Page 42 of The Irish Redemption

“But what? I thought she told you everything.”

“She did, and I believe her,” I reply. “Which means whatever she knows, she doesn’t know that she knows it. Or she’s told me and I don’t know how important it is yet. Either way, if the Russians want her dead, then that’s good enough for me.”

Saoirse sighs deeply, then lifts her hand and delicately rubs at herdark lined eyes. “Okay. I understand. I’m not questioning you, I’m just making sure I understand.”

“I know.”

“I feel like we can’t even get a minute to breathe, y’know?” When she lowers her hand, her eyes betray the deep sadness inside her and I can’t resist the urge to reach out and draw her into my arms.

“As soon as Brenden’s killer is in the ground, we’ll get that minute.”

The hug is brief. Any longer, and I risk losing control of the lid, keeping my own grief buried and secure in the dark recesses of my mind. I can’t lead if I’m unable to focus.

Saoirse says her goodbyes and leaves. Heading back into Evelyn’s room, I close the door softly just as a dry voice reaches my ears.

“Cormac?”

My heart jumps. I’m by her bedside in an instant and it takes all my restraint not to grasp her hand. “Evelyn.”

Her eyes flutter slowly as she wakes up, then she squints at me and presses her lips together. “What… What happened? Where am I?”

“You’re in Queens Memorial Hospital.” Hovering over her, I ache to touch her. Seeing her eyes open and alert brings me more joy than anything has in weeks. Each day she remained dead to the world, I feared another death on my shoulders and that whatever information she had in her would be lost. Fate, thankfully, has other plans.

“Hospital?” Evelyn repeats croakily, then she quickly dissolves into a flutter of dry coughing.

Using the jug of water by her bedside, I pour her a cup then guide a small straw past her parched lips. She drinks greedily, then sinks back into the pillows with a gasp. “What happened?”

“You were stabbed.” Straight to the point seems like the best route. “Whoever bumped into you in the alley stabbed you with a thin,curved blade just under your ribs. That kind of blade is designed to kill. It was serrated. It tore into you and your lungs, which is why you went down so fast. You’ve had surgery to repair the tear.”

“Some… Someone tried to kill me?”

It isn’t until she whispers those words that it hits me—assassination attempts and brutality such as this are common in my world, but there’s a look of horror and fear on her face. This isn’t an everyday occurrence for her and my tactless way of delivering the news clearly wasn’t the best.

“I… I’m sorry, Evelyn. It… Yes, someone did, but I promise you they will not get away with it. And I’m sorry. I should have protected you better.”

Evelyn briefly closes her eyes, curling her fingers against the bedsheets. When she opens them, they’re slightly shining with unshed tears, and she shakes her head. “It’s not your job to protect me.”

“It is,” I reply immediately. “You’re my responsibility and you’re under my care. I didn’t plan all the angles and I’m sorry, Evelyn. I promised you this would all be over once I got my hands on Harry, and instead, you got hurt. I’m sorry, but I swear to you this will never happen again.”

It’s unclear if it’s my words or the painkillers she’s on, but Evelyn gives me a lopsided smile and shakes her head again. “We can’t play the blame game. Harry was my problem before I met you and I didn’t stay close to Hank either.”

“Don’t.” Without thinking, I reach for her hand. “This isn’t an argument you will win. But I promise you that you will be taken care of. Hospital bills and everything.”

Her eyes dart down to our hands and a sudden flush of heat warms between my palm and her knuckles, but I don’t draw back. I won’t unless she does first.

“You called me Evie.”

“What?”

“I heard you. In the alley. You called me Evie.”

Thinking back, I hadn’t realized that had slipped from me. Nodding, my mouth twists slightly. “Did I? Must have been a slip of the tongue.”

“Mmhmm,” Evelyn murmurs. “I get stabbed and you give me a nickname.”

“Sorry.”

“No, s’okay.” Evelyn smiles again. “I like it.”

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