Page 133 of Broken Lies
“You shouldn’t have left.” Kieran sighs as his shoulders sag. “I went out of my mind with worry.”
“I’m sorry. But I needed some space. I even thought about going to Lucy’s, but if something happened to her because of me, I’d never forgive myself.”
“So, you picked a hotel with zero security instead?” His eyes flick to mine, and I wince at the flash of anger reflected in them. “You don’t get it, do you? I don’t care how mad you are at me, you can’t just walk into danger to avoid an uncomfortable conversation.”
“I wasn’t avoiding it!”
He snorts.
“Okay, Iwas. But only because I didn’t want to hear you say that you regretted what happened.”
“I would never say that. Because Idon’tregret what we did. But I do regret not giving you something better.”
“Okay…”
“And if you ever try to run from me again, Riley, I swear?—”
“You’ll cuff me to a radiator?”
He smiles, shaking his head. “Don’t tempt me.”
He walks over and sits on the edge of the coffee table in front of me. He leans forward, resting his forearms on histhighs and looks up at me under his thick, dark lashes. “I’m not going anywhere, so stop trying to give me reasons to walk away because they’re not going to work.”
I meet his eyes and for the first time since this mess started, I believe him.
“I’m sorry I left.”
Kieran exhales as he rubs his hands up and down his thighs.
“I’m sorry for handcuffing you to the car.”
I chuckle.
“And I promise that the next time I handcuff you, it won’t be to a moving vehicle.”
“Excuse me? There’s not going to be a next time.”
Kieran flashes me a wicked grin, and that familiar heat starts to build in my lower stomach.
“Trust me, you’re going to want there to be a next time.” He leans in and presses his lips to mine.
