Page 31 of Deceived Wrath

I'm still buzzing from the fact that I actually managed to not only survive the interview with Cormac without accidentally blurting out how attractive I found him, but also land myself the job.

By the time I'm stepping back out on the sidewalk, I almost forget to change out of my heels into my sneakers.

The last thing I need is to mix snow with stilettos.

I'm in such a good mood that I barely even notice the cold.

How can I when the sun is making a rare appearance in January and offering me some much-needed vitamin D?

I bet Cormac could offer me some 'vitamin D'...

"I hate myself." I shove my heels back into my bag and start heading down the street toward the nearest Starbucks.

Part of me still can't believe it actually happened. I got the job. Me, Fiona Callahan, somehow managed to impress the CEO ofSullivan Investments.

And I'm supposed to be spying on him.

A shiver runs down my spine at the thought, but not from fear. It's almost...excitement?

Call me crazy, but for the first time in a long time, I feel alive.

If I can somehow pull this off without Cormac finding out, my debt to Lorcan will be paid, and I can finally move forward with my life after what feels like years of being stuck in quicksand.

I had so many plans and ambitions that I spent years nurturing.

Get the degree, land an internship in forensic coding, get hired by the FBI.

I had my whole career laid out before me, with every milestone broken down into achievable goals since my freshman year of high school.

That was until I met him.

Freddy.

I hate the way my stomach knots at the memory of him.

He was dangerous, reckless, and infuriatingly charming—all the right traits to pull me in even when I knew better.

I should have stayed away. I should have taken note of every red flag he waved right in my face, but I didn't. And I can't help but wonder if I had walked away like I was supposed to, maybe Carly would still be here. After all, it's because of me that the two of them became involved, which makes me just as responsible for what happened as they are.

My chest tightens as I picture Carly's face, identical to my own in every way.

Losing my older sister was like losing the air in my lungs. She was everything to me, especially after our parents died. But that only made the betrayal hurt so much more when I found out she had been seeing Freddy behind my back.

It was a pain unlike any other.

Why would my sister choose to hurt me like that? It didn't make sense.

But those were questions I never got to ask because I was too consumed by anger, and now it's too late.

Carly is dead, and we will never have the chance to repair what Freddy broke.

Without him, none of this would have ever happened. He took away the one person who mattered to me the most, and I can't shake the guilt of bringing him into our lives, no matter how much I try.

I close my eyes for a split second and breathe in the crisp January air as I try to will the memories of Carly and Freddy to back off.

A breakdown here, in the middle of the sidewalk on a busy Tuesday morning, isnoton my to-do list. I can't afford it. Not when I have to prepare myself for the first day at my new job.

"Get it together, Fiona." I push the memories back down, forcing them into a box so that they can't steal the breath from me when I least expect it.