Page 235 of The Villain We Tempt

He’s alsocrazy. Like, legit a diagnosed psychopath. People usually pick up on that within a few minutes of meeting him. There’s just something slightlyoff, whether it's the way he makes unbroken eye contact or the way he has the answer to any question or problem before anyone else. Or just that hint of savagery and madness you can maybe see in the edges of his eyes sometime.

Cillian psychopathy comes with a certain…bloodlust, or at least a trend towards violence. And he quenches those needs byspecifically targeting the worst dregs of society, his favorites being those who prey on and abuse children.

Coolest great-uncle ever.

But while it would be anightmareto be his enemy, my uncle would burn the world down for his family.

“Sláinte,” he murmurs, clinking his glass to mine after the bartender slides them in front of us.

“So,” I say after taking a sip. “How’re my furry cousins?”

Cillian and Aunt Una don’t have kids of their own, due to them both having nightmarish childhoods. They have three cats instead: Ghost, Diablo, and Bones.

…The names make a lot more sense when you realize that Cillian and Una have a real Gomez and Morticia thing going on. They’re both always all in black and give off a very Prince and Lady of Darkness energy.

He chuckles. “Fur babies are good. Spoiled, obviously, given their mother.”

I grin and shake my head. “How’s my favorite?”

“Bones? His usual prickish self, God bless ‘im.”

I’m a big fan of all three of my cat-cousins. But Bones is my favorite, probably because he’s such a little douchebag. He's alsoinsanelyold for a cat, at nearly thirty.

“Howisit exactly that he’s still with us? Not that I'm complaining.”

Cillian arches a brow. “Have youmetmy wife?” He grins. “Witchcraft, obviously.”

He smirks.

“So, are we going to pussyfoot around the subject, or are you going to tell me about the girl who has you all twisted up?”

Goddammit.

My brow furrows. “Who told you?”

He shrugs. “Lochlan, Lochlan, when have you ever knownme…good Irish lad that I am…to be a squealer?”

“Bella, right?”

“I plead the fifth, your honor.”

It was totally Bella. She isn’t related to Cil, but her dad, my uncle Hades, is pretty close to him, and at some point that transferred to Cillian and Bella having a close relationship as well.

Maybe it’s that they both love the outdoors so much? They’ve been known to go on these long-ass hikes together or take the occasional camping trip over the years.

But honestly, it’s probably just because they’re both fucking psychos.

“Sosomeonewho shall remain nameless told you…what, exactly?”

“That you’ve been at minimum sleeping with one of the students in the class you’ve been TAing.”

I cock a brow. “Is that so?”

He nods and takes a sip of his drink. “I got curious. You know what they say about retirement. Idle hands and all that.”

I frown. “I… Do they say that?”

“Well,I’msaying it,” he shrugs. “So, I looked into this poor professor of yours whose class you took over.” Cillian turns to look at me fully, an amused expression on his face. “Funny thing, his brakes failing like that.”