Page 77 of Reckless Promises

Cillian: Good. On what?

I snap a picture of a black purse and hit send.

Cillian: Spend away. As long as you also bring home what’s behind it.

Behind it?

Opening the picture, I look at the wall behind it, where a tiny gray lace nightgown is on display. The fabric is so thin and delicate that it will barely hide anything.

Odette: Whatever you wish, husband.

Cillian: Good, wife.

Good, wife.

I think he might have just unlocked a new fantasy in two words. Because all I want to do is please him if he’ll call me that.

“I see you and my brother are a little more friendly than last time I saw you.” Fallon peeks over my shoulder at my text messages.

I turn off the screen and quickly shove it back into my purse.

“We’re cordial.”

“Cordially fucking and playing husband and wife.”

“Fallon.”

“What?” She smirks, knocking me on the shoulder. “I’m happy for you. And for him. You guys deserve it. When I heard what he did at the auction, I thought he’d officially lost it. Like—turning into my father—lost it. But then I met you. And now I get it.”

“What do you get?”

“That it doesn’t matter what Cill tried telling himself.” Fallon grabs the gray nightgown off the display and hands it to me. “You aren’t just his revenge.”

Fallon winks at me before walking away, and those words sink in a little deeper.

You aren’t just his revenge.

I shouldn’t want her to be right. But I do.

28

Odette

“Did you have funwith my sister today?” Cillian surprises me by wrapping his arms around my waist.

Birdie immediately runs over and tries to jump up on both of us.

She loves running around the yard, so as the weather warms a little, I’ve taken her outside every chance I get. It gives me space to think, even if there are bodyguards in every corner. At least out here they give me more space rather than pasting themselves like wallpaper on every wall.

“I did.” I spin in Cillian’s hold and wrap my arms around his neck. “What’s not to love about mimosas and spending all my husband’s money?”

“All of it, huh?” He leans down and plants a kiss on my lips. “I guess I don’t mind as long as you managed to pick up the present I requested?”

“Hmm…” I pretend to think as he grins against my mouth. “I guess you’ll have to wait and see.”

“Careful, wife. You know you can’t keep secrets from me.” Cillian brushes his fingers over the center of my throat, down between my breasts, then up and over one of my nipples.

So I lift to my toes and give him a quick, distracting kiss. “Are you sure about that?”

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