Page 15 of Possessing Paisley

“Are you in danger, princess?”

Looping my arms around his neck, I smile and act like I’m nuzzling into him, trying to ignore the fact that he’s warm and smells so fucking edible. Jeremy and Mercedes are moving our way, and I’m terrified.

“No, but my ex and the woman he cheated on me with are here. Please, Kieran.”

He tightens his hold on me and presses a kiss to my shoulder before lifting his head to check out our incoming guests.

“Of course, baby girl,” he says loud enough for the people around us to hear.

I shift to move beside him, startling when he brings his enormous hand up to the back of my neck, squeezing slightly at the sides before running his thumb over my pulse.

The men he was in conversation with smile at me, and my stomach drops when I realize that one of them is Cullen Blake. He’s in the Irish mafia. Shit. He knows Kieran and I aren’t together.

“Cullen, you remember my woman, Paisley.”

Without blinking an eye, Cullen smiles and nods. “Yes. It’s great to see you again. I’ve never seen Kieran happier.”

Kieran squeezes my neck, and I take it as a silent disagreement with Cullen’s statement. I’m sure the last thing Kieran is right now is happy. But as long as he’s willing to play along, that’s all I care about.

“Are we interrupting?” Jeremy asks.

My stomach is in knots when I look up and meet Mercedes’ stare. Fuck. Can she tell it’s not real?

“Yes,” Kieran replies firmly, his tone bored and annoyed.

The shock on Jeremy’s face is comical. For once, I want to thank Kieran for his bluntness because this is so worth it.

“We just wanted to come over and meet Paisley’s date,” Mercedes says with a half laugh.

My entire body is rigid, and the urge to throw up is back. She’s making fun of me.

Kieran’s hand slides down my back, and he pulls me closer into his side until I’m tucked under his arm, with mine wrapped around his waist. I feel so small next to him. I also feel protected. Which is a strange feeling.

“Paisley is more than my date. She’s my woman, and if I have it my way, she’ll be my wife.” He keeps his hold on me the entire time, and it feels like a blanket of reassurance. “Who are you, and how do you know my girl?”

His question is more of a demand, the kind that could make grown men pee themselves. Satisfaction fills me when I glance up at Jeremy and find him pale and looking regretful that he came over here.

“I’m Mercedes, and this is my fiancé, Jeremy. We’re friends of Paisley’s.”

Her statement is like a punch to the gut. Her fiancé? Friends? What the fuck?

Being the idiot she is and completely unable to read the room, Mercedes keeps talking. “Sheesh, Paisley, you really pull off the whole Morticia look.”

Before I can think of a reply, Kieran squeezes me closer and takes the lead.

“She’s never spoken of either of you. Maybe your definition of friendship is skewed. And yeah, she does pull it off. Fucking perfection if you ask me.”

Mercedes and Jeremy gape at him, clearly unsure how to respond to that. Then, she starts cackling nervously.

Kieran shoots them a glare as he starts to tug me away. “You’ll have to excuse us, though. We need another drink.”

Without waiting for any kind of response, he leads me away from the group.

“Thank you,” I whisper.

He grunts and steers me to the bar, keeping his arm around me the entire time.

“You want another martini, baby girl?”