My limbs feel so heavy. I can’t remember the last time I slept properly. It must have been before Lorcan asked me to find the laptop, but that was days ago…
I catch the sound of Ciara’s footsteps again, and I brace myself for whatever she’s about to do.
To my surprise, the door clicks open, and there she stands, looking bewildered.
She rushes to my side. “Fiona, are you all right?”
“I’m fine, really.”
She places her hands on her hips. “These Sullivan men are something else. At the first sign of danger, I swear their instinct is to just lock away anyone and anything they care about.”
I wish that were true in this case, but it’s not. But of course, I don’t correct her because that would mean coming clean about working with Lorcan, and I don’t think I can cope with Ciara hating me on top of everything else.
“Right, you’re coming with me,” Ciara states after a beat.
“Coming where?”
“To get some proper food. You need to get some color back in your cheeks.”
“I’m not hungry.”
“Tough. Believe me, I’ve gotten very good at force-feeding my children, and I can do it to you too.”
Why do I feel like she’s not joking?
I sigh as I reluctantly get to my feet and follow Ciara out of the room.
After the chaos of the past twenty-four hours, the house suddenly feels deathly quiet. It’s unnerving.
“Where is Riley?” I ask, realizing I can’t hear any of the children crying as we head down the stairs.
“Asleep, finally. So, Elena is on kid duty, at least until Aubrey wakes up and needs to feed. Honestly, I have no idea how Ronan and I would have ever survived the newborn trenches without her.”
I nod, half-listening, as we walk into the kitchen.
Ciara throws open the fridge. “What are you in the mood for?”
“Honestly, I’m fine…” I slide into a chair at the kitchen table and fiddle with the sleeve of my top.
She looks over her shoulder. “I was joking about force-feeding you, if that’s what you’re worried about.”
I force a smile despite the enormous knot that has taken up permanent residence in my stomach. “What about some tea?”
“Tea sounds great.” Though, even thinking about drinking that makes me want to throw up.
I sit silently while Ciara moves around the kitchen, pulling out some boxes of crackers and various other snacks when she thinks I’m not looking. As I watch her, I wish I had half the strength she has because throughout this entire nightmare, she has been solid as a rock. And so has Riley, considering she only gave birth a few weeks ago.
These Sullivan men might be strong, but their wives are something else entirely.
Ciara sets down a steaming mug of mint tea in front of me as well as a small snack plate. “Here. Don’t feel like you need to eat if you don’t want to.”
“Thanks.” I wrap my hands around the mug.
The heat causes goosebumps to break out all over my skin, and I shiver.
Ciara joins me at the table, sitting across from me with her own tea and snack plate.
For a moment, we sit in silence, reveling in the quiet.
