I didn’t thinkthere could be anything more dangerous than spying for Lorcan Sullivan, but it turns out there is.
Double-crossing him.
Cormac’s words echo in my head, which feeds the growing feeling of dread in the pit of my stomach.
We’re going to use her as bait.
I hope he’s put down a deposit at the funeral home because this sure as hell is going to be the death of me, especially when I can’t entirely trust Cormac to keep me safe.
If it comes down to a choice between finishing Lorcan and saving me, I’m not convinced he would actually choose me. At least, not right now.
But it’s not like I have any other choice.
I told Cormac that I was on his side, and what better way to prove it than to offer up myself as a lamb for the slaughter?
I knew this meeting with Cormac’s brothers would be difficult, but not in the way I was expecting. I was prepared for Kieran to lose his shit, but what I wasn’t prepared for was howdevastatedBrennan would look.
Out of all of Cormac’s brothers, he is the one I have spent the most time with and would consider a friend. And to physicallysee the pain I’ve caused him, both in the deep purple bruises on his face and in the distant look in his eyes… It hits harder than any of the insults Kieran could throw at me.
I sit hunched in a chair while they argue around me. I feel hollowed out and completely numb as Cormac paces around the room, talking about timings and strategy, because all I hear is the unspoken truth.
If this goes wrong, I’m dead.
I glance at Cormac from beneath my lashes, trying to read him.
His face looks like it’s carved from stone.
This isn’t the man who laughed with Scout over burned pancakes or kissed my shoulder in the quiet hours before dawn. This is the man who could order someone’s death and sleep just fine afterward.
When Kieran finally dismisses the meeting and the brothers disperse, leaving Cormac and me alone, I exhale a deep breath and run my trembling hands through my hair.
“So…” I start.
“I have work to do.” He doesn’t so much as look at me.
I guess that’s my cue to leave.
I hover for a moment longer, hoping that maybe Cormac will say something more, but of course he doesn’t. So, I slip out of the room, feeling like I’ve been emotionally beaten.
Honestly, it’s a miracle I got through that meeting without Kieran drawing my blood, though the look in his eye told me he wanted to, and I can’t even be mad at him for it.
“Fiona!”
I wince at the sound of Ciara calling my name.
I was hoping to sneak back into my room unnoticed, but of course, that’s impossible in a house full of people, especially, ones who I’m convinced have six senses like her.
“What’s up?” I ask casually as she approaches.
“Come with me.” She links her arm through mine and drags me down the hall before I have a chance to protest.
“Where are we going?”
“Ronan’s with the twins, which means I officially have twenty minutes to get dressed and run a brush through my hair, so I figured you could come and keep me company.”
I let her lead me into one of the guest rooms, which Ciara and Ronan are occupying while they’re here. Inside, there is an explosion of kids’ toys and books all over the bed and floor, and piles of clean toddler clothes stacked in the corner.
“Urgh, excuse the mess.” Ciara kicks the door shut. “Poor Elena. She spends ages tidying and cleaning just for the twins to come and ransack the place. I think I need to talk to Ronan about giving her another raise.”
