Page 28 of Bound Lies

“I’m not doing this because I want to,” Kieran states.

“Trust me. The feeling’s mutual.”

Ronan takes a step forward, subtly placing himself between me and Kieran. “This is a strategic alliance. It will buy us time as well as give us leverage. But more importantly, it gives you protection from Sean.”

I look between Ronan, Kieran, and Cormac, who purposefully keeps his eyes down, as if hoping that if he remains quiet enough, we’ll forget he’s here. Brennan, on the other hand, continues to laugh behind me as if my life being set on fire is nothing more than entertainment.

A familiar weight presses down on my chest and stops me from taking a full breath as a mixture of panic and fear overwhelms me.

“No.” I choke, shaking my head. “No, I won’t do it.”

“This is your best option,” Ronan says gently, but that only infuriates me more.

“The evidence was meant to be enough. The whole reason I came to you was to get out of an arranged marriage, not walk right into another one!”

“It will solidify our family’s alliance with yours,” Ronan reiterates.

“But—”

“Unless you have a better plan, I think the next thing you need to say is thank you,” Kieran snaps.

I blink at him. “Actually, I do have a better plan.”

A flicker of surprise flashes across his face, but he quickly composes himself. “Go ahead.”

I look over my shoulder at Brennan, whose smile instantly vanishes from his face. “What about one of your other brothers? You know, one who doesn’t openly hate me?”

Brennan holds up his hands. “Whoa, I didn’t agree to marriage.”

“I don’t hate you,” Kieran says, and I spin back around to glare at him.

I scoff. “Could have fooled me.”

“I think you’re untrustworthy, but I don’t hate you.”

“Oh, well… So long as you don’t hate me, that makes marrying you so much better.”

“Both of you, enough!” Ronan’s voice is sharp enough to make me flinch.

I shut my mouth, but my glare remains locked on Kieran, who doesn’t even blink because, of course, he doesn’t. He probably sleeps with his eyes open just to keep an eye on whoever he thinks might stab him in the back.

“It’s Kieran or it’s nobody; that’s the deal.”

I open my mouth, but Ronan holds up a hand before I can argue.

“You want Sean to back off and for your uncle and your brother to believe you’re out of reach? Then you need to marry someone that makes them second-guess everything, someone who looks like he would kill a man just for asking the wrong question, and that person is Kieran.”

Kieran crosses his arms over his chest, his stare cold and unwavering, looking every bit the weapon that everyone says he is.

Whether I like it or not, Ronan might be right. If I want to get out of the shackles that my family has placed on me, my only option might be to hand over the key to Kieran Sullivan.

I let out a shaky breath and drop my gaze to the floor for a second as I try to collect my thoughts.

This is insane. Completely and unbelievably insane.

Ronan looks right at me. “This marriage is going to piss off a lot of people. Especially O’Keefe.”

Brennan looks between us. “But that’s the point, right?”