Rejection.
Another. Stronger. Feral and out of control.
Confusion.
I tuck my hand into my lap.
“Shite,close the windows!” Siobhán shrieks. “I canna take it anymore. It’swinter,Christ.”
Finn hits a button and all the windows go up.
No, I need that air, fuck,fuck—
One arm curled up on the car door, I make myself as small as possible, nonexistent.
Loch shifts. My eyes dart over to him. I can’t stop it.
His head is angled at the window, but he dips his eyes to the side. Towards me.
Goes back to staring out the window.
I watch the muscle in his jaw, under his beard, constrict, stay clamped.
Hot-cold-hot.
My hand is still on fire. The brunt force of the sun scorching every line in my palm.
I spin away from him and shut my eyes and do not think, not at all.
Chapter Eight
We’re pulling into the drive for Castle Patrick when Loch, Finn, and Siobhán all get alerts on their phones.
It takes me until that moment to realize I haven’t checked mine. I grab it out of the seatback pocket and see about twenty missed texts. The latest few are Coal chastising me because he saw the press shots soTEXT ME BACK YOU MORON why did you have bandages in those pics??
Wren also messaged me. There are a few links to recent tabloid articles; Loch intervening in the fight at the finish line has overshadowed my injuries. A few reports speculate that Lochcausedthe fight, while others saw him using magic in an attempt to stop it.
Anger spikes at the assholes who’re trying to lay more blame on Loch.
Which is… weird. Feeling angry on his behalf rather thanathim.
None of that is Wren’s concern, though; she asks if I’m okay, and wants to verify what happened,in case Christmas needs to make a statement.
Before I can respond to anything, Loch grumbles, “Shite.”
He says it with such a punch of horror that I throw a look at him.
He does not look at me. “Siobhán?” he asks.
She’s staring at her screen. “Fucker.”
“What?” Finn finishes parking and wrestles her phone out.
“What happened?” I ask.
Siobhán frowns when Loch doesn’t answer.
“Text from Colm,” Siobhán explains. “Our uncle is paying us a visit.”
