Page 81 of Iron Crown

She was halfway to stepping away to do the task demanded of her when she paused.

“Is there anything else you need, Eoghan?” she asked, gently.

“If you’re going to start being nice to me, Shiny,” I said, plastering a forced smile on my lips, “ I’m going to start watching my back, because I know something’sdefinitelyamiss.”

“Eoghan!” I heard Kira’s voice before I got into the SUV., Kieran was already strapped, weapons on, in the front seat. Sinead was at the open front passenger side door, looking at me from over the roof of the car.

“Let’s go.” I opened the back door, ready to get in. I was not ready for any confrontation.

I could avoid it completely if I just… left.

Was I taking a coward’s way out? Yes.

“Hold on,” Sinead said, her hands patting her pockets. “I forgot something inside. I’ll be back.”

“Shiny,” I growled in warning.

“I’ll be back.” She closed the passenger door, the car rocking from the force.

O’Malley leaned out of the open driver's side window, giving me a puzzled glance, and we both shrugged. He smirked. “Women, eh?”

I began to step into the back seat, only to feel Kira’s hand on my sleeve, pulling me back. “Eoghan, wait…”

I pulled away from her, trying to get in the car, but she pulled harder, grabbing me with both arms.

“Eoghan, don’t go, please.”

I stopped fighting, not wanting to make a scene. Not needing more people to see the drama of my marriage.

I just… froze.

“I love you, you idiot,” she said quietly.

Still, I chose not to move, even as her floral scent filled my nostrils, and my body craved the feel of her warmth.

She wrapped her arms around my waist and held me tightly, and I didn’t know what the hell was happening.

“Please, don’t leave like this. Please,” she cried.

I melted. I was no match for my wife’s tears. I never would be. I returned her embrace as she chanted those beautiful words.

“I didn’t mean it. I love you. I love you. I love you…” She buried her head in my chest, and on pure instinct, I placed my hand at the nape of her neck, pulling her to me.

“I love you, Husband,” she whispered. “I love you. Please forgive me.”

I wondered, for a moment, what it was that Andres had told her. What power did he have to make her turn from anger to love? Who was he to her?

Jealousy, rage, then envy moved through me, one horrible feeling at a time.

But all of it was wiped away when she pulled back, and she came to her toes, grabbing my face in her hands as she put her lips on mine.

My wife is a liar. She was trained to deceive.

But there was one thing I could trust about her… her lips might speak lies, but her tongue, her kiss, her body only ever spoke the truth.

In my darkest moments, I might believe that she did not love me. But in the moments where we touched, where her skin was on mine, her soft lips nipped between my teeth, I knew I was not standing alone in this. I was one part of a loving, but fucked up, marriage. She was with me in it, and she loved me just the same.

“I love you,” she whispered against my mouth. “Please, don’t go. Stay with me.”

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