Chapter 20
Chapter Twenty
RILEY
The sun is already up when I finally close my notebook after spending all night pouring over my notes.
I rub my eyes and glance at the time.
It’s just past six, which means I have just enough time to shower, speed through one last set of flashcards, and drag myself to campus for my final exam. Once it’s done, I’ll finally be on vacation for the next two months, which, if I’m being honest, I’m dreading more than the test.
Studying has been the best kind of distraction over these last couple of days since I got back from Vegas. It’s been a reason to keep my head down and my thoughts focused. I’ve basically turned myself into a caffeine-powered study machine, and it’s been working.
Sort of.
But after today, the distraction ends, and I’ll have nothing left to buffer me from the giant emotional hangover I’ve been avoiding since Vegas, and I have a feeling it’s going to hit me like a giant freight train.
Things between Kieran and me have been getting progressively worse, but that might have something to do with the fact that I’ve been freezing him out in an attempt to pretend like our night in the pool never happened.
But the reality is it did, and every time I so much as look at Kieran, it feels like my entire body has been placed inside a furnace.
What makes matters worse is that he doesn’t seem even remotely bothered by my lack of interest in him. If anything, he seems relieved, which only adds to my growing confusion.
I quickly hop in the shower and get ready for the day before rushing downstairs to make something to eat before I need to head to campus.
I’m just finishing off the last bite of my toast and carrying my plate to the sink as Kieran appears, wearing nothing but a pair of black workout shorts.
His dark hair is soaked with sweat, and so is his skin, and he awkwardly scratches the back of his neck as he attempts to look anywhere but at me.
I don’t know why he’s acting like he didn’t expect me to be here because this has basically been my morning routine all week.
He glances at the mountain of notes on the island and frowns. “Exam?”
I nod without looking at him because I don’t trust myself not to get distracted by his abs. “Last one.”
He doesn’t say anything, and for a moment, I almost expect him to offer me a good luck or you’ve got this. But this is Kieran we’re talking about. Things haven’t exactly been warm between us lately, so I should be thankful for the silence. It’s less exhausting than fighting.
“I’m sending someone with you,” he says instead.
I whirl around to face him. “What?”
“One of my guys will wait outside the building and drive you back after.”
“I’m not a child,” I cross my arms.
“No, you’re not. But we haven’t heard a thing from Sean, which doesn’t sit right with me. Until I know what he’s planning, I’m not letting you out of my sight without backup.”
I open my mouth to argue again but stop.
It’s clear from the look on his face that he’s not going to back down from this, and right now, I don’t have a spare ounce of energy to put toward arguing with him.
I grab my bag. “Fine. I’ll be ready in ten.”
Two hours later, I’m walking out of the exam room grinning like an idiot.
I nailed it. I know I did, and now I can officially shut the books and relax for the rest of the summer.
I’m just about to text Jace, Kieran’s guard dog who’s been assigned to me for the day, to let him know I’m done when a shriek hits me.
“RILEY!”
Lucy barrels toward me with her arms outstretched.
I barely have time to brace myself before she slams into me with a hug so tight I nearly drop my phone.
“We’re FREE!” She jumps up and down while still clinging to me. “The semester is over, baby!”
“Thank God.” I laugh as I hug her back.
“You’re coming to Carter’s party tonight, right?” Lucy pulls back, narrowing her eyes at me.
Somehow, she still manages to look put together despite the fact she was also up all night studying. She even put on a full face of makeup and a cute outfit, whereas I look like I spent the night sleeping on the streets.
“No excuses. I haven’t seen you in days.”
I adjust my bag on my shoulder. “Sure. I’ll come with you.”
She blinks. “Really? Just like that? I don’t need to bribe or threaten you?”
I grin. “Take the win, Luce, before I change my mind.”
The truth is, I can’t think of anything I would rather do less than go to a party filled with sweaty frat boys and cheap beer.
But it sounds better than lying in bed replaying Kieran’s voice in my head.
“You’re the one who forced me to marry Riley in the first place, so forgive me for trying to find some sort of way to make it tolerable.”
I must flinch because Lucy’s expression suddenly shifts from excited to concerned.
She reaches out and grips my hand. “Hey. Are you okay? I feel like I haven’t spoken to you since you got back from Vegas.”
“I know, I’m sorry. There’s been a lot on my mind.”
Lucy glances down at our intertwined hands and eyes the thin gold band on my ring finger.
“Does this have anything to do about your lawfully wedded husband?”
“Please don’t refer to him as my husband. I don’t need reminding.”
“We can go and grab coffee and talk about it if you want?”
“Uh…” I look around and spot Jace hovering near the exit.
Lucy follows my gaze, and I roll my eyes when she spots Jace.
“Who is that?”
“My babysitter.”
“Seriously? He is hot.”
“Lucy.”
“Can he come to Carter’s party too?”
“You are insatiable,” I sigh. “My point is, where I go, Jace goes.”
“I am more than okay with that.” Lucy’s gaze is still fixed on Jace.
“I’m being serious.”
“So am I!” She laughs.
“He’s been instructed to bring me straight home after my exam.”
“Since when do you let a man tell you what to do?” Lucy gives me a pointed look. “Besides, you’re coming out tonight, so you’ll be breaking the rules anyway. You might as well start now.”
“Honestly, it’s not worth the fallout with Kieran. Things are already…rocky between us, and I don’t have the energy to deal with him right now.”
“Why, what happened?”
“I…might have slept with him.”
“WHAT?”
“Shh!” I grab Lucy by the arm, leading her away from the crowd of students that are still lingering outside.
This is not the sort of conversation I want to have overheard.
“Why am I only hearing about this now?” Lucy demands. “Was it good? Was he big—”
“Why is that the first thing you want to know…” I bury my face in my hands.
“Because this is Kieran Sullivan we’re talking about, here. The guy is a walking sex machine.”
“Please don’t remind me.”
“Come on, Riley. Whatever happened, I’m sure it wasn’t that bad. Unless he wasn’t big at all?” Lucy grimaces, and I roll my eyes at her, though my lips twitch. “Give me some details here, please. I’m dying!”
“The sex was…amazing, and I thought Kieran and I were finally connecting… But it turns out I had him all wrong.”
“How so?”
“I overheard him telling Ronan that the only way he can make this arrangement tolerable is if he makes it physical.”
Lucy’s expression hardens as she places her hands on her hips. “He actually said that?”
“Yeah…”
“What an asshole. He doesn’t deserve someone as amazing as you as his wife.”
I swallow past the lump in my throat as the emotions I’ve been suppressing for the past few days threaten to surface.
She claps her hands together. “Right. No more Kieran talk. You’re going to come over to my place before the party so we can pre-drink, and you can help curl my hair. No arguments.”
“Fine.” I give her a reluctant smile. “But if anyone tries to make me play beer pong, I’m leaving.”
After saying goodbye to Lucy, I silently follow Jace back to the car. I’m not in the mood to make polite conversation, so I take the backseat, hoping he’ll get the message to leave me alone.
I almost feel bad for the guy for being put on babysitting duty, but then I realize I don’t care.
My post-exam high has officially worn off, leaving me feeling completely deflated.
I lean my head back and close my eyes to have a quick power nap on the way back to the penthouse.
My phone starts buzzing in the front pocket of my bag.
I groan and fish it out.
It’s Oscar.
He’s been deathly quiet since the last time we spoke, but his sudden call has me wondering if word of my marriage to Kieran has finally reached him.
I consider letting the call go to voicemail, but knowing Oscar, he’ll only continue to harass me until I answer.
“Hello?”
“What the hell is going on, Riley?”
“Hi, Oscar. Nice to hear from you, too.”
“You’re married? Are you out of your goddamn mind?”
I roll my eyes as I exhale through my nose. “What can I say? I’m high on love.”
Oscar sounds like he’s practically choking on his own breath. “You can’t be serious. Whatever game you and Kieran Sullivan are playing, it stops, now.”
“I’m not playing any sort of game.”
“Bullshit.”
Oscar is seething, and I can’t deny it cheers me up just a little.
“Kieran and I are in love. So, we decided to elope.”
I glance up and catch Jace’s eye in the rearview mirror.
His expression is unreadable, but I know full well he’ll be retelling this entire conversation to Kieran the moment we get home.
“How could you do this? Do you have any idea what kind of position you’ve put us in? Sean O’Keefe is going to bury us.”
“That’s not really my problem. If you and Rion hadn’t tried to auction me off to him in the first place, I wouldn’t have been forced to turn my back on my family.”
He laughs bitterly. “You really expect me to believe that you and Kieran are in love? Riley, be serious. This wasn’t some whirlwind romance. This was a move. A calculated, reckless, stupid move.”
“Believe what you want, I don’t care anymore. But just know that Ronan is taking care of Sean, so you don’t need to worry.”
“How very generous of him,” he spits. “Jesus. Does Kieran even know what you’ve dragged him into?”
My stomach twists at the mention of his name. “I have to go. And unless you’re calling to congratulate me or tell me you’re accepting my marriage, don’t call me again.”
“Riley—”
I hang up the call.
By the time I get home, my hands are still shaking. I storm straight up to my room and slam the door behind me before tossing my bag on the floor and collapsing on the bed.
I’m so tired of being told what to do and of second-guessing every decision I make. But most of all, I’m tired of trying to figure out Kieran Sullivan.
The sex meant something to me. But instead of feeling empowered by my choice, it left me feeling like an idiot for believing that what Kieran and I had could have been real.
I lie, staring at the ceiling until a text from Lucy lights up my phone, and I quickly swipe open the screen and scan the message.
Lucy: Tequila is secured. Be here at 7. Wear something slutty.
Maybe a party isn’t the worst idea, after all…