“And you don’t want to.”
“I need to know what happens next,” I said, facing him. “When this escalates. When your brothers figure it out. Who I am to you. Who my daughter is to you.”
His expression shifted—shocked for half a second, then resolute. “She’s mine. You’re mine. Who gives a fuck what they think? You’re my family, too.”
My knees buckled under the weight of that. Of the wanting. Of the years of silence and distance and every furious, unresolved heartbeat.
I turned to walk away. That was stupid.
Because Kieran Callahan had let me go once…and he was never going to make that mistake again.
Kieran caught my wrist, tugging gently, seductively. His fingers slid down, threading with mine, pulling me back toward him with the kind of confidence that made my stomach clench. My back hit his chest and his lips found my pulse, lips parting as his warm breath tickled the curve of my jaw.
“Kieran,” I warned, but my voice already sounded too soft.
“No more running,” he said.
Before I could argue, he spun me and backed me against the wall. Not hard, not scary, just…inevitable. Like gravity. His mouth found mine before I could say another word. It wasn’t sweet. There was no careful testing of boundaries. He kissed me like he was claiming lost ground—tongue pushing deep, lips rough, like he was furious at me for shutting him out.
My God, he was such a good kisser.
My heart stuttered as he grabbed my wrists and pinned them over my head.
“You missed me too,” he said, his voice hoarse as he broke the kiss. He nipped at my jaw, my collarbone, my pulse, his hands everywhere—mine still locked in place, his fingers so goddamn sure of themselves.
“I guess,” I whispered, and felt him smile against my skin.
“You can’t lie to me, Ruby. I can always tell.”
His hand slipped lower, skimming down my ribs to my waist, fingers curling under the hem of my shirt. He didn’t ask. Didn’t pause. Just pushed it up, slow and steady, until the fabric wasbunched beneath my arms and my bare skin met the open air. The hall light caught the curve of my stomach, the swell of my breasts. I shivered, but it wasn’t from the cold.
“Miss this,” he whispered, voice rough, reverent. And then his mouth closed around my nipple—hot and wet and claiming.
I gasped—sharp, helpless—my whole body jerking like he’d struck a nerve. Maybe he had. Maybe every inch of me was a live wire where he was concerned. He sucked harder, tongue laving over me, and I might’ve said his name. I might’ve begged. I couldn’t tell. I was already too far gone.
His other hand slid down with purpose, finding the waistband of my pants like it belonged there. And then they were gone—gone—pooling at my feet before I could blink. I didn’t have time to complain before his fingers found my pussy, stroking along my slit with a satisfied groan.
“So fucking wet for me, Ruby,” he purred. “Your pussy is honest, at least.”
I gasped, hands braced against his chest. “Kieran, we can’t—”
He chuckled.
“We already are,” he murmured against my lips.
And before I could stop him—before I even knew if I wanted to—he sank to his knees right there in the goddamn foyer.
He hooked my leg over his shoulder, my heel knocking against the wall. I didn’t know whether I wanted to swear or cry or kiss him harder than I already had. I didn’t even get a chance todecide before his mouth was on me, open and shameless, tongue curling against me.
The world tunneled to nothing, narrowing to that dark, hot place just at the junction of his mouth and my body. He moaned against me, low and filthy and impossible, like he was the one getting off on it. He swirled his tongue around my clit like he was trying to ruin me, and my hips arched into it, my hands twisting in his hair.
“Oh my God,” I said, only I don’t think I said it. I think I sobbed it.
“I stayed away from you for far too long,” he said. “Look at you. Bet you haven’t had a satisfying orgasm since the last time I talked you through it.”
I barely heard him over the blood in my ears, the rush in my chest, the heavy, heady throb building higher and faster.
“You’re going to come already, aren’t you?”
