It looks like tonight I’m going to have to be Cillian’s protector.
9
Cillian
Charles Sutcliffe has proper manners.
I want to kill him.
Charles Sutcliffe smiles when required and turns his nose up at all other times.
I want to kill him.
Charles Sutcliffe leads my Cara into the dining room and pulls her chair out for her.
I will kill him.
Charles Sutcliffe sits beside my Cara and leans in close to whisper in her ear.
I will fucking kill him.
“Rachel,” Kaden calls as Sutcliffe’s sister swans into the room, her white dress clearly a dig at Cara. But she’s nothing compared to my beautiful redhead with the big green eyes. Rachel looks as if a moderate wind might blow her away.
“The flight was an absolute slum. I don’t know why we didn’t take our private jet.” She cuts her eyes at her brother. “Because first class is practically the same as coach. I asked for a champagne, and the stewardess took her time.” She sighs dramatically. “I had her fired of course. So hard to find good help these days.”
Her posh accent is grating. I’m Irish, so I’ve been raised with a full knowledge of what her sort of people have done to my sort of people for centuries. I’m naturally averse. But this woman is a new level of abhorrent.
“We’re just so glad to have you.” Kaden pastes on a fake smile and shows her to a chair across the table from Cara and Charles.
“And this is the bride, I take it?” Rachel sits and examines Cara.
“My daughter Cara, yes.” Kaden motions into the hall, and Calida walks in. She’s wearing an over-the-top red dress that glitters with each of her pained movements. The seams are already at maximum capacity, so I don’t know how she’s going to eat.
Kaden glowers but doesn’t say anything as he shows her to her seat. Her overdone makeup and too-tight dress are going to come back to bite her in the ass once this dinner’s over. Kaden will make sure of it. But I don’t care about her fate. I only care about one thing: the woman sitting in front of me, the one the hawk-like Rachel is sizing up with a pointed stare.
When Maria walks in, she hurries to the seat beside Rachel. “Sorry I’m late. Just some last-minute wedding planning. You know how these things go.”
“Actually, I don’t.” Rachel doesn’t return Maria’s smile. “Would you mind being a dear and leaving a chair between us? I’m afraid I’m allergic to your perfume.”
Maria looks stricken as she stands and moves a chair over. “I-I’m not wearing any, um …” Maria’s word trail away as Rachel returns her gaze to her brother.
Cara ducks her head, likely trying to hide her amusement at Maria being put in her place.
“Well, let’s get started, shall we?” Kaden takes his seat at the head of the table. “I was sorry to learn that your parents weren’t coming with you on this impromptu visit.”
Rachel feigns sadness. “Oh, Mumsy and Daddy are far too busy, but Charles and I wanted to get to know his bride better before the wedding.”
“Of course.” Kaden motions for the servers to come in.
What follows is dry conversation between Charles and Kaden, Rachel barely picking at her food, and Maria trying to impress Rachel with various tidbits about her role as wedding planner. Cara is the only one with any semblance of actual manners—she thanks the servers and enjoys her dinner.
“Everything is going to be perfect for you.” Maria chimes in when the crème brûlées are served. “I’ve been working nonstop on all of the—”
“How lovely.” Rachel gives her a toothy smile. “I imagine an American wedding is a lot like a train wreck, but with more Instagram photos.”
Maria’s mouth drops open.
Cara looks down again, and this time I see her shoulders shaking with silent laughter.
“Kaden’s spared no expense,” Calida slurs through her words.
Rachel doesn’t even look at her, pretending as if she didn’t hear a thing.
Kaden clears his throat. “Charles, would you care to spend some time alone with Cara?”
My spine stiffens. No way in hell I’ll let that sniveling shit spend alone time with her.
“I’d be delighted,” Charles says and rises, then offers his hand to Cara.
She glances back at me. “I don’t think—”
“Of course you want to spend time with him, Cara.” Kaden glowers. “Cillian will accompany the two of you out to the grounds. There’s a particularly nice spot by the pool where the roses are blooming.” Kaden doesn’t give two shits about roses, but he cares deeply about sealing this alliance.
“Cillian, go ahead. I’ll entertain the ladies.” Kaden sits back down and directs his glare at Calida.
“I love roses.” Rachel stands and drapes her napkin on the table.
Kaden opens his mouth, then closes it. He’s being directly disobeyed. A vein in his forehead starts to thicken, but he doesn’t say no.
“Come, brother.” Rachel swans to the doorway, and Charles hurries to follow her, offering her his arm.
“Go,” Maria hisses at Cara.
I offer my arm, and she takes it. We follow the brother and sister from the room, then take the lead and show them out to plaza by the pool.
“I hope they aren’t having the wedding in this hovel.” Rachel leans into Charles and whispers something in his ear.
He laughs as they stroll toward the rose arbor, Cara completely forgotten.
I glance over at her. “You all right?”
She seems anything but sad. “I’m great. Just look at them.”
I do. They sit close together under the roses and continue their whispering and laughing. I’ve heard the rumors and assumed they were just that—rumors. But when Rachel puts her hand on Charles’s thigh, I begin to see the truth.
“If he’s busy with her, he’ll leave me alone,” Cara explains.
I guide her away from the house and into the grove of flowering cherry trees along the north lawn. “That’s not how it works, Cara. You know that.”
“What do you mean?” She looks up at me.
“This union between the families—your father is going to want to seal it with heirs.”
She wrinkles her nose as we wander deeper into the grove. “No thanks. Besides, you said I don’t have to worry about this wedding. What did you mean by that?”
“I shouldn’t have said it.” I shrug. I can’t tell her the truth, not yet.
“Oh.” Her shoulders fall.
She’s so beautiful out here in the falling night. Her white dress is perfect for her, highlighting her sweet innocence.
“So I’m stuck with him then.” She sighs, then turns to me as we stop beneath a wide oak at the end of the grove. “Cillian.” She moves closer, her breasts just touching my chest.
“Yes?” I swallow hard, desire riding me as I stare at her plump lips.
“I don’t want to give my virginity to him.” She reaches up and presses her palms to my chest. “It’s not his to take.”