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“Are ye feeling better,leannán?” A smirk plays across his lips as his eyes dart up to take in the look of contentment on my face.
“Very,” I murmur. Smug satisfaction settles over Ronan’s features. He should be feeling smug. That was almost an out-of-body experience. I can’t feel any pain at all right now.
I lift my good hand to flip him off, yawning. As I fall asleep, I can feel Ronan securing the fitted trunks on me again, brushing a light kiss over my temple.
“Sleep now,leannán,” he whispers. I drift off as the smell of sandalwood and musk envelopes my senses.
RONAN
Fiona grumbles about not being able to have a shower or a proper bath after she wakes up, but at least she finally takes her fucking painkillers. Not that I was adverse to her “distraction” strategy this morning.
Jesus fuck, I could get used to having the lass here in my space. Mellie has shown up, and they’ve disappeared into the bathroom. I’m not above admitting to pouting when Fiona announced that Mellie was here to help her have a sponge bath.Iwould have happily helped the lass have a sponge bath.
Since Mellie is here, I’ve told them not to leave the condo and make my way to Oracle. Seamus texted to say Paddy’s dirty cop has come through with some information about the fire.
As much as I don’t want to leave Fiona, she’ll be fine with Mellie – and I need to know what the cops do. Shoving out of my SUV, I throw a dirty look at the undercover Vice cops sitting in front of the club. They pretend to be interested in anyone other than me, but I can feel their eyes on me as I duck inside.
Fucking pigs. Maybe if the cops were doing something other than staking out this club, Fiona’s apartment building might not have fucking burnt down with her still inside it. My hands clench into fists, and I swallow the bile rising in my throat at the idea of losing her.
Striding through the almost deserted building, I walk into Seamus’s office, dropping into the seat beside Liam.
“How’s Fi?” Liam asks, sounding concerned. My eyes flicker over him. I used to make him drive her around a lot, so Liam and Fiona have spent quite some time together. No wonder he looks almost as shaken as I feel.
“She’ll be grand, lad,” I assure him, his shoulders loosening slightly. “She’s in a bit of pain, but I think it hasn’t hit her yet.”
Liam nods, drumming his fingers against his thighs. “Someone is fucking dead.”
Nodding my agreement, I accept the tumbler of whiskey that Niall thrusts into my face. Jesus fuck do I need a drink right now.
Seamus taps his desk with his fingers, nursing his whiskey tumbler, while Paddy runs a hand through his hair and sighs.
“I got a list of the identified bodies from our dirty cop, and Niall visited the landlord. He ponied up floorplans with names of tenants.”
“And?” Seamus prompts. Paddy hesitates, nodding to him.
“There were a lot of fucking names. Too many. Maria Holtman, the elderly woman who had lived in the building for the last fifty-two years, was found in her bed. From the looks of the floorplans, Fi was right. Mrs. Holtman’s bedroom shared a wall with Fi’s. The lass was lucky to get out alive, let alone relatively unscathed.”
Paddy clears his throat, his eyes locking on mine. “They think it might be arson.”
Jesus fuck. I grit my teeth and clench my fists in my pockets. I want to hit someone. Specifically, the someone that almost took my Fiona away from me.
Connor pipes up from where he’s lounging against the wall in the corner, his hands shoved into the pockets of his suit.
“I found the cabbie who brought her to Oracle free of charge. A Robert James; goes by Robbie. He said he was just looking out for the girl and didn’t want any trouble. When I offered him a job driving for us, he thanked me but said he was only a few years from retirement and was happy where he was.”
Seamus smirks at the idea that the cabbie blustered his way out of a job.
“I thanked him again and offered him an all-expenses-paid trip for a week to Florida for him and his wife. He jumped at the opportunity,” Connor finishes.
“And the lad?” I grunt. “The neighbor who pulled Fiona out?”
My voice is rougher than I intended, but no one comments on it. It’s Liam who speaks up.
“I got a hold of him. He was couch surfing in a friend’s shitty apartment. He’s a mechanic in Roxbury, a pretty good one. He said he was glad he got Fi out. He was on his way to the stairs when she came out of her apartment. Paulie said he thought everyone on that side was already dead for sure, so it was a shock when she came running out. He acted instinctively, grabbed her, and towed her out of the building and across the road.”
Suddenly I’m itching to be out of here, home, with Fiona in my sights. Jesus fuck, I never want to leave the lass’s side again.
“I’ll reach out to the Russians,” Seamus muses, tapping his chin. “They’ve always got lads in Roxbury. I’ll let them know that the lad in this garage saved one of our women. They’ll send some business his way. If he’s good, they’ll keep on sending it.”
