Page 19 of Killian's Vengeance

Cullen was still breathing heavily, his lips pressed together, like he was resisting the urge to tell me to go fuck myself, which he probably was. “Fine,” he spat as he stormed out of the room.

I let out a relieved breath. That could have been a fucking mess.

“So, that was Cullen. He’s also on our side,” I said, trying to inject a little levity.

“On your side, maybe,” she said, also trying to joke, but still sounding shaky.

I cradled her face, unable to resist rubbing her still swollen lower lip. “I’ll take care of Cullen, Willa. He’ll come around when I explain everything.”

She looked doubtful. “If you say so.”

“I do,” I said, hoping I was right. I leaned in to giver her a kiss, but jerked my head back. What the fuck was going on with me and the kissing? “You have to be exhausted. It’s late, why don’t you try to get some sleep.”

“Here?” she asked, gesturing to the bed. She didn’t know this was the room I routinely used, so I definitely wanted her here.

“Yes.”

“How do I know that guy won’t break in while I’m sleeping.” She was wringing her hands as she glanced toward the door as if Cullen might barge back in at any moment.

“After I leave, I’ll flip the deadbolt. I’m the only one with the key. If it will make you feel better, I'll come back and sleep in here with you,” I offered, as if I was just being a hell of a nice guy and had no ulterior motives, like nailing her into the mattress. I wouldn’t do anything she didn’t want, but I sure as fuck wanted to be with her should the mood strike.

She nodded her head. “I’d like that. Just in case,” she said, once again glancing at the door. I knew she agreed because she wanted the extra protection of my company, but Christ my dick was hard anticipating spending the night in bed next to her.

I ushered her into the bed and under the covers, her eyes already drooping.

I leaned down to give her another kiss, but stopped myself again. “I’ll be back as soon as I can,” I said, never meaning anything more fervently.

She nodded. “Okay. Don’t forget to lock the door.”

“I won’t.”

I left the room, closing and locking the door behind me and praying that the lock wouldn’t be tested. I needed to talk to Cullen.

Chapter 10

Killian

Iheaded upstairs into The Red Room and scanned the crowded room. The low lights made it hard to see, but I knew where to look. I found Cullen where I thought I would—posted up at the bar, a bottle of whiskey and a shot glass in front of him. Cara was hovering around him, whispering something in his ear, probably asking about Willa, but he shook her off.

I walked up and sat next to him, ordering myself a bourbon. Cara stared at me expectantly, but I had no idea what she was expecting, so I glared at her and she scampered off looking frustrated. Damn, she was annoying.

“Was Cara the one who told you what was going on?”

“She was very eager to share that you had some girl you were fawning over in your basement room. It didn’t take me much to put together who it was.” He blew out breath and threw back the rest of his whiskey, quickly pouring himself another. “What the fuck are you doing, Kill?”

I shot back my bourbon, welcoming the fiery sensation against my throat. It had been a long as fuck day, so I welcomed the alcohol burning its way to my stomach. “We can use her. I knew there was something off about her, but I didn’t want to believe I’d fucked up and kidnapped the wrong fucking woman. When I realized I did, I went into damage control mode. Don’t you think it’s better to get her on our side helping us willingly, than continuing to threaten her? And what about after we have Lily? What would he have done with her? Kill her for being related to that bitch? Lily fucked her over, too. There’s no love lost there.”

Cullen ran a rough hand through his brown hair and shot me a skeptical look through bloodshot blue eyes. When was the last time he slept? “I don’t like it. She could be fucking us over,” he griped, but it felt like he was just arguing because he didn’t want to lose the argument, not because his heart was really in it.

“She’s a junior in college. If she manages to fuck us over, we deserve it.”

He took another shot of whiskey. “So, you’re just playing her, using her to get her to help us out? Which, how the fuck did that happen? What the fuck did you do to her when you thought she was Lily that she’s fucking making out with you now? I can’t believe we’re in a situation when we have to use you for our honey pot.”

I snorted. We always used Cullen for those missions because his current behavior notwithstanding, he could actually be a real smooth bastard. Cullen was also more sexually fluid than I was, so he actually made an ideal honey pot because we could use him with both men and women, though I usually saw him with women in his personal life.

“It’s hard to explain. Right now, my goal is to keep her motivated to continue helping us, so if I have to fuck her, that’s fine by me.” I felt an uncomfortable twinge at how I characterized my dynamic with Willa but pushed it away. I didn’t want to be in a relationship with anyone, least of all the sister of the woman who got Mac killed.

Cullen looked unconvinced, his eyebrows creasing dubiously. “You jumped pretty quickly to protect her for someone you’re just fucking for the job.”

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