My body moves instinctively towards him. In that heightened moment, all the arguments I’ve built up in my head come tumbling down.
It feels like there’s nothing I’ve wanted more than another kiss from him.
Just one more, I tell myself.
And then I’ll go back to my own personal hell and live out the rest of my days with the memory of his kiss on my lips.
It’ll be worth it.
Just one more.
One.
Last.
Ki—
A sudden screech pierces the night like a needle. I recoil and stifle a scream. The cat hisses wildly and darts into the nearby bushes. Cillian is on his feet in seconds.
“What the hell—”
“It’s the alarm,” he rasps urgently, his eyes flying around the garden. “Stay close to me.”
“What’s happening?” I ask, getting to my feet with him. “What alarm? What does that mean? Is someone here?”
They’re stupid questions, I know, but my brain is short-circuiting from the roller coaster of emotions and now this.
Cillian doesn’t bother answering any of them. He just grabs my hand and tugs me along in his wake as we sprint out of the fenced-in graveyard.
Up ahead, I hear a commotion. Pounding feet. The clack of metal—is that a gun? I don’t know. Fear and longing and a million other emotions I can’t name are surging up in me.
I can’t think. I can’t breathe.
I can only follow Cillian and hope to God this ends okay.
Two men turn the corner and I stiffen, but Cillian doesn’t react. “It’s okay,” he reassures me. “They’re my men.”
My men.
It seems he’s fallen seamlessly into a leadership role while he’s here.
Why does that frighten me?
Whatever the answer to that is, I let him pull me along as though I’m some helpless child.
“Rhys!” Cillian calls.
“False alarm, boss,” the man named Rhys shouts back. “There hasn’t been a breach.”
“Are you sure?” Cillian asks. His grip on my hand is painful now.
“Yeah. Someone delivered a package at the main gate. They got a little too close and it tripped the alarm,” he explains. Cool as hell, totally unruffled.
“A package?” Cillian repeats.
“Yes, sir. I’m going over to take a look now.”
“I’ll come with you,” Cillian says. At last, he releases my hand. But as soon as his touch is gone, I want it back. “Logan, why don’t you escort Saoirse up to her room?”