Page 97 of Bound Lies

“Do you have any sins you need to confess to?”

Lucy grins and taps the side of her nose with her manicured finger. “That’s a yes.”

She’s still wearing last night's makeup and looks surprisingly fresh-faced, considering she is yet to go to bed. Though, she’s swapped out her mini dress for a pair of sweats and a college tee.

“I’ll fill you in later, but first I want to know what the hell happened with you.”

“Kieran happened.”

“Uh oh. I thought you were all set on sneaking out before he got home?”

“I was, but then I literally ran into him on my way out, and he took one look at me and ordered me back up to my room like he’s my father. I swear I was this close to stabbing him with my stiletto.”

“Kinky. I bet Kieran is the type of guy to enjoy being called daddy.”

“Oh my god.” I bury my face in my comforter. “Can we stay on subject, please?”

She sighs. “Fine. You may continue your Kieran rant.”

I roll my eyes. “He hasn’t let me leave the apartment since Vegas except for going to campus yesterday. At first, I didn’t mind because I had to study, so I didn’t care that my life had shrunk to nothing but textbooks and highlighters. But now that finals are done, I have nothing to occupy my thoughts.”

Lucy gives me a knowing smirk. “Except for Kieran.”

“He’s being ridiculously controlling, and now that we’ve… you know…”

“Had sex? Done the nasty? Gone at it like rabbits?”

“Lucy!”

“What? That’s what you meant, right?”

“Yes, but you don’t need to be so vulgar about it.”

“Sorry, no can do.”

“Anyway… Since we had sex, he’s gotten even worse. When he realized where I was going last night, he turned into a completely neanderthal, as if the idea of me going out was a personal attack against him or something.”

There’s a beat of silence, and then Lucy’s face breaks out into a huge smile.

I frown. “What?”

“Well… The sex kind of explains it.”

My eyebrows furrow harder. “Explains what?”

“That whole possessive man routine? It didn’t start until after Vegas, right?”

“Right...”

“And he freaked out when he thought you were going out in a slutty dress to meet up with other guys?”

I hesitate, then nod. “Yeah… So?”

“So, the guy is jealous!”

“Are you crazy? Why would Kieran be jealous? He made it very clear to Ronan that I was just a means to an end.”

Lucy sighs. “Riley… Have you ever considered the fact that Kieran was just trying to keep his brother off his back?”