Tiernan inclined his head in acknowledgment of the order. “What about your ex-fiancée?”
“I doubt Portia knows anything.” But then, he wouldn’t have expected this level of betrayal from her father, either, so clearly his radar was off where the Williamses were concerned. “But I’ll call Boone, see if he wouldn’t mind babysitting her for a bit.”
At that, Tiernan’s brows rose. “You must be really worried if you’re calling in the bikers.”
“I am,” he confessed, though it grated to say it out loud. “This has blindsided us, and I’m going to be… preoccupied with planning another wedding and preparing for the baby. We need all the hands and eyes we can get. And I trust Boone to keep her safe as well if anything does happen.”
“Not questioning you, Kill. Just observing.”
“I know.” And because it was them, he let some of the exhaustion he was feeling slip through. “I’m more sorry than I can say that I missed this, and that I’ve further complicated things by bringing the Elliotts into the mix. I would understand completely if you’d all rather I step aside and let Reagan take the reins.”
“Absolutely not.” Dark eyes blazing with righteous fury, Reagan glared daggers through him. “We don’t kick our own to the curb because they fucked up, no matter how royally they might have done so.”
Relief loosened some of the knots in his stomach. Even more so when the others nodded along with his sister’s declaration. “I appreciate it. You should all get going. I’ll see you Sunday night for dinner.”
They took their leave, each of his cousins stopping to clap him on the shoulder with a mixture of sympathy and congratulations. Until it was just him and Reagan left at the oversized table.
“I suppose news such as this calls for a drink.”
He watched her rise, her movements stiff, and bit back a sigh. “Go on, then. Let me have it.”
Glancing over from where she stood at the wet bar pouring them each a generous glass of whiskey, Reagan raised a brow. “And what, exactly, is it that you think I should be letting you have?”
“I fucked up. With Williams, with Aria.”
“Aye.” Setting one of the heavy crystal tumblers on the table in front of him, she took Brody’s usual seat, her expression carefully guarded. “But you’ll take care of Williams and find us a new prospect for the docks. And I have no doubt you’ll win Aria over sooner rather than later.”
“So why are you so pissed?”
“You didn’t tell me.”
No, not pissed, he realized too late. Hurt. It was there in her eyes, just the faintest glimmer of it she let shine through. “What do you mean? I just told you all I know.”
“You didn’t tell me about the baby, about breaking off your engagement. I had to find out with the rest of the family. I’m your sister, Killian. That’s supposed to mean something.”
“Ah, hell.” Raking a hand through his hair, he blew out a breath. “I suppose that makes me a bit of an asshole.”
“More than a bit. We’re supposed to be a team. But we can’t be anything if you’re keeping secrets.”
“It wasn’t like that, Rae, I promise.” Leaning forward, he laid a hand on her arm, let the vulnerability he’d never show to the rest of the family come to the surface. “But you’re right. You should have been my first call, and the only defense I have is that I was so caught up in the shock of it all I wasn’t thinking straight. Forgive me?”
“Of course I do. But I reserve the right to be pissed at you a little while longer.”
“Fair enough.”
They sipped their whiskey in silence for several long minutes before she spoke again. “She was the one from that night, after Braden’s wedding. When you came home looking like the cat who’d just swallowed the canary whole.”
“Aye, she was.”
“Good.”
Pausing with his glass inches from his lips, he raised a brow. “Good?”
“Yes. I’ve seen you countless times after countless one-night stands or nights at the clubs. But I’ve never seen you look like that.”
“Like what?”
“Happy.”
