Chapter Forty
KIERAN
The driveback toward Ronan’s feels endless, though I’m pressing the accelerator harder than I should.
Streetlights whip past the windows in streaks of yellow, and my hands grip the wheel, tight enough that my knuckles ache. But the low hum of the car isn’t enough to quiet my mind as images of Riley flash through it.
Her lying bleeding on the floor, her face pale with fear as she calls out my name.
They’re relentless and cruel, but I stopped trying to tell myself she’s fine after I hit the freeway. She might be with Ronan, but that means fuck all at this point. Until she is safely returned to my arms, I’m going to think the worst.
By the time Ronan’s headlights appear down the winding driveway, I’m already halfway to the car.
I barely give him a chance to stop before I’m opening the door and pulling Riley into my arms.
“You’re safe.” I breathe into her neck as I lift her up, wrapping her legs around my waist. I hold her so tightly I’m half afraid I’ll hurt her, but I can’t let go. Not yet.
“I’m safe.”
Her body trembles in my arms as I slowly carry her back toward the house.
Ronan and Ciara are talking, but I don’t listen. Right now, Riley is my only priority, and I need to get her safely inside.
“I’m sorry I left,” I murmur as I climb the front steps.
“I’m sorry too.”
“For what?”
“Dr. Allen is dead because of me.”
Her words stop me in my tracks.
What the hell is she talking about?
Riley must sense she’s let something slip as she tenses in my arms before slowly unravelling her legs from around my waist and dropping her feet to the floor.
“Kieran…” She reaches for me, and that’s when I notice her hands are covered in blood.
An icy rage washes over me, slowly at first, as I stare at the blood.
But then I’m moving, storming back out of the house to where Ronan is helping Ciara out of the car.
His hands are also covered in blood, and even though he’s wearing black, I can tell his shirt is soaked through with blood.
“What thefuckhappened?”
“Kieran,” Ciara warns, but I ignore her.
“You told me the location of the safehouse was leaked.”
“It was,” Ronan says coolly.
“Yet, you didn’t think to mention the fact that you were fucking ambushed?”
I’m seconds away from clocking my brother in the face, and Ciara seems to realize that as she quickly steps in front of him to stop me.
“You saw for yourself that Riley is safe,” Ciara states.
