Page 412 of Lodestar

“No one comes out of it free and clear, Eoghan.” I patted his arm. “They’re just damn good at faking it.”

I drifted back to the kitchen, leaving him to look at the picture.

Of anyone under this roof, I was the only person who got where his head was at.

The shit that our government asked of its soldiers was reprehensible, but there was no change there—war, in and of itself, was inhumane.

The subject matter in the kitchen couldn’t have been more different than out in the hall.

Much like Inessa, Savannah had found out that she wasn’t pregnant and both of them were sitting together, mourning children they didn’t think they wanted but ended up wishing they were carrying.

Aoife was doing something indecent to a turkey, Camille was trying not to puke at the sight, and Aela was nursing Cameron—not feeling the need to tuck into a bedroom for privacy as Jennifer had with Saverina.

Upon my entry, most eyes turned to me, but it was Inessa who asked, “How is he?”

“Who?”

Savannah huffed. “Eoghan. Duh. I told Inessa you’d sort him out.”

“Did you expect me to beat the crap out of him in Aoife’s hallway? I’ve already taken advantage of her hospitality too much this month?—”

Aoife’s smile said otherwise. “You’re in my good graces since Finn told me you met with my uncle and he came out of it alive.”

“That’s the first time anyone’s ever liked me for not killing someone,” I drawled, hitching my hip against the counter as I folded my arms across my chest. “Eoghan isn’t a bag of laundry that needs to be sorted into whites and colors, Savannah.”

“You talked to him though?” Inessa peppered, seeming quite urgent.

“I did.”

“He’s been so down since we found out I wasn’t pregnant.” She bit her lip. “It’s strange because we both agree that I’m too young for any of that.”

“If wishes were horses, beggars would ride.”

Inessa blinked at me. “Eoghan isn’t a beggar.”

“You couldn’t tell with what you’ve got him wearing. Been binge-watchingPeaky Blinders, Inessa?” Camille taunted, watching her sister blush with a grin.

“Shut up!” she hissed in Russian.

“But it’s so fun to tease you,” Camille retorted in their mother tongue.

“And I can totally eavesdrop and let everyone know what you’re saying.”

Both women gaped at me as I spoke to them in fluent Russian.

“God, you spies never let anyone haveanyfun,” Inessa grumbled, making me snort.

Savannah, Aela, and Aoife cast each other confused glances, but I merely shrugged and said, “You’re all boring. I’m going to talk to the boys. At least they talk about murder and guns.”

“You’re such a tomboy,” Savannah called out, but I ignored her and wandered over to the room Aoife called Finn’s ‘man cave.’

If that was a cave, the Neanderthals were more evolved than we thought.

I didn’t bother knocking on the door because if I did, they could always toss me out. Instead, I waltzed in and saw them glance at me before they looked away. Even Brennan who I knew had a hard-on for me. And not in the way Conor did, either.

Speaking of, Con held out his hand for me and I moved over to his armchair and took a seat on the armrest. “What are you plotting?”

Brennan grunted under his breath, but Declan kicked him.

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