Page 105 of Wasted

“We’re not interested.” The response burst from Cillian’s mouth. He couldn’t stand it any longer.

“I’ll make that decision.” Victoria shot him another glare, then stood, facing Lymp. “But it does seem as though I’ll need to return at a different time, alone.”

Really? Cillian bit his tongue to keep from voicing the frustrated response. She was too dug in for him to get anywhere, at least in front of the lawyer.

“I’ll consider what you’ve said and set up a meeting for a different day. Thank you for your time.” Her elegance and poise as she turned away and left the office was something to behold, even if Cillian was irritated enough with her to glare at the back of her head as he followed.

He stretched his stride to reach her side in the hallway as they headed for the lobby of the large firm’s office building. “You’ll need to come back alone? Really?”

She quirked an eyebrow at him. “You were not behaving.”

“I wasn’t behaving? What do you call what he was doing?” Cillian flung his hands out in the air. “You know he accused you of murder and lying, right?”

“Not in so many words. But, yes, I am perceptive enough to understand what he was implying, thank you.”

“Okay, so then I assume you also realize you need a lawyer who believes you’re innocent.”

She didn’t respond as they passed the third-floor receptionist and stopped by the elevators.

He punched the down arrow button before she could, trying to catch her gaze. “You do know that, right?” He faced her directly, his back to the elevators.

She finally looked at him. “I’m not going to dismiss the lawyer my father hired who is also his good friend.”

A ding sounded, and she stepped around Cillian.

So that was it. Daddy pulling the strings once again. A tennis ball’s worth of frustration clogged Cillian’s throat as he joined her in the thankfully empty elevator where she was pressing the button for the first floor.

“So that’s it? You’ll lie, say you’re guilty, and go to prison to avoid crossing your dad?”

“Of course not.” She flung an exasperated glare at him.

“Then what?”

“I’m simply saying I won’t defy my father that way. I’m already in hot water with him right now. He won’t answer my texts or my voicemails.” Her voice pinched. “Firing his lawyer friend would be like a slap in the face.”

“So what?” Cillian didn’t try to hold back his disbelief and anger. “That’s what he deserves for hiring a lawyer like that.”

She shifted toward Cillian and stared at him, her eyebrows clustered. As if he’d said something to hurt her. But he was only talking about her dad. “You would like that, wouldn’t you? To hurt him?”

The elevator doors opened, and she broke her stare, stalking away at a fast clip.

Cillian hurried to catch up, but he held his tongue. She was apparently still more loyal to her dad than he’d thought. At least when it came to this situation. That didn’t have to mean she was still as much of her father’s puppet as she was before. She’d been going against his rules and what he would want more and more recently, often in favor of Cillian. He’d been able to persuade her to do a lot of things her dad would disapprove of in the last few days.

Cillian just needed to be patient and not get ahead of himself. After she calmed down, he could get her to see things clearly again. And to want what was best for her instead of worrying about pleasing her dad.

He just needed to remind her of what she could have if she were free of her dad’s control. The life they could’ve had and could still have now if she followed her own desires instead of her father’s.

A plan started to take shape in Cillian’s mind. Some time to relax and de-stress away from the pressure of her responsibilities and the danger could be just the thing. Throw in a walk down memory lane, and Victoria would see what she was missing.

And maybe, she’d agree with Cillian that they should make up for lost time and go after the future they wanted, together.

Chapter

Twenty-Nine

“Is here all right?” Victoria angled her car toward the curb in front of the apartment building Cillian had given her directions to as she drove.

“Let’s go around the corner here to the garage.”