AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“We weren’t having a conversation, old man.”
His gaze burns me with a threat when he whispers to me, “I will enjoy fucking the defiance out of you.”
Shivers run down my arms like crawling spiders.
Kieran’s eyes flicker with murder and his hand shoots to Delaney’s neck. I watch in fascination as Delaney’s eyes bulge from the sheer force, face swollen, mouth opening on a gurgle. When the color changes to a shade of purple, I see the desire in my husband’s eyes to end him. But this is not the right place. I wrap my arm around his and he pushes Delaney away. He bendsdown, hands splayed on his knees as he forces air into his hungry lungs.
“This stunt you pulled sealed your fucking fate.”
After catching his breath, Delaney looks at Kieran and then arranges his tie and disappears through the terrace door.
“Sweetheart, look at me.” He tips my chin up and says, “Would I allow anyone to get to you?”
I shake my head, unable to form words.
“You disrespect yourself and me by being afraid of that cockroach. He’ll be done by the end of the night. Come on, you don’t want to miss the show,” he says. The cold and calculating Kieran is back.
“Never show your fears. Lesser men thrive on it.”
Inside, I find my brother standing next to my father. I pause. Remembering Kieran’s words, I hold my head high and approach him. A flicker of surprise crosses his eyes.
I am not the girl you used to know.
“Father.”
“Aurora.”
Kieran wraps his arms around me, kissing my bare shoulder. I place my hand on his as it rests on my stomach. My father’s expression constricts with fury at our closeness.
“Enjoy the party. You never know when it will be your last,” Kieran says, and my father narrows his eyes at him. As we step away, we hear him ask my brother what that was about. I turn my head slightly and see Cameron shrug and smile into the rim of his champagne flute.
Knowing our father killed our mother, Cameron’s self-restraint and patience over the years is astounding. Because whatever happens tonight, my father will lose it all, and I am not sorry. Not at all.
“Dance with me.”
In Kieran’s arms, I forget everyone’s staring at us. We’re the only ones dancing without a care. I love him. With my arms around his neck, I lift on my toes to tell him this when my eyes land on my uncle. Hayden smiles, lifting his flute to me. I detangle myself from Kieran.
“What’s my uncle doing here?”
“Ah, so Hayden showed up.”
I grip his chin between my thumb and forefinger and say, “If something happens to him, I will never forgive you.”
“Where are you going?”
“To talk to him.” I pin him with a glare when he opens his mouth. “Alone.”
I walk over and hug him. The last time we saw each other was too short.
“I think your husband plans to kill me,” my uncle says, unaffected.
“Not without getting through me first.” I loop my hand around his elbow and we take the stairs toward the porch that leads to a small garden.
“How long are you staying?”
“Only for the weekend. You could come back with me?”
“I can’t.”
