Page 506 of Lodestar

I needed Conor to be all right.

I had to keep him alive.

Not that I could tell him that. He seemed to appreciate my unique way of thinking, but this whole ‘thing’ was some freaky shit even I couldn’t find any logic in.

I didn’t think he’d get it if I said, ‘Please don’t die, Conor.’

It didn’t have the same ring as, ‘I love you.’

“Hey,” he chided as if he knew I’d spaced out, his fingers reaching for my chin. “The soup’s delicious. Thank you.”

“I’m glad you’re enjoying it,” I said simply.

“I am, but I like that you made it for me.” A gleam lit up his eyes. “If you ever feel the need to bake, you could always…”

“Bake you an apple pie?” I hooted. “Not sure I should try to compete with Aoife. Making soup isn’t exactly baking.”

“A man can never have too much apple pie in his life,” he intoned piously.

"I have no idea how you stay so ripped with all the shit you eat.” I'd yet to see any signs of weight gain, even if he complained his shirt collars were tighter than before I came into his life.

“Good genes. And I’ll tell Aoife you called her apple pie shit. Just in time for the upcoming afternoon tea,” he teased, surprising me with his awareness of that.

Although, on second thought, I shouldn’t have been surprised. Conor seemed to have a preternatural awareness of all things family.

I refused to admit that I turned to mush inside at the idea that he considered Kat and me family too.

“I told Savannah I’m not going.”

He snickered. “It’s cute that you think that will deter her.”

My lips twitched—he had a point. “Worked the last two times.”

“She was busy writing articles then.”

“True. When she’s not so busy, she’s always more dangerous.” I tapped my chin. “Though I’m not convinced she’s not that blogger.I told you so.”

His brows lifted. “Never heard of them.”

“You are so tunnel-visioned sometimes—it’s unreal.”

“Definitely extra snarky,” he repeated, licking his spoon clean as he finished up his soup. “How are you doing?”

“I’m fine.”

“You’re a control freak who’s making soup because we didn’t sleep together. I hardly think you’re fine when your years-long project to take down the Sparrows is now in the hands of the authorities.”

“Want to know the truth?”

“No, baby. Please lie to me.”

I flipped him the bird. “It’s nice.”

“What is?”

“The notion of passing it over to people my grandfather handpicked to make justice happen.”

“You vetted them tooandhad some kicked off the team,” he pointed out.

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