Against Maeve’s shoulder, her words were muffled but still intelligible. “All the gift cards and money for our honeymoon—they’re gone.”
Lily’s hand flew to her mouth, but she stayed silent.
Taking a deep shuddering breath, Shauna swiped at her cheeks and leaned back. “We went out for coffee this morning. Just some time for us, you know?” She hiccupped and shook her head as if furious at herself for doing so. “We came back, and our door was open. So were our suitcases where we packed the cards.”
Maeve rubbed her back. “Where’s Stephanie? Is she okay?”
Shauna nodded. “Yeah, she’s doing better than me. She’s checking with the staff to see if they caught anything on camera.”
Lily’s hand curled tighter around his. Was she thinking the same thing as him? That his father’s sudden appearance afteryears of silence was oddly convenient, and even more so was his absence at this brunch for the brides’ families?
Danny scowled and threw his napkin on the table. “What kind of asshole would do something like that?”
Kieran glanced down the table and found Stephanie’s father staring at him, a grimace pinching his kind face. He must’ve been thinking the same. Kieran had seen how careful they’d been in their introductions at the reception. Stephanie’s family made good money. People like them didn’t have brunch with people like Brennan Sullivan.
When Stephanie joined them, a somber expression settling over her face as she wrapped her arm around Shauna’s waist, Kieran knew.
“It was Brennan.” Stephanie focused her stare on her canvas slip-ons. “They have footage of him picking the lock and coming back out with a handful of envelopes. The receptionists said they saw him leave not long ago. He made a big show of thanking them for their hospitality.”
Rage coiled in his gut. Of course, Brennan would show up for Shauna’s special day and ruin it. Knowing the old bastard, he’d use the money and gift cards to chase his next high. Trade the gift cards he couldn’t use for favors. Brennan Sullivan didn’t change. No, he just got fucking worse.
Danny sat back in his chair. His brows pinched together and a look somewhere between anger and consternation washed across his face. “He said I could catch the bus back to Chicago with him. We’d hang out.” His voice was as small as the tuck of his shoulders.
Kieran let go of Lily’s hand before his grip became too tight. What he wouldn’t give for a heavy bag right now. He’d wail into that thing until he couldn’t feel his arms anymore. Or his legs.
Maeve and Stephanie bracketed Shauna, offering comfortfrom both sides. Saoirse, not to be forgotten and unaware of the abrupt change in mood, climbed into Lily’s lap and flung her arms around Lily’s neck. Lily peered at him from over Saoirse’s shoulder, uncertainty clouding her bright eyes. Or was it doubt?
Kieran shook his head. He didn’t have time to worry about what her look could mean. He had a family to take care of—to protect. “We’ll have to file a police report.” They were better off doing something than sitting and crying. “They might not find him before your honeymoon, though, so…” He took a deep breath as he freed his phone from his pocket and tapped into his online banking account. His savings weren’t as robust as they used to be, not after helping Maeve pay for her massage school tuition, but he had enough that he could help. If they didn’t catch Brennan and get back the money he’d stolen, Kieran would just have to avoid takeout and any purchases for himself for a while. “We’ll get your money back, but in the meantime…” He sent the money to Shauna’s bank account before anyone could talk him out of it. “Use this. You can pay me back when you get your money, okay?”
Shauna’s phone dinged. Her confused expression twisted into one of shock when she checked the notification. “Kier, no. We can’t accept this.”
What else would she do? Skip her honeymoon? They were supposed to drive down to New Orleans and spend a week together. No way was he going to let Brennan fucking Sullivan get away with taking that from her. “You can, and you will. You and Steph deserve some happiness after all the bullshit that bastard’s put us through.”
Stephanie’s mother stood, a protest at the ready if her raised finger was anything to go by. “No, honey. Let us help.”
Kieran held up his hand to stop her. “You helped give my sister the wedding of her dreams. Let me take care of this. Ifthey catch him quick enough, I won’t be out anything.” He hoped.
Danny scraped his chair back and lurched to his feet. He didn’t say a word before storming away.
Lily shifted Saoirse in her lap as if she meant to follow his brother, but Kieran placed his hand on her shoulder. “No, stay. The food should be out any minute now, and I know you’re hungry.” He kissed the crown of her head. “I’ve got this.”
She caught his hand on her shoulder and gazed up at him. “His heart needs protecting, too.”
Right. His heart. The one thing Kieran had never been able to get through to. Not with homemade meals or shooting hoops. Danny wanted a father—not whatever broken brother figure Kieran was. Taking a deep breath, he strode out of the banquet hall.
He found Danny on a stone bench in the inn’s small garden. Surrounded by blue hyacinths, his brother bowed over his knees with his hands grasping at the hair on the back of his head. This angry boy was a far cry from the eager teenager who’d followed at his father’s heels like a starved pup.
Kieran sat in the space beside Danny and bumped his shoulder. “You want to talk about it?”
Danny let go of his hair and swiped at his nose with a scowl. “There’s nothing to talk about.”
“Yeah?” Kieran angled himself toward his brother and lifted a brow. “That’s not what it looked like when you ran off.”
As if he couldn’t stand to be near him, Danny launched off the bench and directed all his wild anger right at Kieran. “As if you even care.” He threw the accusation like a punch with no follow-through. No power behind it. A bruised fighter backed into a corner.
“Would I be here right now if I didn’t?” Kieran kept his tone even. He wasn’t looking for a fight. Not with Danny.
Danny sniffed and aimed his glare at the pink creeping phlox lining the walkways. “You’re probably only checking on me because your girlfriend’s here.”
