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I do another Hail Mary against my thigh as my heart sinks deep in my belly. They’ll never see me as anything other than someone to marry off and be their carbon copy of Cousin Theresa.
“Ladies, gentlemen. How are you doing this glorious summer day?”
My heart lurches up from the pit of my belly and wedges itself in my throat. I’ll never be saint Theresa – I doubtsheever stood in the courtyard of a church at eighteen, in front of her parents,gazing at a man she’d slept with – a man twice her age. A man she wasn’t married to.
I straighten my back and try to hide the smirk on my face.If they only knew…
21
Aidan
My white button-down shirt is more fitted than the ones I wear in the office. The first two buttons are open, and I’ve rolled the sleeves up to my elbows. It clings to my V-shaped torso the same way my dressy jeans mould around my arse and thighs. I’ve always made sure to keep a good work-out routine. This summer, however, I’ve put in more than the usual effort. I bask in the gazes of the women in front of me – and the envy of the men.
“Aidan, so glad you could make it.” Finbar shakes my hand at the same time as he sucks in his belly – as much as he can.
“I wouldn’t miss it for the world.” I push my aviators up on my head and bend down to kiss his wife’s cheek. “Irene, you’ve even arranged for the sun to attend.”
“It’s all part of perfect planning.” Irene preens. Perfect planning indeed – this is the most sickening see-and-be-seen event I’ve ever been to. How they have the audacity to call it a charity event is beyond me. “Aidan, you remember my brother Edward and his wife Elizabeth?”
“Of course.”
I greet the couple that I’ve had the unfortunate pleasure of meeting a few times before. Edward has the facial expression of someone who has eaten a lemon whole, while there’s a spark in Elizabeth’s eyes when she drags them down my body. I suppress a shudder and turn my gaze to Caitlin. She’s the epitome of Irish innocence in her modest white summer dress. Her flowing red locks are held back by a green ribbon that matches her eyes.
“Caitlin. Don’t you look pretty today.”
“Thank you, Mr Byrne,” she replies politely and sucks in a breath of air as I lean down to kiss her blushing cheek. I have an urge to drag her behind the corner, lift her white dress and let everyone hear her scream my name while I fuck her from behind. Taking her virginity was above and beyond what I thought it would be. I’ve never been so turned on, never come so hard. I growl quietly, remembering the sight of her innocence smeared on my cock – the taste of it on my tongue – all with Finbar only meters away down the corridor.
I can’t get over the worry in her eyes when she searched my face and asked if she was too tight. It was comical at the same time as her concern made me feel cherished, cared for. Such contradicting yet complimenting things. In that moment, she owned me.
I blink away the memory as I furrow my brows and ask sternly, “I hope you’re wearing sunscreen?”
She nods. “Factor fifty.”
“Good girl.” I wink and chuckle quietly as she shuffles her feet, all flustered.
“We were just talking about how well Fin is doing in the company,” Finbar says, and I force myself away from his tempting daughter.
“Is that so?”
“Yes, his new campaign is going to be a roaring success. I can feel it in my bones.” His eyes are hard as if he’s challenging me to dispute him as he continues. “Fin has such vision and brings a breath of fresh air with his youthful inspiration.”
I think I just threw up in my mouth, and I can’t quite hide the bite in my voice when I say, “Caitlin is doing quite well in the company too.”
“Are you working for the company, Caitlin?” her aunt asks, her plucked eyebrows raised all the way up to her hairline.
“Yes, I’ve been working there this summer. I—”
“Oh, it’s just for fun, gives her something to do over the summer,” her mother interrupts, waving her hand as if she’s swatting at an annoying fly. Then she adds smugly, “Like you said about Theresa knowing antiques; there’s no harm in Caitlin knowing her way around diamonds and jewellery. I mean, it’s good to have an understanding of the value of the gifts from her future husband.”
Elizabeth’s nostrils flare momentarily before she pushes a forced laugh past her lips. “So true, Irene, so true.”
What the hell?Caitlin told me the other day how her mother dismisses her work, but I didn’t understand the severity of her behaviour. I grind my teeth while they keep chatting. Up until now, whenever Finbar or Irene have talked down to Caitlin, it’s been playing their daughter right into my hands. But now, it annoys me – angers me even. Maybe it has to do with me mentoring her, and that her work is a reflection on mine? Or am I starting to feel protective over the sweet fairy?
The conversation goes on and I feel more and more vindictive and sick. I glance down at Caitlin. She seems to have caved in on herself; she looks more like the girl that they treat her as thana woman. But little do they know that their innocent angel is all deflowered and, she may even be pregnant. I hum to myself. What shame that would bring on her family.
I best be careful, though. I want a kid but I’m not so desperate that I’ll try to make Finbar’s daughter pregnant. Still, I allow myself the mental image of young fairy Caitlin with a swelling belly. I imagine the disapproving glare from Father Murray and the mortification that would tint Irene’s cheeks.
I catch the young woman’s green eyes and whisper under my breath, “Come find me in five minutes.” Before she’s got a chance to react, I turn to Finbar and ask, “Where are the bathrooms?”
