CIARA'S POV

Brigid’s phone buzzed on the table. She glanced at it once, then looked away. It buzzed again. This time she picked it up, sighed, and cut the call.

I stood. “Well… it was nice of you to have us.”

She raised an eyebrow. “So soon?”

I gave her the kind of smile I knew would annoy her—the soft, perfect kind. “I have a lot on my plate now that I’ve been introduced to society. A lot of allies to meet. A lot of parties to be at.”

Her eyes flicked to the wine bottle ...