Page 110 of Vengeful Secret

He nods. “There’s honor even among thieves, Sutton.”

“Of course, you couldn’t give up Lara, but?—”

“But what?” Gray asks, seeming irritated.

“But maybe you could have offered himsomething.”

He stares at me. “Like what? My father’s head on a platter? You don’t know this life like I do, Sutton. Even if Ihadbeen monstrous enough to give up my sister, Murphy wouldn’t have stuck to his word. He never does. You don’t know him like I do.”

“So, there's no end to this? There's always going to be a war? We’ll always be looking over our shoulders?"

“Even if we take Murphy down, someone else will take his place," Gray explains, sitting down on the edge of the bed.

I remain standing, frowning.

He sighs. “This is just the life, Sutton. I understand if you don’t want to be a part of it.”

“I don’t!” I exclaim, and Gray’s face falls. “That doesn’t mean I want to be away from you, Gray. It just means that I’m afraid of this life of yours.”

“Do you think I’m immune to fear?” he asks quietly. “Do you think I don’t worry every single day about the people I love?”

“Of course, Gray, but… haven’t you ever thought about getting out?”

He snorts. “Getting out means leaving my family behind, Sutton. It means leaving everything I’ve ever known. No, I’ve never thought about it.”

I stare at him, shocked.

It’s not that I don’t trust Gray. I know he’ll protect us with his dying breath, but I’m worried that he’ll get hurt or worse, killed, and then what happens to me and Ciara?

“I’m just scared, Gray,” I say softly, and Gray hums.

“I know,a ghrá mo chroí. I just don’t know how to make you feel better.”

“I think I’ll sleep with Ciara tonight.”

Gray looks up at me with hurt on his face, but he just nods, turning off the lamp and lying down in bed.

I guess that’s the end of that.

I’d thought he might try to convince me, assure me that everything’s going to be okay, but I guess he can’t really say that. It wouldn’t be the truth, and Gray would never lie to me.

Instead of going straight to Ciara’s room, I close the bedroom door behind me and walk downstairs, hoping to find a cup of tea.

In the kitchen, I find a teapot and some earl gray and start the water to boil.

Footsteps behind me startle me, and I turn to see the very pregnant Bree padding toward me in a long T-shirt that sweeps against her knees.

“Oh, Sutton,” she says, holding her back with one hand. “You’re already doing what I planned to do.”

“Why are you up so late?” I ask, still trying to catch my breath.

She chuckles. “I’m sure you know that by this time in your pregnancy, you barely sleep.”

I nod. “Sutton was early, but still, the last month was hell.”

“This little boy moves around like a soccer player, so I can’t get a wink of sleep. And Declan snores like a bear, which doesn’t help matters.”

I snort out a laugh and finish making the tea, taking two teacups and the pot into the dining area. Bree sits down with a groan.

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