Page 171 of Deceived Wrath

Fiona’s not here.

I straighten, and my eyes fly in every direction.

“She’s in the kitchen,” Riley says calmly.

I don’t bother thanking her. I sprint across the foyer into the kitchen, almost knocking Fiona completely off her feet.

“Whoa!” she cries as she struggles to maintain her balance.

I quickly wrap an arm around her waist to steady her.

“What’s the rush?”

“You weren’t in the living room. You’re not to go anywhere on your own,” I grunt, trying to ignore the pain in my chest from the sudden surge of adrenaline.

She forces her way out of my hold. “Can I at least go to the pantry? I promised to get Scout some more cocoa.”

When I follow behind her, barely keeping more than a few feet between us, she pauses and glances over her shoulder at me. “What are you doing?”

“I told you, I’m not leaving your side.”

Her hand stills on the pantry door, and I see the flicker of concern in her eyes.

“Cormac…”

“No. Not tonight. Everyone’s already overtired and stressed. And right now, I need both of you safe.”

She exhales slowly, shaking her head, as if she knows arguing is pointless. “Fine. But just for the record, you’re being ridiculous.”

“Call it experience.”

I reach for a mug, pretending to help, but mostly I’m just standing there, between her and the potential threat outside the kitchen. Every sound, every footstep in the hallway, makes me tighten my grip on the counter.

Scout bounds into the kitchen a moment later, nearly colliding with me.

“I can help! I’ll stir the chocolate!”

I gladly hold Scout in my arms as he leans over the stove to stir the hot chocolate. Occasionally, I catch Fiona’s eye, but neither of us speaks. She’s trying to act normal, trying to keep the kids and Scout happy, but I know she’s calculating the potential risks that might be waiting outside these walls too, from the way she keeps glancing at my bloodied hands.

She hands Scout his mug. “Here. Careful, it’s hot.”

“I’ll be careful,” Scout promises, his eyes bright.

As Scout sips on his cocoa, I glance around the kitchen, taking in the dim light, the quiet hum of the house, and the faint smell of chocolate.

Everyone is overtired and on edge, which means it’s even more important for me to stay focused, for Scout’s sake.

Chapter Thirty-Seven

FIONA

I don’t knowhow the hell I’m going to find this laptop when Cormac hasn’t left my side in twenty-four hours. Even if the future of our relationship didn’t rest on my ability to track it down and delete the file for Lorcan, he would still be driving me nuts with his constant hovering.

I pace the living room, my hands twisting the hem of my shirt as I constantly look over at the door every time footsteps sound on the other side.

Cormac is somewhere close by, I can feel it, which means I can’t make any progress on tracking this laptop down. Every time I attempt to go and look for it, he’s there, silently watching.

It’s a miracle I’ve even been allowed to go to the bathroom alone.