I took a moment to consult the stone in the ring and it was still blue. He was telling the truth. He wasn’t working for Rhiannon, only basing his actions on his inside knowledge of her behavior.
“If you hated her,” I began, “Why did you stay with her for a century?”
His dual-colored eyes were sad as they returned to mine. “She said she could find out who I am. Who I was before I woke up in the middle of a field with no memory of my past, my name, or how I became what I am. She said we would help each other. I was desperate enough to believe her.”
Skeptical, I raised a brow. “For nearly a hundred years?”
He huffed out a laugh that held no amusement. “That wasn’t blind faith, that was resignation. I had nowhere else to go. Nowhere to turn.”
“Surely your offspring—” I began.
He shook his head. “At the time, we weren’t speaking. There was an incident. I have no doubt that Callum and Marcus would have killed me at the time if they had been able to find me.”
The ring shimmered like a dark sapphire, the blue in its facets deep and true. As were his words.
I clasped my hands on my lap and sighed. The truth amulet could be fooled, but it wasn’t easy. As far as I knew, Macgrath carried no magic. It would be difficult for him to trick me.
“Thank you,” I murmured. “For shielding me at the shop.”
He cleared his throat. “I was still too late,” he replied, his voice rough and tight.
I shot a quick look toward him, but his eyes were fixed on the darkness outside the window. “You were there when I needed you,” I stated. “And that’s what matters.”
“Is it?” he asked, turning back toward me.
“It is to me.”
An emotion flickered in his eyes, too quickly for me to identify it. I was saved from doing something stupid, like touching him, when my stomach growled loudly. I hadn’t had a chance to eat the lunch Macgrath brought me earlier that day. Between his pissing match with Harrison at the store and the explosion, there hadn’t been time.
I laughed and pressed a hand to my belly. “Goddess, I’m hungry.”
A smile tugged at the corners of his mouth, never completely taking over his lips. “Savannah made some kind of pasta for dinner and there are leftovers. She mentioned it was your favorite.”
My mouth watered immediately. I loved Savannah’s chicken and broccoli in cream sauce. She knew that. And she always used lots of butter and garlic. I threw the blankets back, but Macgrath stopped me with a hand on my shoulder.
“I’ll get you a plate and warm it up.”
I shook my head. “No way. It’s even better the day after she makes it and right out of the fridge.”
He eyed me as though my words were strange and I waved him off.
“I need to use the bathroom anyway.”
After a moment’s pause, he dropped his hand and stepped back so I could throw my legs over the edge of the mattress. I stood, grateful my legs were only shaky for a second before they held my weight easily. Macgrath seemed to recognize that I was fine and nodded.
“I’ll wait for you in the kitchen.”
I walked quickly to the bathroom as he moved down the hall on silent feet. After I finished in the bathroom and washed my hands, I followed him, trying to be quiet. When I reached the end of the hall, Satchel appeared next to me and rubbed her cheek against my ankle. I glanced around and saw that we were alone.
Crouching down, I gently stroked her head and back. “I’m okay, sweet girl. I promise.”
She moved, lifting up until her nose touched mine and her eyes stared at me unblinkingly. I smiled then. The cat always pretended she hated me when Savannah was around, but as soon as we were alone, Satchel became affectionate and sweet.
I rubbed my nose against hers. “Thanks for the love.”
The cat dropped down onto all fours and swayed out of the room, her tail waving in the air.
“She likes you,” Macgrath stated quietly.
