His dad, who’d been fairly quiet up until now, admitted, “That’s why I’m glad the girls left the country, Jane left Tulsa, and O’Connor put security on his daughter. Whoever this sick motherfucker is, they’re a danger to women. Mom refused security.”
“Then I assume the ones you hired must be very good at not being detected.”
“Correct. The police believe the camera outside her condo was to see who we were interacting with. If they were important enough to us, we’d take them to my mother’s. But— no one spies on my mother. I spoke with Diana Gaines.”
Dad’s cheeks darkened at the memory.
“Did the lovely Mrs. Gaines make you feel like a dirty, five-year-old chimney-sweep from the Victorian era?”
“She tried, but I have her number. I got up to leave without her asking me to, bad manners again, and told her that I had come to her on a matter of my mother’s safety, but if she wasn’t inclined to help, I would let myself out.”
Patrick whistled through his teeth. “Bold. That bitch scares the shit out of me.”
“She told me to sit back down. That my dramatics gave her a headache. Dramatics,” he chuckled. “That woman is the very definition.”
“Did you tell her what was going on?”
“I did. All of it. She called her secretary in as I was leaving and told her to plan a trip for her and Mrs. O’Faolain. I heard—think Greece, Italy, Spain. Fabulous. My dear friend needs to relax, and you know I do.”
“She is something else. I’m impressed you thought to ask.” Bran was glad to have another woman he loved away from the stalker.
“No matter her behavior, she loves Mom. I imagine, as both women are widows, they’ll be gone for several months. You boys will have to visit your grandmother at some point while she is away.”
“And you, too, Dad.” Patrick smiled, all innocence and love.
Dad pressed the button to recline his seat and got his earbuds out, dropping down the flat screen above his head. Before he stuck the earbuds in, he answered. “She is my mother. Of course, I’ll visit, you little shit.” Then he turned on the news.
Patrick started to recline his chair. “Are you ready for tomorrow?"
“No. God, no. I also wish I were walking through Triskelion’s door right now.”
“I feel the same,” Patrick admitted. “It’s nothing like you and Raven. River and I are friends, so it feels strange to have this tension.”
Pat adjusted his tall frame yet again, giving credence to his words.
“Friends are loved, too, Pat. Friends are missed. It’s okay to need River.”
He was quick to deny it. “I don’tneedher, Bran. She’s just a friend.”
Before he put his own earbuds in, he said, “Maybe she needs you, brother.”
Raven tossedand turned last night. She kept replaying every word of her and Bran’s stilted conversation.
She’d barely spoken when all she’d wanted to do was beg him to come. Right Now! That she loved him still. Missed him desperately. Instead, he’d gotten, ‘Okay.’
“Stop mumbling to yourself, Rave. Jesus, you have an appointment this morning. Oh, and unless I’m seeing things, Honey Bunny just got out of that tiny, little car out front.”
Sure enough, River was right. HB was leaning back into the compact to pull Jo out of the back. Hold her hand a little longer than necessary, HB? Raven was smiling at their cat and mouse game— fox and rabbit might be more apt.
Rowan was watching the show. “Good thing Honey held on to Jo that extra forty-five seconds. She may have toppled right back into the car.”
They all three laughed at their friend’s expense. Raven couldn’t wait to drill Miss No Time For Men O’Connor.
“Better unlock the door. We open in thirty minutes anyway, and I don’t want to make the happy couple stare into each other’s eyes longer than necessary.” Raven glanced at her chest, which wasn’t tiny to begin with for someone her size and blanched. “Wait, I might be able to open the door with my fucking nipples— from my desk.”
“Youhaveseemed to... bloom.” Delicately put, Rowan.
As River opened things up, Raven glanced down once more. “Row. Be honest. This maternity dress is beautiful, and you picked it out, which makes me love it more, but... my body is so different.”
