Page 360 of Lodestar

My brow puckered as she leaned up and I automatically ducked down to let her kiss my cheek.

“Just something to think about, son. You drive safely back to the city, hmm?”

Still frowning, I stated, “I’ll look into getting you that apartment when I’m back from the UK. Okay?”

“Sounds good to me.”

As she drifted away to the kitchen, something about her seemed so frail, so alone that it hit me on the raw. Then, Paddy appeared. He said something I didn’t catch and it made her chuckle, and she seemed a touch less alone. A little less sad.

After decades of marriage to my father, I figured that was the least she deserved.

Even if my brothers didn't.

22

STAR

“Finn says Dagda’s awake.”

Moving the pillow off my shoulder, I squinted at him as I yawned. “Talking? Or just awake?”

“Finn knows what your intentions are. He wouldn’t have texted me with the update otherwise.”

Rubbing my hands over my face, I mumbled, “Did you catch any sleep?”

“Some. Worked on securing the gun permit for Liam. Did you manage to put any pressure on the Rabid Wolves before you crashed?”

That was when I remembered where I was—one of Conor’s desks. Well,mydesk now.

Thatwas why my back hurt like fuck, and he must have been the reason for the pillow.

Stretching my arms wide open, I wriggled to right some of the cricks in my spine, mumbling, “I asked Nyx for any recent intel and informed the Canada Revenue Agency that they hadn’t been declaring all their income on one of their more popular bars.”

He chuckled. “Remind me never to get on your bad side.”

I winked at him. “I’ll do worse to you if you do. That’s the cost of being loved by me.”

“Hey, that’s not fair,” he argued.

“It’s plenty fair. I love you, ergo you have the power to hurt me more.”

“True.” His nose crinkled. “Okay, Dagda. We going?”

“What time’s our flight?”

“We still have four hours before we need to be at the private airfield.”

“Oh, plenty of time then.” I yawned again then stretched some.

“You’re not as eager as I thought you’d be to meet him. Haven’t you been waiting for this for years?”

I shrugged. “I’m not the same woman as back then.”

“Why? Because you’re still pissed at your mom?”

“That plays a part in it, but not all. I’m just…different.”

He made no comment other than to dip down and pull out an energy drink from the fridge he kept under my desk.

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