Page 77 of Deceived Wrath

From the way her cheeks flood with color, I know my email did the trick.

“Something wrong?” I feign innocence.

She shakes her head a little too quickly, which tells me all I need to know.

“Did you receive my email, Miss Callahan?”

Fiona clears her throat and forces a smile. “Y-yes. I did.”

“I trust you to ensure my schedule is cleared in order to accommodate the last-minute…meeting. This is quite urgent.”

“I understand.”

“Good.”

I’m getting worked up just looking at her. So much so that if I don’t think about something else for a while, I’m going to explode, and showing up with a wet patch over my crotch might not be a good look for my upcoming meeting.

I leave Fiona in the company of my very explicit email and stalk back into my office.

The only other way I can think of keeping my mind busy is getting started on making arrangements to bring Scout to New York.

Right now, he’s with the only person I would ever trust to look after him, except for maybe Ronan. But it’s becoming increasingly clear that Scout doesn’t just need to be in the same time zone as me, he actually needsme.

How I’m going to juggle work and an energetic six-year-old, I have no idea. It’s going to be a challenge, but it’s one I can’t walk away from.

It might be time to talk to Ronan about integrating Scout into the family because someone is going to have to watch him if I’m at work, and I’m sure as hell not about to hire a nanny. An assistant was already a step too far, and I’ve already shown I can’t be trusted to keep things professional.

I guess I’ll just have to swallow my pride and ask my brothers for help.

“Was there something you wanted, Miss Callahan?” I don’t look up as Fiona enters my office later that evening.

“It’s seven.”

“And?” It takes every ounce of self-control I have to keep my face blank.

I know what time it is because I’ve been obsessively watching the minutes tick by for the past half an hour.

“We had an appointment.”

“Did we?” I still don’t look up.

Fiona is silent for a beat before taking a few steps toward me.

I keep my eyes fixed on my screen, feigning disinterest despite my hunger to watch those hips sway from side to side with each step.

“Yes.”

“Hmm, it must have slipped my mind.”

I have to bite down on the inside of my cheek to stop from laughing as, out of the corner of my eye, I catch Fiona folding her arms over her chest.

It looks like someone needs to practice patience.

I push back from my desk and get to my feet.

My jacket is slung over the back of my chair, so I grab it and quickly shrug it on, still without even looking at Fiona.

Only when I’ve fastened the button and pocketed my phone do I lift my gaze to hers. “Something wrong?”