Page 172 of Deceived Wrath

So, instead of making progress, I pace in the hopes of easing my anxiety.

But every second I spend trapped in this room, pretending everything is fine, I feel like I’m suffocating.

Scout tucks his toy into the playpen where the twins are. “Here you go, Nico. You can borrow my dinosaur.”

“Shh, not so loud, Scout.” I glance anxiously at Riley, who is trying her best to rock Aubrey to sleep.

“Sorry,” Scout mumbles. “All babies do is sleep. When are they old enough to play Mario Kart?”

Ciara swallows a laugh as she tries to wrestle a bow into Addison’s dark hair. “Not for a while yet, I’m afraid. Ugh, I don’t know why I even bother trying to style Little Miss’s hair when she’s going to pull out this bow in two seconds.”

Riley smiles. “I can’t wait for Aubrey’s hair to grow. I hope it’s got that slight curl like Kieran’s.”

“Believe me, it will. These Sullivan genes are strong,” Ciara grumbles as she tries to tie back Addison’s unruly hair.

Scout tugs my hand. “Fiona, when will Daddy be done with work?”

I stop my pacing and force a smile, though my chest feels so tight I can barely take a deep breath. “I’m not sure.”

“Oh…” Scout pouts.

Ciara smiles, though it doesn’t reach her eyes. “Do you not want to hang out with us, is that it?”

Scout’s eyes almost bug out of his head in panic. “No, I do! I just miss Daddy.”

“We are so much cooler than your dad,” Riley adds. “Plus, I know where all the secret snacks are hidden.”

Ciara laughs. “I think you severely underestimate Brennan’s ability to sniff out a packet of Goldfish. I swear every time he looks after the twins, the entire pantry has been emptied out.”

Riley scoffs. “And yet, he still has abs.”

“Give yourself some grace, Riles. You just birthed a human.”

“Pretty sure I just shapeshifted into a cow…”

I try to focus on Ciara and Riley’s conversation, but it’s hard when my attention keeps shifting to the door.

Cormac and his brothers disappeared into Kieran’s office an hour ago, and I’m losing my window of opportunity.

“Fiona?”

“Huh?” I blink to find Ciara and Riley both looking at me with concern.

“You okay?” Ciara asks.

I glance at them, noticing the exhaustion etched into their faces after a night of no sleep and juggling three babies and a hyper five-year-old, and I feel a pang of guilt.

They’re trying to hold it together not just for the kids but for each other, and all I’ve done is become more and more trapped in my own panic.

“I—I just need some water,” I blurt before quickly darting from the room.

The moment I’m alone, I hold a hand to my chest and try to take a breath, but it comes out as more of a sob.

This situation has become so much bigger than simply deceiving Cormac. I’m deceiving his entire family. And the more I get to know them, the more I desperately wish I could become a part of it.

I quickly wipe at my cheeks before heading across the foyer toward the bathroom.

I need to splash some cold water on my face to try and clear my head, but I stop short when the sound of Cormac’s muffled voice comes from the kitchen.