Page 65 of Unexpected Complication

A dry laugh escaped my mouth. “I hope so. If I choose the wrong person, both Sean and I are dead.”

She moved closer. “Don’t say that. Please.”

“I’m sorry. I don’t want you to worry.”

“I do,” she said quietly.

I tucked her back under my chin, resting it on her head. “I’ll come back to you, safe and sound. I just found you, Kitten. I found my reason to keep going once this is over. I’m not going to mess that up.”

“You better not, fuckwit.”

I smirked into her hair, knowing she was trying to make me smile. I loved it when she teased me.

“Sleep now, Kitten. Let me hold you for a while.”

“You’ll stay for a while?”

I kissed her head. “For as long as I can.”

Sean was leaning on the counter, sipping a whiskey, when I entered the kitchen.

“Is she asleep?”

I nodded. “I’ll leave soon. She knows I won’t be back for a while.” I sighed, letting my head rest on my chest. “You’ll need to be with me.”

He took another drink. “Yeah.”

“Thank you for buying her the art stuff.”

“She’s good. And she enjoys it. She needs something happy.”

“I agree. It helps her pass the time too.”

“There is more in her room. I made sure she had lots.”

“Good.”

“You really care for her.”

I could only nod.

He drained his glass. “I think I should send Skylar to Julia.”

I jerked my head up and was already shaking it furiously before Sean made it to the table.

“Cian,” he said wearily as he sat down. “You need to step back. The way you reacted earlier? You need your head in the case. You can’t be worrying about Skylar.”

“I need her here.” I tapped my finger on the wooden tabletop loudly. “Here—where I can come see her.”

He leaned forward. “Is it too much, Cian? Playing this part twenty-four seven—is it too much?”

I scrubbed my face. “It’s killing me a little every day, but I can do it. It’ll be over soon.”

“Talk to me.”

“They’re abhorrent, Sean—beyond vile. Even more than I thought. Every second I’m there sickens me.” I stood and started pacing, my hands running through my hair on an endless loop. “I feel like I’m losing me…and becoming Tony.”

He regarded me shrewdly. “What happened today after I left?”