Page 18 of Bound By Darkness

Eve doesn’t elaborate, but her mind seems elsewhere now, her gaze distant even as she leans into me.

“What’d I miss?”she asks, nodding toward the screen.

“Explosions.Car chases.The usual,” I reply, studying her for a moment before turning back to the movie.

What are you hiding, Eve?Before we leave this island, I plan to unravel all your secrets.

Aoife

Eamon’s armrests across my shoulders, his fingers tracing slow circles on my skin.I sink against him, feeling the steady rise and fall of his chest beneath my cheek.It’s comfortable—too comfortable as if we’ve done this a thousand times before.

The realization makes my chest tighten.This feels normal.Like a moment between two people who know each other.Who belong to each other.Except that we don’t.

He’s practically a stranger.A devastatingly gorgeous stranger I can’t seem to keep my hands off, but still a stranger.Having insanely good sex with someone doesn’t equate to this.Whateverthisis.

I swallow hard, pulling myself back from the ridiculous thought.This is fun.No questions.No strings.That’s what we agreed on, and that’s all it needs to be.I can’t allow myself to fall into the trap of pretending this is anything more.

A soft sigh escapes as I shift slightly to get more comfortable.The wine is smooth, and the movie is forgettable, but I’m aware of every point of contact between us.Eamon’s arm around me, the warmth of his body, the steady brush of his fingers.The lie plays on repeat—just a harmless distraction, nothing more.Now if only my traitorous heart would get the message.

The buzzing of my phone pulls me out of the moment.My sister-in-law’s name flashes across the screen, and a quiet smile pulls at my lips.I swipe it open to read her message.

Bridget:Saoirse misses her Aunt Aoife.Look at this little face.She’s begging you to come home for her birthday next month.

Attached to the text are a few new photos of my niece.Saoirse’s tiny face is lit with a wide grin, her red curls sticking out in all directions as she clutches theRakosnícekI sent her from Prague.As soon as I saw it in that quiet little shop, I knew she’d love it.Now, seeing it in her chubby hands, it’s like I’m right there with her, and yet I’m so far away.

Another message follows.

Bridget:She’s almost walking now.You don’t want to miss it.

Warmth floods my chest as I stare at the screen.Saoirse is perfection.Innocent, untouched by the weight of our family’s name.Her wide green eyes sparkle with Ruairi’s stubbornness.I hope that everything I’m trying to do now makes her future easier.

“Should I be jealous?”Eamon asks as his arm tightens around me slightly.

I glance up at him, startled to find him watching me.His blue eyes hold a quiet curiosity that makes my stomach twist even more.

“It’s just some family stuff,” I say, forcing a faint smile as I lock the phone and set it aside.“What’d I miss?”

“Explosions.Car chases.The usual,” he replies.

I refocus my attention on the television, but I can feel his gaze lingering on me for a moment longer before he relaxes.His fingers resume their slow, lazy circles on my arm, and the warmth of his touch pulls me back to the present.

For now, I let myself sink into the moment, letting the guilt and the complicated realities of home drift further away.

As the movie ends, Eamon shifts beside me, his arm tightening around my shoulders.“Ready for bed?”he murmurs, his voice sending a shiver down my spine.

I nod, letting him lead me to the bedroom.

Once inside, he doesn’t let go, his hands settling on my arms as he studies me, his blue eyes dark with intent.Slowly, deliberately, he lifts the hem of my shirt, his fingers grazing my skin.

“You won’t need this,” he says, his voice thick, as he pulls it over my head and lets it fall to the floor.

A smile tugs at my lips as I reach for him, but he catches my wrists, holding them firmly as he leans in, his lips brushing against my ear.“I’ve got it,” he whispers, his tone full of promise.

The world outside ceases to exist as I sink onto the bed beneath him, his touch chasing away everything except the fire simmering between us.

Eamon

The villa is quiet now.The only sound is the rhythmic splash of the waves outside.Eve is curled up beside me, her breathing slow and steady, her red hair fanned out across the pillow.The sight of her like this, relaxed and unguarded, does something to me I don’t want to name.

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