Page 70 of Stolen Rival
“After you rubbed yourself to a climax on me, then gave me the best blow job I’ve had in years, you mean?”
Heat rushes to her face, her innocence with sex apparent. Lowering her eyes, she nods. “Yes, that.”
I clip her underneath the chin until she looks at me. “I wasn’t happy with what I overheard you say to Cathal.”
“It didn’t mean what you thought it meant. I just meant that I…” She shakes her head. “Forget it. It doesn’t matter.”
“Speak your mind, Sorcha. Nothing I’ve said or done so far has stopped you.”
“My father put Cathal in that home when he was a few days old. Then, I was far too young to understand. As I got older, I never agreed with it, but he refused to change his mind. Da said his enemies would use Cathal against him.”
“He was probably right.”
“Maybe. But Da couldn’t stand Cathal. The enemies thing was just an excuse. He blamed him for Mammy dying, but to me, he’sfamily. Da should have loved him, found a way to keep him safe and with us, not hide him away and pretend he never existed.”
Christ. I didn’t know that was the reason Cathal is in a care facility. How could a man treat his own child like that? I never could. I’m a sadistic man in many ways, but on this, Sorcha and I are on the same page. Family is family.
“So, what you meant was that you hope one day to have him with you instead of being in the home?”
“Yes, that’s it exactly.”
Regret crawls in, unwelcome and insistent. I never even gave her a chance to explain. “You should have told me.”
“I would have but you’d already made up your mind on what you thought you heard, and you doled out your chosenpunishment.”
I brush my thumb over her lips, then slowly sweep it down her neck until it’s directly over her thrumming pulse. “Did it feel like punishment when you were grinding on my dick?”
Her throat bobs as she swallows. “No.”
“Or when I came in your mouth?”
“No. That felt like… power.”
I smirk. She’s not wrong. A man will agree to anything when a woman is sucking his dick. Which is why it’s a dangerous activity, and the entire time, I had to fight to maintain control. Doesn’t mean I don’t look forward to the next time, though. Just that I need to keep my wits about me where Sorcha is concerned. She doesn’t ask for permission. She takes, and that’s dangerous.
“Next time there is a misunderstanding between us, tell me. I’m not an ogre.”
The incredulous reaction that sweeps across her face draws a laugh from me. It hasn’t escaped my notice that I laugh more with her than I have done in years. “Okay, I can be an ogre, but I still want you to tell me. I’m not a mind reader, and I’m as capable of jumping to conclusions as anyone.”
“Like a gold medal long jumper at the Olympics, it seems. But okay, I’ll make a concerted effort to communicate with you, as long as you are less…” She pauses like she’s trying to figure out the right word before waving her hand in front of my face. “Youabout it.”
My lips tip up, a hint of a smile. “I’ll do my best. Now get ready and be downstairs in forty-five minutes.”
“You know, the odd please and thank you wouldn’t kill you. Good manners don’t cost anything, Patrick. Especially with your wife. Go on, say please. I won’t even tell anyone or put it on the internet.”
She’s pushing her luck. I fucking love it. “Please.”
“There. That wasn’t so hard, was it?” Without waiting for an answer, she walks away. After two steps, she stops and pivots. “Watch Andrew, Patrick. There’s something about him that… I don’t trust.”
Considering I haven’t conveyed my thoughts to her about Andrew, the fact she’s picked up on his untrustworthy status tells me she has instincts. Good ones. And her telling me how she feels about him is another step in the right direction.
Maybe Dylan was right about involving Sorcha a little more in the business. This is another sign that she’s observant, and that’s a handy trait to have in our circles.
“What makes you say that?”
“My gut. After you… dismissed me the other day, I stormed off to the orchard. Andrew was there having a smoke. He gave me the creeps.”
I wondered if she’d mention their chat that Darragh informed me of. He saw them from his bedroom window and watched to make sure she was all right. But he might’ve missed something, depending on how good a view he had. A weight settles on my chest. “Did he touch you?” My voice is rough as gravel.
