Page 120 of Wicked Ruin

“I just got word that Valentina's family has arrived.” A pause, just a beat too long. Then the bright smile.

I school my face. I don't want to meet her fucking family. Christ, it's the last thing I want to do.

“Trust me,” she says, walking up to me and putting a hand on my shoulder. “This is a meeting you want to go to.”

Right behind her, Bronwyn nearly sparkles with energy. She's bouncing from the bottom of her feet to the tips of her toes. “Please come, Declan. You absolutely must.”

“Must do what?” Seamus says, stomping into the kitchen with one kid over his shoulder and a child in each arm. Caitlin takes one and turns away, giggling with the baby.

“Apparently, Valentina's family is in town.”

“Right.” Seamus doesn’t look like he knows anything either.

“It’s so strange,” Bronwyn says. “They say they haven't been able to get in touch with Valentina, and they're eager to see her.”

That is interesting. She’s always telling me she’s talked to them. I frown. “What time? Give me the details.”

Somewhere in the house, I hear Bridget's laugh. It's bright and magical, like everything about her. And I want to see her. I want to hold her. I want to feel the presence of the baby that we grew together, between us.

I need to get out of here.

I want a moment to collect myself. Seamus is feeding his kids, and Bronwyn’s on the phone, planning food for the evening.

I take a walk down to the garden, and I remember being a lad here—my father and his sitting out here while their wives were inside.

We'd run around the pathways, chasing each other in the grass, and my grandmother would always wave her hand when Da scolded us for being too wild. “Leave them alone, Cormac,” she'd say. “They bring life to the garden, don’t they?”

We used to pretend there were fairies in the space between the hedges.

“Fancy meeting you here.”

I look up to see Bridget walking over to me. Now that she’s here in the flesh, the air is thick with excitement. I can feel it vibrating off her. The women in this house are plotting something. I fucking knew it.

“Looking forward to meeting the in-laws tonight?”

“No, I'm not. Please, Bridge, tell me you're not coming too.” I don't want the woman I love in the presence of wolves.

“All good, Declan,” she says. “I wouldn't miss it for anything.” She smiles. “You know, they say if you’re still enough, you can hear the garden fairies talk back to you.”

“You’re off your nut, lass.”

She snorts. “Don't tell me you don't believe it now. The earth of Ireland grew from magic; everyone knows that.” She leans her head on my shoulder, just briefly. I almost don't care if somebody sees me. I like her here. She belongs here.

Then she pushes to her feet. “Caitlin needs me.”

“Bridget, wait—” But she's already gone, and I'm standing in the garden alone.

As I watch her go into the house, I wonder if she knows more than she lets on.

I have a child about to be born into this family and a wife I need to marry. But I love this woman with everything I have.

I once swore to do whatever it took to protect her, to keep her here. And I'll do it again.

I look at the time—an hour before Valentina's family arrives. I push to my feet and head inside.

My mother and father show up just in time. The house is teeming with people and staff, fragrant food, and tinkling glasses.

“Son.” My mother gives me a big hug. “How’s Valentina?”