Page 135 of Vicious Hearts

Callie’s already stepped past me into the penthouse. Elsa frowns.

“Callie, I was being serious. I assisted Mr. Kildare in the purchase of this place, and I’ve heard him be quite clear about no one coming in—”

“Oh, no, really?” Callie murmurs with a dry tone. “Oops. Well,anyway.” She giggles, stepping further into the penthouse. Her jaw drops as she looks around.

Eilish gives Elsa a shrug. “Don’t worry. Cillian’s more bark than bite sometimes.”

Or both…

She steps into the penthouse after Callie, whistling. “Absolutely stunning.” She turns to grin at me. “I can’t believe you get to live here. Jeal-ous.”

“I mean…” Callie frowns. “Some furniture might be cool?” Then she shrugs, turning to me. “Which room is yours?”

I stall, hoping to God the heat on my face isn’t as obvious as I think it might be.

That’s a good question. Up until a few weeks ago, my room was still the guest room. Then, the nightmare at Hope House happened, with the ghost of my fatherspeaking to methrough a phone line from Hell.

After that day, something changed.

It’s partly because that was the night Cillian fucked me in his bed—the first time we were that close since that one brief encounter at Club Venom. But I know that’s not the only reason I’ve been sleeping in his bed, and sleepingwith him, every night, since then.

It’s not just the primal sex that smashes through just about every single fantasy I’ve ever had and twists me in toe-curling ways I’ve never even imagined. It’s the fact that sharing a bed with Cillian makes me feel safe. Which is something I really need right now.

I know logically that ghosts aren’t real. Just like I now know and accept that it really might have been stress and emotion making me onlythinkI heard my father’s voice on that phone.

But I still don’t know if I could sleep alone. I think Cillian seems to understand that without me even having explicitly said anything about it. Which is why, without really ever discussing it, sleeping in his bed has just become the norm.

I realize I’ve been zoning out and not answering the question so long that Callie is grinning widely at me.

“Oh it’s likethat.”

Eilish makes a face as it clicks. “Eww.”

“Dude, they’remarried,” Callie snickers. “Do I seriously have to start explaining the birds and bees to a twenty-one-year-old?”

Eilish blushes fiercely. “No, you don’t.”

“Well, I know with yourvastdating and sexual experience—”

“Wow, hey, could wenot?” Eilish groans, her face bright red as her mouth twists.

Callie grins, sliding an arm around her to hug her. “I’m just giving you a hard time. Also, I am the personification of the pot calling the kettle black on this one, okay?”

I laugh, shaking my head.

“I just meant…” Eilish glances at me, her face still red. “I mean, no offense, I just don’t need to hear aboutmy uncle’ssex life?”

Oh, Eilish, you have no idea…

“C’mon, you’re not at least alittlecurious?” Callie teases.

Eilish buries her face in her hands. “Not in the fuckingslightest. Could wepleasedrop it?”

Callie grins as she turns to me. “He’s a total freak between the sheets, isn’t he?”

“Callie!!!”

I’m laughing so hard that tears are rolling down my cheeks. Partly because these two are hilarious. And partly because it covers the bloom of heat spreading across my face at the mention of Cillian’s and my sex life. Which is…

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