Page 140 of Vicious Hearts

“You have a tell, you know,” he grunts with a small, dark chuckle—as if reading my thoughtsagain, dammit. “Your lips move a little when you’re trying to figure out how to phrase something you’re not sure about saying out loud.”

I turn my head, shoving my hair aside indignantly as my eyes lock with his. “You couldn’t even see my lips!”

“I could feel them against my stomach.”

I purse my lips, feeling my cheeks heat.

“So?”

I suck on my teeth before suddenly blurting it out.

“Why do you hold back with me?”

Cillian’s brow furrows just a little as his green eyes pierce into mine.

“I don’t—”

“You do.”

His jaw ticks. “Are you actually looking for me to be rougher with you?”

I lift a shoulder uncertainly. “Not…necessarily.”

I’m not even sure I could physically survive that, to be honest. I’m already perpetually covered in bite marks and bruises—all over my thighs, my ass, my abdomen and my breasts. Or worse, my poor neck, which has started to prompt me to suddenly become a silk scarf wearer.

Eilish thinks it’sveryParisian of me and wonders if I’m hinting to my husband that I’d like a holiday in France.

She willneverknow the real reason.

“Then what are you asking me?”

I chew on my lip. “Ilovewhat we do now…”

My cheeks flush when I admit that out loud.

“But…I know there’s more in you. Iknowthere is.”

A shadow flickers over his face and he looks away. “Whatever else is in me, is not for you.”

I flinch, like he’s just smacked me.

“Wow, okay…”

He scowls. “Easy, Una. That came out wrong. I don’t mean it’s not for you because it’s forsomeone else,” he mutters. “It’s that it’s…” he exhales slowly and heavily. “Una, the well of my darkness goes downverymuch deeper than you ever need to see or know.”

“But—”

“Una,” he growls, sitting up. I shiver as he cups my face. “No buts on this one.”

“Fine,” I mumble petulantly.

He leans in and kisses me, making me whimper when he bites my lip hard.

“You’re a fucking animal, you know that?”

He shrugs, smirking as he slips out of bed to go brush his teeth.

* * *

---