“No time. I’ll explain later. Meet me out front. I have to get—” He bites off, looks away. “I’ll meet you there. Go. Now.”
I do as he says, rushing through the house like there’s a monster on my heels. I don’t know how I manage to find the exit, but I do. As soon as I burst outside, I breathe in the fresh air like I haven’t had oxygen in a week. After several long minutes, I sniff, realizing the scent of smoke is teasing my nose.
Oh God.
Then Aiden comes out, his mother’s body over his shoulder. My hand flies up to press against my mouth. His face is a mask of determination. When he reaches me, he carefully lays her body in the bed of a truck. “One more,” he says. “Stay here.”
Soon, he’s back, this time with Elizabeth’s body. My throat closes.
Later,after Bren and Tadhg have taken over managing the aftermath. After “cleaners” have come to deal with preparing Mary and Elizabeth for burial. After we’re finally alone in the cottage by the cliffs, Aiden pulls me to him.
“I thought I was going to lose you.”
“You didn’t. You didn’t lose me. We’re going to get through this. I’m still here.”
He pulls back enough to meet my eyes, his bloody hands coming up to palm my cheeks as he studies me for a long time. “I’ll send you back on the first flight. We can have the marriage annulled. I’m sure there’s someone I can bribe to fix this for you.”
My heart crashes violently against my ribs. “Wh-what?”
He rests his forehead against mine. “I tried to save you from this, Catriona. That’s why I didn’t want to marry you the first time you offered in Elizabeth’s place. This is who I am, this life I live… I don’t want you to be a part of it. I didn’t want it to touchyou this way. When he had his hands on you, I thought that was it. That he’d torture me with you like he had my mother, and it broke me. I can’t do this to you anymore. I’ll give you a divorce.”
I swallow around the knot in my throat. “You want a divorce?”
Aiden makes a choked noise. “No, I don’t want one. Christ, I can’t look at you when you’re all covered in blood to have this conversation. It’s making me want to kill someone.”
He moves, but I remain with my feet planted on the stone beneath me.
“What’s wrong?” he says as he turns. “Catriona?”
“I’m not going.”
“What?”
“I said I’m not going. You can’t make me. I’m your fucking wife, and I plan to keep it that way, Aiden.”
CHAPTER 30
AIDEN
Ihold a bloody hand to Catriona’s pale cheek, tracking each emotion as it flashes over her face: terror, relief, horror, dread. “You’re in shock. You don’t know what you’re saying. Christ, after what I’ve just put you through, it’s no wonder. Let’s get you cleaned up. You’ll feel better after we can wash all this off you.”
Fuck me, she’s covered in his blood. Handprints on her cheeks. Flecks of crimson in her blond curls. Her white dress is already drying stiff with the stuff. I want to burn it. Want to scrub her myself until she’s washed clean of this.
Of me.
It had been selfish of me to bring her here, knowing what atrocities may lie in wait for her. It was selfish to want to see my mother again, if only for a few minutes.
Cursing myself, I drag her along after me until I find an empty room. I nearly stumble at the realization of what I’ve done. That I’ll never see Ma again—had it only been a couple ofhours ago?—but right myself and lock the door behind us. I’d been smart enough to keep a weapon in our things and, after the carnage I wrought tonight, I don’t anticipate anyone trying their luck so soon.
I killed Cian. Soon there would be families to deal with, and the deal I made with Niall already weighs heavily on my shoulders, but I can’t think about that now. Not when Catriona is shivering in my arms and covered in Cian’s blood.
I tug her through the room and to the shower, depositing her next to it as I turn the faucet on to as hot as I can stand. “Do you want me to help you?” I ask, nodding to her clothes.
She glances down and goes stock-still, as though she just now realizes the mess I’ve made of her.
Cursing underneath my breath, I close the distance between us and say, “It’s all right. I’m going to help. We’re going to get you clean. Can I?”
At her silent nod, I kneel, starting with the buckles on her shoes. She lifts one foot for easy access and puts a hand on my shoulder. A sound of relief escapes her throat as I massage the feeling back into her toes. When she’s steady, I reach up and pull down her panties before tossing them aside. Getting to my feet, I turn her away from me to draw down the zipper of her dress, skim the straps off her shoulders, and let it fall to her feet, leaving her only in a bra, which I make quick work of.
