Page 144 of Godless Saints

“Wait. Go back.” I leaned in, voice dropping under the pounding music. “Seamus Carrick? What do you know?”

“Oh, Cillian. Stay on topic.” Sawyer was about to keep going when a hand landed on my shoulder.

“Hey. You’re here.” Moon leaned down and kissed my cheek. Warmth flooded my chest so fast it almost hurt. Sawyer just sipped his champagne, eyes glinting.

“Let’s meet at 1 a.m. by the cemetery. Shall we?” He slipped away. Moon took his seat.

“What the hell was that about?”

“It’s nothing for you to worry about, prince.” I put my hand on his knee, squeezing once. Warm skin under my palm. He looked at me.

“At the cottage, after last time. We promised each other, no more secrets.”

“I know. But it’s about Declan, and you told me not to tell you.”

He tensed under my hand. Spine locked. His gaze slid away.

“What did Sawyer do? He promised he’d stop with the psychotic shit.” His eyes scanned the room for Sawyer, jaw tight.

“No. It wasn’t Sawyer.” I held his stare. “It was me.”

Vivienne came running over, breathless. “Hello boys. The group’s heading to the old boathouse to drink. You coming?”

Moon stood, tension still coiled in his shoulders. “Sure. You coming, Cillian?”

We left together, my hand staying on the small of his back the whole way.

As we approached the boathouse the lights were already on, music thumping low, less obnoxious than the banquet. We stepped inside. Aleksei, Misha, Sawyer and Kaelan were hunched over poker. Some guy with glasses I didn’t recognize sat with them. He felt familiar. Vivi headed straight over. Moon followed.

Aleksei gathered the cards. “I’ll deal.”

Beer, champagne and wine already flowed around the table.

“I never thought I’d finish first year of Evermourne sitting with three Thorn boys, one Vesper, and one Dahlia. But here we are.”

“Cheers to that.” Misha lifted his glass. Kaelan clinked and downed his in one go. “Fuck. We still got work to do though.”

“What’s that?” Vivienne asked, all sweet innocence while studying her cards. She had a terrifying poker face. I’d give her that.

Kaelan tossed chips into the pot. “Declan, little girl.”

“Don’t call her little girl,” Aleksei growled.

“Touchy. These Russians.”

“Wait. So Declan’s alive?” Moon cut in, voice tight.

“Yes. Alive. Because your Irish boyfriend couldn’t finish the fucking job.”

I flicked a poker chip at Kaelan. “You left for that goddamn owl.”

Sawyer cracked up.

The guy with the glasses cut his eyes to Kaelan.

Kaelan snatched the glasses off his face. “Easy, Birdie. No need to lose your shit.”

Noah lunged. Kaelan held them high, laughing low, then wiped them clean on his own shirt before sliding them back on Noah’s face himself, thumb brushing his cheek. “Relax. I’ve got you.”