“Sloan,” Conall mumbled, blindly reaching for me. I clutched his hand and held on to it tight, laying a fierce kiss on it. “Love you.”
My fractured walls all but crashed and burned, and I grated my teeth to stop myself from saying anything too sweet around anyone but my pet. I wouldn’t let my reputation be completely destroyed by my unrestrained emotions.
“I love you, too, Pet.” Another kiss to his hand. “Always.” And another on his forehead. “I won’t let anything happen to you again.”
Goodheart coughed a few more times before allowing Daire to help him stand. He straightened, emotional mask once again slipping across his facial expression as he inclined his head.
“It will take him a few days to get better, sir. Most of his symptoms will continue for weeks up to months, even with treatment. I’m hoping his hallucinations will subside while in the hospital.”
I exhaled heavily. I didn’t let myself feel regret for how I’d acted, enough weakness had been exuded already. Instead, I turned my head fully in his direction and stared him down. “Thank you, Goodheart. I’ll send a bonus package for you and your nurses for the work you’ve done here.”
And to keep your mouth shut.But they knew what my words meant.
Goodheart’s gaze flicked to the nurses, and they left the room. “He’s been sedated and should sleep for a few hours. I’ll come back and check him again soon. From what I’ve seen on his stats, his fever is going down.” With that, he disappeared out the door.
I sighed and squeezed the bridge of my nose. Damn it.
“Uncle?” Fionn shifted farther into the room, his expression drawn. “Are you okay?”
Was I? No. I was coming undone, and I couldn’t let myself. I had to stay alert. For Conall. For me. For Fionn. If I failed, there wouldn’t be a company for Fionn to inherit.
I didn’t answer Fionn, choosing to focus on Conall, who’d finally closed his eyes and fallen into a restful sleep. That was something. I never wanted him to be scared.
Daire moved to stand beside Fionn. “Sir, what do you want us to do about the men who threatened Conall?”
I inhaled. There were no second chances. Seeing Conall like this—tired and sore and sick—triggered a new anger to surface. If they hadn’t been making waves, Conall would’ve seen a doctor earlier.
“I’ve decided what to do with them.” I glanced toward him with a steely look. Rage bubbled and stirred, sending tingles for revenge to the tips of my fingers. If Conall wasn’t here, I’d be out there doing the dirty work. “Kill their families and make them watch if you can. Then, hunt them down like rodents and exterminate them. It’s time to remind this city who’s really incharge. I want them terrified, begging for their lives. Make it hurt, Daire. Give the people something to whisper about. The Killough Company doesn’t tolerate traitors.”
The corner of Daire’s mouth curled in a sign of his approval. “Yes, sir.”
If they wanted to test my strength, I’d take the challenge and make them regret it. I would burn down this city for Conall. They’d messed with the wrong person, and now they were going to learn what going up against me meant.
Fionn walked to my side and laid his hand on my shoulder. “He’ll be fine, Uncle Sloan. He’s a fighter.”
“I know he is. He’s my pet.”
15
CONALL
Everything felt a bit woozy. The world tilted and blurs of people surrounded me, moving in a flurry. My brain was molasses, and I couldn’t keep up with what was happening. I caught Sloan’s voice, commanding and strong, and I heard a few other familiar people, too—like the doctor who’d brought me on the helicopter. At one point, Terrance was there, and his tone was sharp and dangerous. I wanted to tell him not to blame Sloan. This wasn’t his fault, but my tongue was heavy.
The fuckers must’ve given me a sedative and I wasn’t a fan. Not at fucking all. I opened my mouth to tell Sloan I wanted to go home, but I was pretty sure the only thing that came out was drool. Or maybe not. Hell if I knew. I was higher than a kite right now. When I got out of here, I was banning Sloan from touching my arse for two weeks...or maybe two hours. For however long I was able to hold out before I wanted him.
I drifted in and out of consciousness.
By the time I reached a point where I could finally unglue my eyelids and keep them open, Sloan was the only one with me. The soft beeping sounds of the machines filled the room,a steady beat echoing in my ears. Was that my heartbeat? Probably, because when I caught sight of Sloan’s dark hair—it was weird to see the roots growing out to the point his bleached blond was nearly gone—the beeping intensified. He was holding my hand, fingers gripping mine tight, and his touch was a comfort I welcomed.
Sloan glanced up from his phone, the hard lines in his face softening when he saw I was awake. He stood from the comfortable-looking armchair and laid a gentle kiss on my forehead. “You’re awake, Pet.”
“I’m mad at you,” I said, pouting. “You took me to the hospital.”
He snorted and raised one eyebrow. Bastard. I hated when he did that, it was so damned sexy and he knew it. “You have fungal meningitis, Pet. You were hallucinating and thought you could see your dad. You had a fever and?—”
“Okay, okay.” I groaned, humiliation prickling my eyes. Was I really that sick? Fuck. My stomach wobbled and I swallowed down the urge to do something stupid like cry. “I get it. I was sicker than I thought.”
Sloan’s expression shuttered and I couldn’t place it. Maybe I was still too drugged out, but there was something in his eyes that scared me. A fury, yet also hopelessness. Had I done that? Made him this way?
