Page 27

27

Thea

“ Y ou have a stocking downstairs, hanging over the fire, but no opening anything until we’re all there, OK?” The guys had picked up some small gifts for Verity, nothing expensive. I felt bad about that. Everything I owned was still at college, including my bank card.

Eden had been kind enough to give me a bunch of clothes, mostly items that were too small, not that the guys were complaining. She had tried to give me some money too, but I refused to take it. I’d also not spent the cash Kyril gave me. It wasn’t like I could go shopping anywhere. The risk of being spotted was too great.

Speaking of Eden, I was still mad she’d called the guys. Without her interference, I could have been half-way to Dublin by now. But maybe she was right to stop me. Cassian hadn’t attacked me yet, verbally or otherwise.

Maybe he’d forgiven me?

“Cool,” Verity smirked and then yawned sleepily. “I like it here, but I miss Mrs. Gia,” she said in a small voice.

“I know, Ver. Dar’s trying to find out what happened to her and the other staff.” I hoped Mrs. Gia was alive. The woman didn’t deserve to die.

“Will you stay with me until I go to sleep?”

“I will, pumpkin.”

Verity waited until I lay down next to her before she closed her eyes. It reminded me of the many nights we’d slept wrapped in each other’s arms, squished together in the narrow single bed in the attic room she called home.

Eventually, her breathing evened out and she fell asleep. I kissed her soft cheek and closed the door behind me as I left. Despite being pulled from the only home she’d ever known, my sister had settled remarkably well. Better than me, in fact. In the short time we’d been here, she’d bloomed.

It was a relief to know my father’s evil hadn’t tainted her soul in the same way it had mine. At least she had a chance of living a normal life once our father was six feet under, along with Torrance.

When I re-emerged in the kitchen, the guys had all disappeared. The fire still burned in the grate, but from the sounds of gunfire and explosions, they had decided to watch a movie.

I debated whether to join them and then shook my head. Now Cassian was here things felt awkward.

Dario’s presence had already made things difficult, not that he hung around with the guys much. He spent most of his time either working out in the small gym, watching DVDs with Verity, or in his room.

I figured he’d probably leave after the holidays. If his father was on our side, which I assumed was the case since he’d provided vital information before Dar and Kyril rescued me, then he had access to money.

Nothing was keeping him here. Certainly not me. Yes, he seemed to have quit hating on me, but he hadn’t tried to talk to me other than one half-assed effort when I first arrived.

Part of me was relieved. I wasn’t sure I wanted to hear what had happened all those years ago. Dario was in my past. Yes, I’d cared for him. More than cared. But I didn’t know if I could forgive him for how he’d treated me. For all the nights I’d cried into my pillow while grieving the loss of my best - and only - friend.

If he left tomorrow, I’d be fine with that.

Thoughts churned inside my head as I stared at the flames. Outside, the wind howled around the thick stone walls of the old house. Being here felt like we were inside a bubble, cocooned from the rest of the world.

Mrs O’Malley came and went, but aside from her, we saw nobody. The locals assumed this was an Airbnb from what Eden had told me. They weren’t interested in who stayed here, and Mrs O’Malley had signed an NDA. My father would find me eventually, but for now, we were safe.

The sound of footsteps caught my attention. When I looked up, Cassian stood by the table, watching me. His caramel-colored hair gleamed red in the light from the fire. It was longer than usual. Long enough to touch his shoulders. With his unshaven jaw and crumpled clothing, he looked a million miles away from his usual immaculate self.

“If you have something to say, get on with it,” I snapped.

“What would you like me to say?” He took a step closer, his face blank.

Did I want an apology? No. He was right to be angry with me.

“It doesn’t matter,” I muttered. It was late. Verity would probably be awake early and I needed to sleep. It wasn’t fair to leave the guys to entertain her while I enjoyed a lie-in like a princess.

I moved toward the door that led to the stairs, but Cassian blocked my exit. The sound of dramatic music and more gunfire echoed from the living room. They’d chosen an action movie. How surprising.

“Let me pass.”

“No. We need to talk.” He made no effort to touch me, but it was clear I’d have to be more forceful if I wanted him to get out of my way. If it was anyone else, I would quickly disable him, but tonight, I lacked the energy and the motivation.

“I have nothing to say.” Embers burst up the chimney as a strong gust of wind buffeted the house.

“Not even sorry for bringing drugs to my hotel room? I never did find out what you did with them.” He seemed curious rather than angry, which confused me.

“Flushed them down the toilet. I was all out of options at that point.”

“Was that before or after we had sex?”

A flush of heat that had nothing whatsoever to do with the fire lit a pulse between my thighs. Did he still think about that night? I did.

“After. I was kinda busy before.”

“Yes, you were. First the tears and then the fucking.” He hummed in agreement. “Tell me, were you genuinely upset, or was that a ploy to get into my room?”

“Fuck you,” I snarled. Of course, he didn’t believe me, but calling me a liar, even in a roundabout way, hurt.

Having had enough of this little chat, I shoved him hard enough to knock him off balance. He stumbled, not expecting me to get physical, and reached for my waist to regain his balance.

The minute his hand touched me, the attraction between us flared into a raging inferno. He pulled me close and we fell into the ratty old armchair next to the fire, me astride his powerful thighs, our lips locked together.

All the reasons why this was a truly terrible idea no longer seemed quite so important. I wanted him and he wanted me. Yes, it was bound to end in tears, but maybe we just needed to get this out of our system.

I almost laughed at my naivety. Had that worked with Kyril or Landon? No.

“I should hate you,” he muttered against my mouth, his hand on my breast. “But I don’t.”

“It wasn’t a ploy,” I admitted as he pulled my bra cup down and stroked my nipple. “I was upset and jealous. You helped me.”

“Seeing you so broken did something to me. I wanted to… comfort you.” He seemed almost surprised at the idea, yet to me it made sense. He was the protector in their friendship group. The problem solver. The one who smoothed things over.

Beneath his icy and controlled exterior, Cassian was a warm and compassionate person who would do anything to protect those he loved. It was why he’d drawn me into his orbit.

Yes, my father had ordered me to get close, but in truth, we’d have ended up here even without his manipulation.

“I’m sorry for what happened. I didn’t want to hurt you.”

“You didn’t hurt me, Thea. None of this is your fault. I see that now, and I’m the one who is sorry for ever believing you were to blame.”

He kissed me again, less urgent this time, but still full of heat. I could feel him hard beneath me as his tongue pressed into my mouth. God, I wanted him. Wanted to feel him inside me, hot and hard.

I reached down to touch him, but his hand stopped me from taking it further.

“It’s late and we both need to sleep,” he said against my lips, punctuating the words with small kisses to soften the rejection.

A small whimper of frustration escaped as he pulled my top back down. My body throbbed with frustration, needing a release.

“I need to come!” I growled.

“Such a demanding little minx,” he chuckled.

“Don’t tease me.” Anger flooded my system. Was this his idea of a punishment? He said he wasn’t angry with me, but being taken to the edge and left there sure felt like a revenge ploy.

“Baby, calm down,” he whispered. “I can make you come.” His fingers dipped below the waist of my cotton pants, into my underwear. When he felt how wet I was, he sucked in a sharp, shaky breath. “Fuck.”

I almost smiled. At least I wasn’t the only one dying here. Judging by the way his cock throbbed beneath my hand, he was close to losing it too. Good .

His fingers took me higher, teasing me with each deft stroke. He knew exactly how to play me. In no time at all, I fell apart, shivering with pleasure as my orgasm ripped through me.

Thankfully, the crescendo of yells and explosions from the living room masked my moans. Not that I cared whether they heard me come, but it might be a little awkward given how I’d tried to run away a few hours ago.

No doubt Kyril would have a lot to say about my change of heart.

The fucker.

Cassian withdrew his fingers and licked them hungrily. “Delicious.” His eyes glittered in the light from the fire, the glow highlighting the sharp angles of his cheekbones and cut jaw. The man was beautiful. Aristocratic with a strong nose and arched eyebrows.

I felt dowdy in comparison.

With the edge gone from my arousal, tiredness hit me hard. I sank against his chest, yawning.

“Time for bed, baby.”

“Um.” It was warm and cozy here, next to the fire. I’d move in a moment.

Cassian laughed lightly, the tension gone. He was still hard but didn’t seem bothered. I felt a teeny bit bad for leaving him unsatisfied, but since he’d refused to take things further, I figured it was his own fault.