I turn to face Riley. “I need you to stay out of trouble, because I can’t afford to be distracted, wondering if you’re safe. So please, little dove, do this for me.”
“Of course.” She reaches out to place a hand on my chest.
I grip her wrist, stroking my thumb back and forth against the back of her hand.
The feeling of her skin grounds me.
My earlier anger is nowhere near dissipated, but I need to put it aside for now. I can’t afford to let anything slip while Ciara and Ronan are in such a vulnerable position.
The thought should make me panic, but I force my nerves down.
I’ve faced worse and I’ve survived, and I’m not about to let fear control me now.
Chapter Fifteen
RILEY
The past coupleof days have been exhausting.
Kieran has barely slept, juggling meetings, calls, and keepingSullivan Investments, and by extension the entire family, stable while Sean’s men are still out there somewhere biding their time.
Ronan hasn’t left Ciara’s side since her contractions started again, and that leaves me to pick up whatever pieces I can without making things worse.
It’s the middle of the afternoon, and yet the house is unusually still.
Ciara and Ronan have barely left their bedroom, and Kieran left in the early hours of the morning, though to do what, I have no idea.
Brennan has been in and out a few times but hasn’t stayed long enough for us to exchange more than a few words.
After finally taking a shower and putting on some fresh clothes, I head downstairs to the kitchen where I find Elena moving efficiently between the counters, chopping fruit and arranging small plates of snacks for everyone.
“Need a hand?” I ask.
Elena looks up from her work and offers me an appreciative smile. “Always. Do you want to handle the fruit, or are you feeling brave enough for the cheese platter?”
I grin, rolling up my sleeves.
It’s become an odd sort of routine for us over the past few days, and I’ve appreciated the company.
“I’ll do the cheese this time.”
We move together in a quiet rhythm, and the mundane task of chopping food and cleaning dishes gives me something tangible to focus on. It takes my mind off Kieran and Oscar and the secret I’m carrying that could upend everything.
“You’ve been quiet,” Elena says after a moment as she stacks some crackers on a plate.
“I’m just…thinking.” I try to sound casual, though my stomach knots.
“It can’t be easy being the one holding everything together when the rest of them are running around in crisis mode.”
“I wouldn’t say I’m holding everything together.” I take a small bite of cheese.
It’s the first thing I’ve eaten all day, and the moment it hits my lips, my stomach lets out a huge growl that has both Elena and me laughing.
“You haven’t stopped all day,” Elena scolds. “You need to eat too.”
“I will, once I’ve taken this to Ciara.”
“I will hold you to that.”
