Page 82 of Gilded Cage (Kovalyov Bratva 1)

Sometimes, the fucker knows me a little too well.

“I had work to do,” I say gruffly, looking down at the open file without actually seeing anything there.

“Sure you did,” Cillian nods. “And I’m not Irish.”

I crack a smile and lean back in my seat. “I haven’t managed to beat that out of you yet, huh?”

“Never,” Cillian scoffs. “My family and country may have turned their backs on me, but I’ll never turn my back on them.”

“They lost a good man the day you left Ireland.”

Cillian smiles. “But you won because of it.”

I roll my eyes while I chuckle, but I can already sense Cillian moving off the topic of his complicated past. We don’t go down that road too often. It holds a lot of hard memories for him.

“So… how has it been going, with Esme?”

“We’re back to that topic, are we?”

“It’s just a question.”

“Doesn’t have to be.”

“Tough shit.”

I sigh. “It’s fine.”

“You told her about the marriage?”

“I did.”

I know that my short answers are probably revealing more than I’d like, but I can’t bring myself to elaborate.

How can I explain to Cillian when I barely understand what’s going on myself?

I’ve battled half the day trying to get her out of my head. Every time I close my eyes, I keep seeing her in that sexy silver dress, her shoulders on display, her face natural and glowing like she was the fucking moon.

And then I picture fucking her until we’re both ragged and spent.

“And?” he prompts.

I rub my temples. I can feel a headache on the horizon.

“She was so happy that she dropped down on her knees and gave me a world-class blowjob,” I drawl. “How the fuck do you think she reacted?”

Cillian shrugs. “Hey, there are quite a few ladyfolk out there who’d love to be trapped in a forced marriage with you.”

“Yeah, and I’m sure you’re one of them.”

Cillian laughs. “Do you think the reason you’re trying to avoid her is because you’re attracted to her?”

I narrow my eyes at him. “I never said I was trying to avoid her.”

Cillian rolls his eyes and sighs. “Fine, whatever. You don’t want to talk about her, that’s fine. Let’s change the subject.”

“I’d love to.”

“…to your bachelor party.”

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