clearly giving her away.

A single arched brow was his answer, and as he stared down at her with all-knowing eyes, his lips twitched as if he fought a laugh or struggled to hold back the words that would label her a liar.

Piper wasn’t one for lying, but she understood the only way to remotely pull it off was to stand firm and not back down. In a battle of wills, the person who blinked first conceded the field.

He’d just reached for her hands when the door slammed open. In walked a petite redhead with a peaches and cream complexion, a form-hugging black dress equipped with plunging neckline—Gucci, if Piper wasn’t mistaken, and an attitude that screamed she was owed the world.

The woman’s calculating gaze summed up the scene in a second, and she adjusted her expression accordingly. Her countenance took on a shocked, heartbroken look and she batted wide, wounded eyes at Cian. “Darling? What is this?”

Darling?

Acid burned the back of Piper’s throat and she wanted to hurl. She dropped her arms from around him and moved back a few steps. Dear Goddess, please don’t say she’d hooked up with another cheater.

Based on Cian’s reaction, he was positively shell-shocked. He hadn’t taken his stunned gaze from their visitor.

“Cian?” Piper didn’t want to sound like an outraged wife, but she certainly needed an explanation as to why another woman was calling him “darling” and acting as ifshe’dbeen betrayed because she found them hugging.

“Cian.” There was an over-infusion of warmth in the newcomer’s tone as she sauntered forward, wrapped her arms around his neck, and drew his open mouth down to meld with hers.

“What. The. Actual. Fuck?” Piper wasn’t aware she’d snarled the question until Red shot her a triumphant smile.

“Who’s the outraged maiden, darling? Another one of your playthings?”

Without any other thought other than to maim a bitch, Piper charged. Cian was faster and wrapped an arm around her waist as the redhead sidestepped to safety.

“I’ll give you a plaything, skank!” Piper shouted as she struggled within the circle of Cian’s firm hold. She kicked out but missed Red’s shiny, waxed shins.

“Oh, Cian! She’sdelightful. I can see why she might hold your attention—for a short while.”

Her tittering laughter almost caused Piper to stroke out. The sensation of her blood freezing and her heart hardening was visceral. She went cold inside and ceased her struggle.

“Let me go, Cian.Now,” she demanded when he didn’t immediately comply.

Cian ignored her and focused back on Red. “Moira.”

Moira?

Piper knew she’d lost the second Cian spoke his ex-girlfriend’s name. Her chest felt the same as it had after the cave in—crushed—and she wanted to bolt. But she wouldn’t. She needed to see how this would play out and discover how the hell that bitch had returned from the dead.

“I’ve missed you dreadfully, darling.” Moira had the nerve to wipe away a crocodile tear and place her hands over her heart. “You don’t know what I’ve been through. Then to come home and find this…” She released a choked sob and pressed her knuckles to her mouth. “You know I’ve never minded your meaningless flings in the past, but can you send her away so we could have quiet time?”

Piper wished they wereherknuckles, and she wanted to use a ton more force as she applied them to Moira’s face.

“I… we all thought you were dead, Moira.” Cian’s voice held wonder and what sounded like a touch of fear.

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