Who wants a piggyback ride?Ah, fuck.
On the flip side of things, Maximo was good for his word. He had his hands full concealing information, and paying off not only the NYPD, but also every news outlet to let the compounds destruction fly under the radar. Now, the rumors going around span from an alien crash landing, to a military exercise that got out of hand. Needless to say, we’ve been lying low.
Ravenna figured things out with her boss to work part-time until she goes on maternity leave. She’s undecided about returning to work at some point after the baby’s born, or embracing life as a stay-at-home mom. Either way, I’ll support her decision.
Devlin’s mysterious murder remains unsolved. A workplace tragedy.
I’m about to wrap up in my home office for the night when someone knocks on my door. “Enter.”
Brion, Ravenna’s new driver, steps into the room. He’s younger, though not as young as Kody and Finn had been. God rest their souls.
“What is it?” I ask a very anxious looking Brion.
“Sir, I thought you should know that Mrs. O’Rourke had a secret rendezvous this evening,” he speaks in a low voice. “She insisted that I stay in the car, even threatened me if I came after her. She was gone for twenty minutes in some shady apartment building in Brooklyn.”
“Is that so?” I straighten up my desk.
“Yes, sir, I thought you should know.”
I level him with a glare. “Is that how you do your job? Snitch on your boss?”
He blanches. “You’re my boss, sir.”
“You’re Ravenna’s driver, which meanssheis your boss. If she tells you to stay in the car, you’d better stay in the damn car.” I cross my arms. “Her business is her own. Don’t you dare go blabbing about it to others, and yes, that includes me. If I need to know something, I’ll fucking ask. Is that clear?”
“Y-yes, sir. Sorry, sir.” He ducks out of my office like the devil himself is after him with a fiery poker. But he won’t be confused about where his loyalties lie from now on—with Ravenna.
If I want to know what my wife’s been up to, I’ll ask her myself. If she wants to share the details of her day with me, then she will.
I, myself, have been guilty of sneaking around these past few weeks. Also in Brooklyn. Coincidence?
January third marks our four year wedding anniversary. Ravenna’s late getting home from work, after running errands for her boss, which has given me plenty of time to fuss over her surprise. I’m oddly nervous for tonight.
“Cian? Are you home?” Ravenna calls from the foyer.
I lumber along the hall to greet her with a kiss. “You look beautiful.”
“I look like I’ve been running around all day—which I have. I’m sorry I’m late.” She sounds frazzled.
“Is your boss running you ragged? Do I need to have words with her?”
She slaps her hand on my chest. “Calm yourself. Don’t you dare come anywhere near that office. I’ve had enough excitement in that place to last ten life times.”
I pull her into me, nuzzling her neck. “I’m only trying to take care of you,broc meala. We don’t need you overworked, ever, but especially when you’ve got a bun in the oven.”
“I’m fine. Don’t worry about me.”
“I’ll nevernotworry about you.”
She huffs a laugh. “I know. I’m assuming we have plans tonight. I’ll go upstairs and change.”
“No need. We’re not going out.”
“We’re not?”
“No. I have something else in mind to celebrate our anniversary.” I pull a silk blindfold from my pocket. “Turn around.”
“Cian. We usually do this after dinner, not before. I’m starving.”
