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It took me a moment to recognize that my lips were set in a frown. The expression wasn’t totally unfamiliar on my face. When I needed to be, I could be lethal - clearly, considering I’d killed a man yesterday without hesitation. Since I worked as our expert on physical security, I had to look the part, which meant I occasionally scowled or smiled menacingly during business meetings while Alex laid out our services.
But here, around my friends and in their home, I could likely count on one hand the number of times I’d frowned. I couldn’t stop gravity from pulling my lips down toward the ground despite the concerned look Alex shot my way.
“Xan,” I started, the words blurting out of me faster than I could think of them through, “we can’t let her go.”
Alex didn’t respond, face unwavering as he cocked his head to the side, waiting for me to continue. A wicked grin curved Bex’s lips, and I didn’t like the deviousness shining in her eyes at my words, especially when I knew she was likely jumping to conclusions she had no business considering.
“That guy yesterday, that wasn’t the one after Rory. It was too impersonal, the way he went after her, like he didn’t know or care who she was. Which means someone is still after her.”
“Her father can protect her.”
Bex’s words only made me more angry, words bursting out before I could stop them. “Ican protect her. I’ve been protecting her. She slipped her bodyguards. Can we be sure that won’thappen again? We need to convince Cillian to let me -us- stay involved.”
Alex and Bex glanced at each other, something seeming to pass between them. It felt too much like the silent, sibling communication Bex and Ames so often used, and I wondered if becoming future in-laws gave Alex the skill as well. Either way, I didn’t like it, and I frowned further as their eyes flicked toward me before focusing back on each other.
“It’s your job,” Alex reminded me with an easy shrug. “You get to decide. We’ll try our hardest to convince Cillian to leave you in charge of Rory’s protection.”
Phew. I grinned. The weight that had settled on my chest when Alex warned me of Rory’s departure suddenly lifted. I shook it off, disliking the feeling, and knew exactly what I needed to do to scrub it from my skin.
I hopped around Alex, running toward his bedroom and opening the door silently while still maintaining my speed. If I stopped, I knew Alex would be on me within moments, his growl behind me barely audible as I stepped across the threshold of their bedroom.
I silently prayed that Ames had the good sense to wear pajamas with her house full of us hellions as I swan dove on top of her sleeping form under the covers.
Her startled shriek turned into chuckles as I cuddled her close to my chest, tucking my face into her shoulder. I held my breath at the last moment so that the familiar, spicy scent of her perfume didn’t overwhelm the lingering scent of Rory in my nose. Just in case.
Ames finished brewinga giant carafe of coffee just as Cillian filed in through the front door, followed by Cormac and Patrick, the two familiar, burly men who served as his right-hand men and personal security. John and Cian followed close behind, the downward tilt of their chins showing they’d been chewed out recently.Good.Rory’s security deserved the chastisement. If I hadn’t been there, she would’ve been dead. The thought had my fists clenching at my sides, my teeth grinding as I tried to remind myself that she was fine.
Ames quickly took away my anger as she directed Cillian’s men to pour the coffee for themselves because - and this was a direct quote - “I’m not a fucking housewife and if these guys can protect a mobster, they can make their own coffee.”
Cillian’s men looked taken aback at her clear disregard for Cillian’s authority, eyes wary as they wondered whether or not they should force her respect. Alex only smiled, kissing her roughly before pouring a cup of coffee for himself. He glared over his shoulder as he made his claim clear. No one would say anything against Ames if they wanted today to go smoothly, and Cillian easily followed the unspoken threat, pouring his own coffee with a nod of thanks toward Ames.
“Dad!” I only saw a blur as Rory rushed downstairs, Wren following closely behind. She’d taken up the task of helping Rory find clothes that would fit while Ames made coffee and looked intimidating in the kitchen. It was clear they’d found something of Ames’s that fit Rory, considering the all-black attire was unlike anything I’d ever seen the redhead in.
But her father didn’t seem to mind as he took the brunt of Rory’s weight as she barreled into him, her legs wrapping around his waist. I was mildly impressed by Cillian’s strength as he caught his fully grown daughter despite being in his mid-fifties.
“Banphrionsa,” he whispered as he held his daughter to his chest. I glanced in Alex’s direction at Cillian’s words, the dip of his chin the only sign that he caught onto Rory’s nickname.
We all watched the reunion without interrupting, listening as Rory threw words at her father in Irish, hands flinging in various directions. She pointed at me a couple times, my name mingling among the unfamiliar words. I wasn’t worried she was accusing me of kidnapping, if the soft smile on her face that matched the one on mine was any indication.
It was only after she finished her story that Rory finally took in the rest of the people in the room. She sent an embarrassed wave to her two bodyguards, likely feeling guilty for running and getting them in trouble. I shot a glare at the both of them, making sure they knew that I still held them accountable even if Rory forgave them.
Then she finally caught the eye of an older man, a scar bisecting one eye, a touch of gray running through his bright red hair. Cormac was well known to be not only Cillian’s favorite bodyguard but also his associate. We’d taken meetings with the both of them before, Cormac offering helpful insights into security without stepping on Cillian’s toes.
“Hey Pops,” Rory said with a smile, wrapping her arms around his waist as he squeezed her tight.
“How’s my favorite girl?” Cormac’s Irish brogue came to life as he trilled his r’s, the rough rasp of his voice making his kind words sound closer to a threat.
“Good.” Both Cillian and Cormac scoffed at her simple answer, not an ounce of mistruth in her words. I’d only spoken with her for the past twenty hours or so, and even I knew this answer was typical Rory. Barely anything seemed to phase her - including her attempted murder - which she emphasized as she continued, “I mean, all things considered.”
“Yes, your attempted murder is barely something to be considered,” Cillian said wryly, his eyebrow raised.
“Don’t be so melodramatic,” she told him with an eye roll. “I just meant that Dev and his friends have taken great care of me.” I grinned at her words, the praise hitting me straight in the chest.
My grin didn’t even fade as Cillian took me in, eyes raking over me in assessment, as if we hadn’t known each other for years. I let my grin turn cocky, insolent, not wanting him to know how desperate I was to hear more words from Rory’s mouth, not wanting to show my cards until the time was right.
“Thank you for your care of my daughter.” Cillian aimed his words toward Ames and Wren, who sat side by side at the island, knees pressed together as if to support each other. I knew Alex hated to bring work so close to the girls, but we also worried about sending either of them away, not knowing if anyone could’ve followed Rory or Cillian to the house.
“But now I think it’s time the rest of us spoke about howluckythey were in saving her.” Those words, aimed toward us, held slightly more malice.
