Page 83 of Bound Lies

I should find comfort in his confidence, but the pit in my stomach only seems to be growing larger.

If there’s one thing I’ve learned about Kieran, it’s that he doesn’t bluff, especially when it comes to his family. Something that I was starting to think extended to me, but now I’m not so sure.

I can’t help but wonder, how far is he willing to go to play the part of the doting husband?

I pull one of my textbooks out of my bag and start flipping through the pages to try and distract myself, but the words make no sense when all I can focus on is Kieran. Every slight shift of his thighs has me squeezing my own, remembering what it felt like to have my body intertwined with his. When he tightens his hold on the steering wheel, I think of his calloused fingers squeezing my breasts and stroking my inner thigh…

“Riley?”

I practically jump out of my skin at the sound of Kieran’s voice. “Huh?”

“Do you want me to quiz you?”

“On what?”

Except, Kieran doesn’t appear to be listening to me. His eyes keep flicking to the rearview mirror, and I notice the muscle in his jaw ticking.

“Kieran?”

“Fuck.” He loads up the call log on the center console and dials Ronan’s number.

“Now’s not a good time, Kieran⁠—”

“I need you to run some plates for me.”

I turn in my seat to glance out the rear window, eyeing the black SUV that is behind us as Kieran rattles off the number.

But Kieran places a hand on my shoulder and pushes me back into my seat. “Stay down.”

I’m about to protest when Ronan’s voice comes through the speakers.

“It’s O’Keefe’s men.”

My stomach drops.

“What the hell did you do in Vegas to piss them off?” Ronan barks, but Kieran doesn’t answer.

He just mutters a string of curses under his breath before hanging up the call.

I slump back into the seat, my heart hammering in my chest as I consider the very real reality that we may never make it back to Kieran’s penthouse.

“This is never going to end, is it? Maybe I should have just married Sean. At least then I wouldn’t be running for my life.”

“Don’t say that,” he growls, his voice low and dangerous. “Don’t even think about it.”

I flinch at his tone, but I don’t apologize because I meant it. At least a little.

If I had done as my uncle wanted, Kieran and his family never would have been dragged into this mess.

I shouldn’t care, considering what Kieran said about me to Ronan only a few hours ago, but I do. I care too damn much, and I have a feeling it’s going to be my downfall.

Kieran quickly swerves into the next lane, and I glance in the wing mirror to see the car behind us to do the same.

“Fuck.” Kieran turns the wheel, and the car spins around until we’re facing the wrong way.

He slams his foot on the gas and speeds across the lanes until we’re back on the right side of the road.

“Kieran, what the hell are you trying to do?”