Page 70 of Velvet Corruption

I turned around. He had walked up to me and dropped his voice to a whisper.

“You know I love you,” he said. “So much.”

That was never in question, but he wasn’t the kind of friend who just said. “Wait. Are you dying? Are you sick? Are you—”

“No. I’m about to tell you something important.”

I shook my head in confusion. “I know. I love you too—”

“I’m not done,” he said. “I want to be clear here. If you pull anything like that again, I’m going to have to withdraw from your campaign.”

My stomach dropped. “Alek—”

“It’s not just your career at risk,” he said. “It’s mine, too.”

My throat tightened.

“You think this is just about optics?” He shook his head. “I’m a lawyer. And if the Bar Association finds out that I—your closest advisor—knew you were spending the night at a Callahan’s house and didn’t intervene? That looks like collusion. That looks like I’m compromised. And you know what happens to compromised lawyers, Ruby?”

He let the question settle.

“They lose everything.”

I swallowed hard. “Alek—”

He held out a hand for the water. I gave it to him, my mouth suddenly dry.

He turned away, leaning on the counter. “You’re the closest friend I’ve ever had. But I don’t know if our relationship survives this.”

“Alek…”

He took a swig of water, then swallowed like he was forcing something down.

“So think about that next time you spend the night with Kieran Callahan or—" His voice dropped even lower. "—decide not to call me.”

I didn’t say anything. I couldn’t.

He glanced at his watch. “Go have a shower. We need to pick up your daughter.”

I hesitated. “Are you going to let me explain?”

His mouth twitched, something bitter curling at the edges. “There’s nothing to explain,” he murmured. “You’re an adult. You don’t owe me an accounting of your whereabouts.”

He set his water down with a soft thunk.

“And this conversation is over.”

Chapter Fifteen: Kieran

Ibarely had time to close the door behind me before the wolves descended.

Tristan had summoned me to give him a status report—because clearly, speaking on the phone was overrated—and Adriana had taken the opportunity to invite me over for lunch. When I’d parked, I hadn’t seen Liam’s car. So he wasn’t there yet and there was no chance of using my little brother as a human shield.

Fuck.

“Dad! Uncle Kieran’s here!” Catherine called, all excited when I wanted nothing more than to sprint right back through the front door.

My niece was wearing her soccer uniform, white socks with grass stains, her blond hair tied up in braids, dark brown eyes that never quite seemed to settle on anything. From beside her, Mateo’s entire body vibrated with excitement. He had alreadychanged, wearing a little polo shirt and jeans, his dark curls combed back and away from his face. He looked a lot like Tristan when he was a kid, ice blue eyes with a button nose, but his coloring was different. All Adriana. “Are you two gonna fight?” he asked, more excited than he should be.