his temple with the same finger once. “But I’m still aware of every fucking thing, darlin’.”
Setting his arms on each side of my chair, he pulled it forward like I weighed nothing and leaned in closer. His mouth was a kiss away, but instead, he ran his nose up my cheek and put his mouth close to my ear after my eyes had closed. “The truth of it is,” he breathed out, “some hearts have to be given. Not yours, fierce archer. It had to be stolen. Otherwise, you wouldn’t have given it willingly. Not to Stone. Not to me. Not to any man. It’s a fight to the death to earn your love. You’re the most expensive date I’ve ever had.”
“What about yours?” I whispered. “Your heart?”
“What’s inside?” He palmed the pendant he’d given me, the chain probably resting between his fingers. I could feel the pull of it as he slowly moved back.
It took me a minute to open my eyes, and when I did, his eyes were burning a dangerous green. I didn’t think there was a jealous bone in his body, but the color of his eyes were meant to claim and keep. His.
“I haven’t found it yet.” I entwined my hand with his, the chain coming between our fingers. “The key.”
“You haven’t looked hard enough.” He grinned at me, but it wasn’t playful; it was daring. “Prove me wrong.”
Oh, I think I already have, Kelly.
Using the chain, he pulled me even closer and set his lips against mine again. When we pulled away, I got the same dizziness that I did when I held my breath. Stars danced behind my eyes, and I grabbed onto the bar to keep myself grounded.
“I’ll take care of you, Keely Kelly,” he said. “I won’t let you fall again. No truce needed.”
I tried to pull away, but he wouldn’t let me. I had fallen so many times after my sister was killed, from holding my breath, that my Da put a helmet on my head to stop me from damaging my brain. I didn’t know how to live without my other half.
Looking at this man who purposely stole my heart, I didn’t think I could live without him, either. He had somehow stepped into that empty shadow and filled the void, stealing the guilt and the pain. It didn’t hurt as much when he was around.
Meeting his eyes, I nodded once. “I choose to believe you.”
He echoed my nod. “Sos,” he said. “Truce.”
The word sounded like “sauce,” but he’d said it in that way people do when they’re pronouncing a foreign word.
“Sos,” I repeated, squeezing his hand.
We released the chain from between us, and he stood from his stool, holding out his hand for me. I took it, and he led me to the middle of the restaurant, stopping to pull me close and move me to a slow song that the band in the corner was playing.
“I never got to dance with my bride,” he said.
I laughed in his ear as we moved. “That’s what happens when you steal a bride.”
“You get a heart,” he said. “So fucking grand.”
I laughed even louder as he dipped me.
After our dance, we ate at the bar, and I couldn’t remember the last time I’d laughed so much. Kelly had jokes for days, ones I knew Mari would appreciate, and every time he’d smile at me, I found that he no longer had to steal my time and attention. Without ploys and games and barriers—I was giving it.
We spent so much time at Sullivan’s that, by the time we left, it was already dark out and too late to attend the event. Kelly didn’t seem to care, and neither did I.
It was a beautiful night to be out, no place to be, and as we walked down the street holding hands, I thought about how nice it was going to be to spend some time with Kelly outside of New York.
He was always preoccupied with his “work.” He even worked on Sundays. My schedule was rigorous, and with Maureen and the kids, it seemed like my days were always filled up.
I wasn’t sure what it would be like to have more than a couple of hours to spend with each other. It wasn’t an extended trip—I had obligations with work. A couple of days, though, with no work distractions, were going to be a change of pace.
I imagined Kelly on a beach in Sicily somewhere, no shirt, and a shot of desire