My hands curl into fists at my sides, my voice shaking with the anger I feel toward Lorcan. “When I tried to threaten him by saying I would tell you everything, he reminded me that hehas Amber’s doctors on his payroll. He can pull the plug on her treatment at any time, and I can’t let him do that.”
I look at Cormac once I’m finished and notice he’s dropped his arms to his sides and his hands are balled into tight fists, the skin over his knuckles now white.
I feel that familiar and somewhat terrifying undercurrent of controlled violence radiating off him. And yet, I know it’s not directed at me.
His voice is almost shaking with anger. “I promise you that Lorcan won’t touch Amber. Not while I’m still breathing.”
I swallow hard.
His words calm me slightly, only because I know Cormac well enough to know he is a man of his word.
Then, almost against my better judgment, I ask the question I’ve been dying to ask. “Do you…do you think you’ll ever forgive me?”
Cormac doesn’t answer immediately. He looks away, like he’s weighing how much of himself to show me.
His hand twitches at his side, the only giveaway that the storm behind his eyes is still raging.
“You hurt me,” he says finally, his voice low. “I don’t know if I can get past that, or if I can ever trust you again, for that matter.”
Even though I was expecting it, his answer still stings.
“Right now, we need to deal with Lorcan. Then…we’ll see.”
Cormac leans back against the wall, his expression far away as he stares straight ahead. When he doesn’t speak again, I realize the choice he’s silently offering me.
“Let me help you,” I say quietly.
Cormac’s dark eyes flick to mine. “I want you to tell my brothers everything you just told me.”
The room spins a little.
The thought of exposing everything to Ronan, Kieran, and Brennan feels impossible, but I know he’s right.
I have no other choice. If I want to help take down Lorcan, it starts with telling his brothers the truth about who I really am.
“Okay,” I say, my voice cracking.
His expression softens a fraction, just enough for me to see that the man I fell for is still there beneath all of the anger.
And yet, the reminder of what I’ve done still hangs heavy in the silence.
“Good. Be ready in an hour,” he eventually says, tearing his gaze from me.
He leaves without another word, shutting the door behind him.
I sit staring at it for a while, feeling both relieved and terrified at the thought of admitting the truth to the rest of the Sullivan family.
But I have no choice. Not if I want to make sure that the people I love the most don’t pay for my mistakes.
Half an hour later, I step out of the shower and wrap myself in a towel. My hair is damp and clinging to my neck, and my skin feels almost raw from how hard I scrubbed it.
I pull on a simple blouse and jeans and quickly dry my hair before pulling it back into a ponytail.
Right now, this feels like the only thing I can control, considering I’m about to face the men who could decide the fate of my entire life in one conversation.
I take a deep breath, giving my reflection one last once-over in the mirror, before finally braving going downstairs.
On the way, I pass Scout’s room.
