Page 64 of The Irish Redemption

“What?” I move on to the cutlery.

“A woman like that doesn’t just drift. Look at the situation you are in. You kidnapped her and yet she has no problem being here with you, letting you take care of her.”

“So you think she’s relying on my feeling guilty about how I treated her?”

“You are my pride and joy,” Ma says wistfully. “Where did I go wrong?”

“What?”

“She’s not relying on guilt, you big lump. She likes you. And if you’re not careful, you’ll be dumb enough to let something like that slip rightthrough your fingers.”

She likes me.

Evie likes me.

Given her words at the lakeside a few days ago, the signs are there, but I’d presumed she was simply talking like that because I made her feel so good. How I feel about her is complicated but incredibly strong. In some odd way, she makes me feel safe. Like I can be myself and she will accept me for all of it. The thought of her leaving my side hasn’t crossed my mind because it’s not something I want to allow, but is she really choosing to stay because she has true feelings for me?

My thoughts are derailed by my phone once again bringing me right back down to reality. Abandoning the tea towel, I answer Cian’s call and move into the lounge.

“Hey, little brother. You’re calling with good news, right?”

“You can view it that way,” Cian replies. “We’ve found her.”

“Who?”

“The mystery woman from the sketch. Anastasia wasn’t kidding when she said she wouldn’t rest until that woman was found. I hear she went all the way down to the streets and spoke to her escorts in person until she found her.”

“Shit. You think she did that because she’s determined to prove her innocence?”

“Maybe. Saoirse says it’s a woman thing and we would never understand.” Cian snorts, then he yelps. “Ow! Okay, okay, I’m sorry! Saoirse also says it’s important that we understand that women talk to women because men are scary shits.”

“It’s fucking true,” Saoirse murmurs faintly in the background. “You catch more flies with honey than shit.”

“I respect Anastasia for doing the leg work herself.” It definitely appears like Anastasia is doing everything she can to avoid further conflict with me. In an ideal world, such actions are perfect, but if she’s acting like this from a true place of innocence, then I’m back to square one with Brenden’s murder.

“Any news on the cops? Have they released Brenden’s body yet?”

“No.” Cian sighs, and there’s a sharp edge in his voice. “From what I can tell, they’re refusing to until one of us collects.”

“So what’s the problem?”

“Soon as anyone they want walks through those doors, there’ll be cuffs on our wrists before you can say backgammon.”

“So send someone else.”

“Cormac, they won’t take anyone else. Trust me. The only way they’re releasing that body is if Brenden’s killer walks through the doors and hands themselves over with video evidence of the crime.”

“Fucking bullshit.” I rub at my eyes until I see stars. “Alright, see what you can dig up on that cop. I don’t care how far back we need to go, but I want something on her, understand?”

“On it.”

“When can I speak to the woman?”

“Anastasia says she’s yours as soon as you land.”

Evie sits across from me with her legs crossed, tapping her foot in the air in time to the music playing through her earphones. She’d been very amicable about our need to return to the city, but a lump of sadness formed as I watched her pack up the few belongings my mother had gifted her during her stay. She’d been recovering so wellat the ranch, and now we have to return to the city where nothing but darkness lurks.

My mother’s words swim in my mind as we fly, but I can’t bring myself to act on them. In the sun-warmed coziness of the ranch, romance was easy. In a blink, I could envision a life with Evie, and telling her the truth of my feelings was the sweetest thought in my mind.

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