Page 22 of Wicked Oath
If Lucy’s eyes were wide before, now they look like they might burst right out of her head. “No freaking way.” She swats my arm. “You did not.”
I just nod.
“You? Miss goody-two-shoes? You had sex out of wedlock? What’s the world coming to?”
I curl my legs up, distinctly aware of the soreness in my body. “James just makes me feel crazy and wild. I knew we shouldn’t, but since he’ll be my husband soon anyway, what’s the big deal?”
“The big deal? You had sex out of wedlock!” Her voice raises a few octaves. I shush her. “Olivia, this is huge.”
Right then, my door bangs open, and Owen bursts in. Both Lucy and I scream, but whereas I’m still startled, Lucy immediately smiles when she sees my brother.
“Hey, Owen,” she says demurely, batting her eyelash at him.
Owen’s looking at me with a furrowed brow. He doesn’t even look in Olivia’s direction. “Did I hear that right? You had sex with James?”
I shoot a look at Lucy, and she mouths, “sorry.” I turn back to Owen, my own anger simmering in my chest. “Were you eavesdropping? I didn’t even know you were here!”
“I came back. I was waiting for you to return to make sure you were ok after spending time with James. I didn’t get the chance to ask you before you ran into your room. So, yes, I was eavesdropping. I needed to know you were safe. Come to find out you had sex with James!”
“Owen, shush. Mom and Dad can’t know.”
“So it’s true, then?”
No point in denying it now. “Yes.”
He scoffs, dropping his hands at his sides. “This is just great. Not even a week he’s been in your life, and he’s already defiled you.”
“Hey,” I snap. “What James and I shared was beautiful. It felt right in the moment. Besides, he’ll be my husband. We were going to have sex eventually after we were married. What’s the problem?”
“The problem is he didn’t even wait for your wedding night. He’s a scoundrel who’ll end up hurting you.”
“Scoundrel?”
“He’s already hurt you,” Owen continues.
“How has he hurt me?”
“By not respecting you enough to wait for your wedding night. A good Irish girl waits to have sex. He’s already corrupting you. When word gets out that you’re no longer a virgin, this will hurt your reputation.”
I stand up. “This will only hurt my reputation if you tell anyone.”
Owen stares me down. “And why wouldn’t I tell anyone?”
“Because then you’d be hurting me!” Owen blinks at my words. “James isn’t going to say anything. What does he gain by doing so? Keep this to yourself, and no one else has to know. Can you do that for me? Please, Owen.”
He sighs deeply in his chest. “You’re asking a lot from me.”
“No, I’m not. You’re my brother. You’re always going on and on about wanting to protect me. So do that. Protect the truth. Keep it to yourself.”
“Yeah,” Lucy adds lamely. “You’re a good brother, Owen. Do right by Olivia.”
Owen doesn’t even look in Lucy’s direction as he says, “Fine. I won't say a word. But I am telling Dad that we need to speed up this wedding. And no more seeing James until then.” I huff. Owen holds up a hand, silencing me. “Understood?”
There’s no point in arguing with him. “Fine,” I mutter.
“Good. I’ll tell Dad right now that the wedding needs to happen by the end of the week.”
“I thought you didn’t want me marrying James.”
