Page 80 of Reckless Promises

“Thank you for saying that.”

“I’m not just saying it, Odette. I mean it.”

My father always treated me like I was my mother, blind to everything going on around me. Accepting. Compliant. Cillian sees the truth.

“I’m sorry.” He brushes a hair off my face. “He put you in this position, but I’m the one who acted on it.”

I step forward, pressing my chest to his and sinking into the heat that warms me to my core. “I’m not. It led me to you.”

Cillian rakes his hand into my hair, holding the side of my face. “I promise I’ll find a way to protect your mom and sister. I’ll get them out of this for you.”

“You promise?” It catches in my throat.

Cillian told me once he doesn’t make promises he can’t keep, and even if he wants to mean it, I’m not sure he’ll be able to.

“But—”

“I know, don’t say it.” He brushes my cheek. “I promised to keep you safe, Odette. From your body to your heart. And that’s what they are to you—your heart. I’ll do what I have to do.”

“You promise?” Tears pool in my eyes.

“I promise.”

One word that can make or break everything. But I can’t think about that. I can’t focus on it, or all I’m going to do is cry. So instead, I lift up and wrap myself around my husband. He sinks his mouth to mine, and we melt to each other.

And I believe him.

Because Cillian will do whatever it takes for me.

29

Odette

I add the finallayer of cake and take a step back while Peyton coats it in a blob of frosting.

“It’s like the ice cream sundae of cakes,” Peyton says.

“That’s the idea.”

After a number of failed pies, and more burned fruit than anyone’s tastebuds can handle, I’ve moved onto cakes. And even if Peyton said that it takes more specific measurements and is more difficult than regular cooking, I think I might have finally found my specialty.

Three perfectly fluffy layers of cake are stacked on the plate. Vanilla, chocolate, and strawberry, with a cream cheese frosting between each one. It’s probably overkill, and I should have stuck with just one flavor, but Cillian mentioned once how much he liked ice cream sundaes growing up, so I figured it was worth a shot.

“He’s going tolove it.” Peyton smiles.

I didn’t explicitly tell her I made this for Cillian, but it must be written all over my face.

He’s been working nonstop lately, and even if I’m bored out of my mind with not enough to do, I don’t envy the stress he’s under. At least I have baking to fill my time, while he re-allocates all his father’s assets.

Birdie sits patiently at my feet, waiting for me to feed her a piece of cake. She’s already nearly doubled in size from when Shane gave her to us, and when she knocks me on the leg to remind me she’s waiting, I bump the table and almost knock over the cake.

“You can’t have chocolate.” I shake my head at her when she whines. “Trust me, it’s for your own good.”

She whines again before pouting as she stalks off.

Peyton, wipes a layer of frosting over the top of the cake, humming a song while she does. The same smile she’s been wearing all day brightens her cheeks.

“You’re awfully happy today.”

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