Page 77 of Our Little Dove

“Why not?” Kieran asks beside me. “Don’t you think it’s better if wedon’tinvolve any more people? The fewer people looking into Hush, the better. Besides, I think we’ve spent more than enough time inyourhouse.”

Guilt claws up my spine and I tear my eyes from the road to meet Kieran’s eyes as his words sink into the darkest parts of my heart. “You’re right,” I agree, the weight of my actions towards them settles heavily on my shoulders. “Good point, Darlin’,” Fintan chimes in from the backseat.

Darlin’? I haven’t heard that one yet…

I flash Fintan a curious glance in the rearview mirror and he winks with a smirk before his gaze shifts out the window as we near the studio. Flicking my gaze at Kieran in my periphery, he looks noticeably flushed even in the dark car and fidgets in his seat.

Clover Ink comes into view, and a sense of anxiety washes over me. The building next to their studio is where it all happened.

Is this what they felt when we arrived at my place earlier? Fuck me…It’s debilitating.

As I pull into the parking lot, a sense of foreboding lingers in the air. “Why don’t you come up for a coffee?” Kieran offers as he unbuckles his seatbelt. “Oh, it’s getting late, and I should really get back to Molly…” I trail off nervously, sitting back in the driver seat as I wait for them to step out.

“Come on. One cup. We promise we won’t lock you in and fuck you like last time,” Fintan chuckles as he steps out of the car before he leans against my window. “It’s not the same building anyway.”

I take a deep breath and wince at the mention of that night but shake off my nerves and nod in reluctant agreement.

This is a bad idea.

Kieran steps out of the car before I do, joining Fintan in the parking lot. Kieran roots through his pockets for the keys and unlocks the door before he leads the way into the studio when I catch up, flipping on the lights to reveal the art and equipment.

The three of us make it up to our apartment above the studio and Kieran heads to the kitchen to start making the coffee while Alex and I stand around the living room in silence. Her eyes dart over every inch of the space as she takes it all in.

“Nice place. It’s um… very American Psycho,” she mumbles, and I can hear her nerves riding her words as she speaks. “Thanks,” I say, looking around the apartment with amused pride. Kieran and I spent the last two years gutting and remodeling this place before decorating it to our liking.

We wanted a moody, modern space that would cater to both our personal taste. Kieran is the neat freak, so he opted for clean lines and sleek furniture. He picked out most of the décor in the shared spaces while I made most of the architectural choices and the paint color.

Our apartment boasts rich dark brown walls with polished concrete floors and recessed LED strips placed strategically to warm up our otherwise dark space. Kieran and I hate bright overhead lighting, so we opted for mood lighting all over. The massive black leather sectional and live edge coffee table has to be my favorite pieces in the entire apartment.

Alex steps out onto the balcony in silence and I join Kieran in the kitchen. “Need a hand?” I ask, brushing my fingers over his back as he stirs cream into the coffee. “Nope, all good,” he hums, and I notice a hint of nervousness in his tone.

I lift my hand to the back of his neck and squeeze as I turn him to face me. His face is flushed as he blinks at me, frequently glancing at the glass door leading to the balcony where Alex is staring off into the night. “What is it, Darlin’?” I ask as he visibly swallows.

“I… We are alone. The three of us. She’s in our apartment,” Kieran stammers and I lean closer until my lips almost touch his. “Hmm, my Darlin’ wants to fuck her again. Doesn’t he?”

He clears his throat, giving Alex another quick glimpse before returning those heated green eyes to mine. Nodding, he takes a deep breath but before he can say anything, I pull him in for a kiss.

“Did you think I’d be jealous? You’re fucking irresistible when you look nervous,” I whisper against his mouth before giving him a quick nip on his lower lip.

Kieran’s eyes widen in surprise as I pull away from the kiss, a mischievous smirk playing on my lips. He swallows hard, clearly caught off guard. “No, I just… wasn’t sure how you’d feel about it,” he admits, his voice a mix of nerves and desire.

I chuckle softly, running a hand through his hair as I draw him closer. “We can do whatever we want. As long as we’re both into it, I don’t give a shit who you want to fuck,” I reassure him.

Kieran nods, his gaze softening as he looks into my eyes. “I know, I wasn’t expecting this,” he confesses.

We both glance over at Alex standing on the balcony, her silhouette framed by the city lights in the distance. She turns to look back at us, a small smile playing on her lips when she spots the steamy cups Kieran is setting on the coffee table.

We all sit down on the large sectional, the comforting scent of coffee and the soft hum of the city outside help to ease any lingering nerves from Kieran, but Alex is a different story.

Kieran hands Alex her cup, and she takes a small sip, while eyeing us. “You guys make quite the pair,” she says, a contradicting mix of sadness and what sounds like admiration in her voice.

“Thanks,” I say, brushing my hand over Kieran’s knee. “I suppose we have you to thank for that, Dove.”

Alex chokes on her coffee and coughs a few times before she sets down the cup, watching me with terror and guilt in those pretty doe eyes. “Fuck. Sorry. I—Um…” she stutters as she scrambles to her feet. “Sit. Down,” I order, not looking at her as I take a calm sip from my cup.

Kieran grows tense beside me, and Alex slowly lowers herself onto her seat on the couch again. I can almost smell her fearful confusion in the air. “Fintan,” she starts, her voice has a slight shake to it, but it disappears quickly. “I have apologized for what I did. I’d like to leave now. Thank you for the coff—”

“I know. I have an idea of how we can even the playing field. If you’re willing to hear me out, that is,” I say, cutting her off. She watches us both intently as she waits for me to continue, not saying a word. Kieran shifts in his seat and leans back with a smirk ghosting his lips.

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