Page 158 of Ruthless Claim

Finn’s pale cheeks redden as he gapes at his mother. “B-but you said⁠—”

“I said your father is successful,” she corrects quickly, her eyes darting to me. “Successful is different from being rich.”

But the damage is done and we both know it.

She was talking about my money.

Describing me as rich.

We reach the ice cream cart and I hand the cart vendor my card. Finn picks out a chocolate ice cream cone and smiles with delight when it’s handed to him.

Claire wants nothing and neither do I.

I don’t have an appetite right now.

“Do we get to come live with you?” Finn asks, licking a drip off the side as we near the park again. “Mum says maybe we could all be a family.”

My blood runs cold and I stop in my tracks. Finn also pauses, looking back at me in confusion. Claire looks like she’s seen a ghost.

“She said that?” I ask carefully, my heart pounding.

Claire laughs nervously. “Kids always misunderstand things. I said we’d spend time together as a family. That’s different from living together, Finny.”

But Finn looks confused, looking at his mother with consternation. “But you said⁠—”

“Finn, look!” Claire points across the park with bright, sudden urgency, redirecting his attention. “There’s a dog over there—a big one! Why don’t you go see if you can pet it?”

Finn’s eyes track to the dog. For one moment he looks like he might finish his sentence anyway.

Then the dog wins and he’s off across the grass at full speed.

Claire turns back to me with a rueful smile. “Kids. They hear what they want to hear.”

“Right,” I say slowly. But something’s shifted. Valentina’s voice is in my head now. Everything about this situation is designed to manipulate you.

We sit back down on the bench. Finn is crouched in front of the golden retriever, holding out his hand with solemn patience while the dog sniffs him over.

Claire watches him with a soft expression. “He’s always wanted a dog. Since he was tiny.” A small sigh. “I just can’t make it work financially. The pet deposit alone in most buildings is—” She shakes her head. “It’s one of those things I feel guilty about. The list of things I can’t give him.”

I’m half-listening, nodding at the right places as I examine the events of the last half hour.

Something isn’t right.

And that’s when I see her.

Emma.

She’s coming across the grass in jeans and a light jacket, red hair back in a ponytail, pushing Seraphina’s stroller. She looks like she just happened to be in the neighborhood.

Emma never just happens to be anywhere.

How the hell did she know I was here?

“Cillian!” She raises her hand in a wave, expression brightening like she’s genuinely surprised. “I thought that was you!”

Beside me, Claire straightens. Somehow, her hand that had made its way back to my forearm slides back to her own lap. She looks curiously at my cousin as she approaches.

“Emma,” I say in surprise as she reaches us. “What are you doing here?”