Page 70 of Sins of Innocence

The flash of relief in Sadie's eyes tells me that though my oldest pretended to believe the secret dating story, she had her doubts. Now she doesn't.

A wave of relief rolls through me too.

I don't know how this happened, how Kieran and I have this connection, but I'm so glad we do.

If for no other reason than that I know for a fact my sister-by-another-mister wouldn't hesitate to tell me if she thought Kieran wouldn't be good to me and my girls.

Ellie wasn't Troy's biggest fan and it only got worse the longer I was married to him. She thought he was selfish and too controlling and made no bones about telling me so. I always defended him.

More the fool me.

"Are there any pastries left? Mama Mo, you don't mind if I make myself a cuppa while the girls change, do you?"

"Of course not," mom says. "You're family. You don't have to ask."

Ellie's already headed toward the kettle.

"Why are we changing?" Neeve asks, her gaze jumping from one adult to the other.

"We're going shopping for vacation clothes," Ellie says over the running water.

"We are?" I ask Kieran, my eyes narrowed. "This is the first I've heard of it."

The girls missing a day of school to go shopping is something he should have run by me.

Neeve and Joy don't stick around for me to put the brakes on their day of hooky, but rush from the kitchen, no doubt to change clothes as Ellie told them to.

"Uh oh. Kieran's got some explaining to do," Ellie teases.

Mom stands and starts bustling around the table, picking up empty plates. Kieran immediately jumps up to help, grabbing the empty to-go cups and used napkins.

"I'll help gran," Sadie tells him, opening the trash for him to toss the garbage into. "You need to go make up with mom. She's really intense about school."

"Thanks," Kieran says to Sadie and casts me a glance before looking back at my daughter. "You've got good instincts."

My daughter blushes from the praise and I want to hug Kieran as much as I want to kick him.

I lead him to my bedroom. Mom would be happier if I talked to him in the front room, but I can't risk the girls or her overhearing.

This isn't just about him making high handed decisions about the girls and school but I want an explanation about how Ellie came to be working for him and why she knows chapter and verse about secrets he was adamant I shouldn't share with anyone.

Chapter thirteen

What am I doing?

ÁINE

Kieran shuts the door behind us and sits down on the side of the bed before snagging my wrist and pulling me toward him.

"What are you—" I lose my voice completely when he lets go of my wrist to take a hold of my waist and lift me into his lap.

I'm on my knees facing him and it's awkward as heck.

Apparently, he thinks so too because he presses my legs apart, so I straddle him. My butt settled on his rock-hard quads, my knees are now on the bed, and his big hands are curved around my legging clad upper thighs.

My fingers curl into his shirt, like I'm trying to hold him in place even though it's obvious neither one of us is going anywhere.

"What…we can't…" I blow out a breath and collect my scattered thoughts. "We need to talk, Kieran."