Page 75 of Fractured Memories

It’s the first time he’s said that outside of sex, which makes my pulse pick up. It must be important. “Which is?”

“Why haven’t you moved back into our room?”

I hadn’t really thought about it. He put me in that guest room, and a part of me expected him to move everything back when he was ready. I didn’t think he was waiting for me.

Tilting my head, I give him a teasing smile. “Are you asking me to move in with you, Kieran?”

His dark gaze drops down to my mouth. “Do I need to force a yes out of you, wife? I have no problem playing dirty to get what I want.”

I chuckle. “Maybe.” My tone softens. “You want me back in your room? Every night?”

“Of course I do. I never wanted you anywhere else. I was just trying to give you space to adjust—which I hated—but I love—” He blinks, composing himself. “Having you in my bed. I don’t want you anywhere else but with me.”

I don’t want anything else, either. But I prefer making Kieran work for it. He doesn’t like me to make it too easy on him after all.

Rolling my hips into him, I answer, “I could be convinced.”

His expression quickly shifts, hungry and dangerous. He’s about to edge me until I’m pleading, but that’s what I want. And in the end, I’ll say yes. I just want him to drag the words out of me.

Just like I know that there are certain ones I’ll have to drag out of him eventually. As difficult as words are for Kieran, as twisted as he might be, I know that he loves me. But I also know he won’t open himself up to say it when things are still so uncertain between us.

Even if I think I might love him, too.

CHAPTER 25

KIERAN

Eight months before Eden went missing…

Rohan runs a hand along the bottles of his very extensive whiskey collection in his home. He’s worse than I am, keeping several bottles of everything we have made on hand at all times.

There is nothing he takes more seriously than his whiskey.

Finally selecting one, he turns back to where Lochlan and I are lounging. He quickly fills our glasses before taking one of the two empty seats.

It’s a testament to how far Miles pushed the three of us during today’s meeting as we sip in silence. Even Lochlan’s jaw is tight with annoyance as he finishes off his glass.

It takes another pour before anyone is ready to speak, and I’m surprised that it’s Rohan that breaks the silence. “That prick loves the sound of his own voice.”

Lochlan nods, taking another sip from his glass. “I think he’s reveling in my misery.”

“And they call us sadistic,” I muse.

Miles has been insufferable over the last few weeks. The unrest in the lower class and classless has mostly been handled with increased patrols and whatever the hell Miles does to make people happy. But the rebel activity has only increased.

What has been odd is that their methods have changed. For years, they’ve attacked the buildings closest to the valley, occasionally our cars or the guards when they manage to track the rotations. We’ve known where they were and could send them retreating when necessary.

But something is different. And it seems that it’s all centered around Parker taking control of the rebels. He’s changed the game.

Every targeted attack has been better planned, and oddly, in the city itself. They have gone after the supply chains, the factories, the parts that keep our community going. Not the food or medicine, but areas that will draw attention and irritate the fuck out of the upper class—and to some extent, me.

What’s worse is that every plan we have to stop them has fallen apart. More guards on patrol haven’t caught them. Their camp seems to be moving on a rotation, one we can’t determine, so I can’t just kill them all and be done with it. It feels like they know every move we are going to make, and it is frustrating the fuck out of me.

Mostly because Miles won’t shut up about it. He wants us to plan, to solve the problem.

I want to shoot him and set the forest on fire so that this fucking headache is over.

“Remind me why I haven’t put a bullet through his skull.” Rohan drains his glass and fills it again, topping Lochlan and me off.