Total pages in book: 108
Estimated words: 104802 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 524(@200wpm)___ 419(@250wpm)___ 349(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 104802 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 524(@200wpm)___ 419(@250wpm)___ 349(@300wpm)
I turn to see Rory take another hit off his vape. “Why would I care how levelheaded Cillian is?”
He shrugs. “Because you’re all normal and shit. You’re a good guy, while we…aren’t.”
I’m shocked into a moment of silence when I almost say that Cillian is a good guy. That probably shouldn’t be my instinct when it comes to him. Being nice to someone sometimes doesn’t make you good, but then, maybe there are levels of good. Maybe no one is completely one thing. “That still doesn’t explain why you think I’m supposed to care. Who Cillian is or what he does has nothing to do with me.”
“Doesn’t it, though? At least for now, Cil has decided you’re his. Don’t fuck that up. I don’t want to have to kill you. Should we get food on the way back to your dorm? I’m starving.”
Rory keeps moving, but I’m rooted on the spot. Did he just threaten to murder me? This is probably one of those moments I should be scared because he does, in fact, kill people, but it doesn’t feel the same as knowing those guys who attacked me have my information. This just pisses me off. “Hey, screw you. People don’t just walk around saying stuff like that to others.”
Rory stops. “That you’re Cillian’s?” His brows draw together.
What? This man is the most confusing person I’ve ever met. I’d think he was joking, but I’m fairly certain he has no clue what I mean. “No. You threatened to…” I look around, making sure no one’s close. “You know…” I make a slitting motion across my throat. The second I do it, I realize how ridiculous it is. Apparently, Rory agrees because he bursts out laughing. “I don’t like you.” I cross my arms and start walking again.
“Aw, come on. We’re bonding!” He catches up and surprises me by throwing an arm around my shoulders. “If it makes you feel better, I don’t want to kill you. And if I do, it’ll piss Cillian off, which I also don’t like, but he’s never claimed anyone before, and while he hasn’t said the words with you, I know him. Isn’t that a normal thing to do? Warn a person not to hurt someone they love?”
My brain is spinning with all the information he’s throwing at me. Murder threat aside, he’s making it sound like Cillian likes me. “He hasn’t claimed me.” People can’t be claimed. That’s not how it works.
“Whatever you say.” His arm’s still around me.
“I’m serious. He hasn’t. We don’t even know each other—not really.” But I do know he loves his mom, that he lost her and misses her. That he has a shitty relationship with his father, and that Rory is his person. That there’s nothing he wouldn’t do for Tiernan, and by extension Dean, simply because Tiernan loves Dean. I know he’s a caretaker by nature, even if he doesn’t see it. That he’s bossy but also sweet and…
“Why do you look all dazed? I didn’t break you, did I?”
“What? No. I’m not broken. I’m just…processing.” Rory can’t be right. Why would Cillian want me? “He wants to have sex with me.” That’s all this is.
“Well, no shit. Who wouldn’t want to have sex with you?”
“Wait. What?”
“I’d fuck you too. I’d fuck you with Cillian. It would be fun.”
I stumble over a stick or, I don’t know, the air. Rory chuckles again.
“I think you and Cillian are secretly in love with each other.”
Rory frowns. “It’s not like that. Not between any of us. I love him. I probably love him more than anyone in this world and that will never change, but I’m not in love with him. He’s like…another part of myself, if that makes sense. I would never be just with Cillian, but I enjoy being with him when someone is between us. And I would take out the whole fucking world for him if he needed me to.”
How does one reply to that? It’s intense, but I’m learning everything about the mini mob is intense. And there’s no denying their love for each other, their bond. I’ve never seen anything like it, and people who care about others this much, no matter who they are, can’t be all bad.
There’s something about the way Rory and Cillian speak about each other, about the connection they have, that is…intriguing to me. I can’t imagine what it would feel like to have someone love me that much.
“I’m glad you have each other,” I find myself saying.
“Me too. Now can we get some fucking food? I’m dying here. Seriously, I might be small, but I can eat like a fucking horse. Also, Cil will probably be mad if I don’t feed you. He said when you’re better, we’re going to teach you how to fight.”
He just spitfired what feels like a hundred different topics at me at once. I’m not sure what to tackle first.