Page 45 of Broken Blood Ties

I want to ask her about it. Maybe set the record straight the best I can, but she’s already speed walking down the hall and to the stairs before I can say anything else. The front door opens and closes about thirty seconds later.

Instead of going back downstairs to kick Cormac out of my house, I march into my room and slam the door shut, wincing at my behavior and praying I didn’t just wake up two sick people.

I glance out the three windows overlooking the driveway and pull back the heavy curtain. Below, Summer strides toward the gate. She stops beside one of my security men, exchanges a few words, and the gate slides open. But just as she steps through, she hesitates at the edge of the driveway. Something glows in the palm of her hand—her phone.

Is she waiting for a car? She didn’t drive here?

I continue to watch her as she paces to the end of the cobblestone several times before I call down to the guard station.

“Boss?” Licon answers.

“Watch her until her car comes.”

“Aye, sir.”

I hang up, letting the curtain fall back into place. Before I walk away, I hesitate. Knowing Licon is there to keep her safe while she waits should be enough, but a small part of me still wants to linger by the window, just to be sure she’s okay.

I have more important things to do than sit here.

This woman.

I pull at my shirt, the fabric too restricting.

What the hell is wrong with me?

* * *

The next day, Allie is already in the kitchen when I come downstairs.

“Feeling better?” She must be. I’m not sure there was ever a time I remember Allie being down for the count like Cormac described.

She sniffs. “Yes, sir. My fever finally broke. I took Aoife’s temperature, too and hers is normal. I’ll keep her home from school the next two days to be sure.”

I nod. “I saw Miss Smith last night. She left around midnight.”

Allie worries with her lip. “She was very helpful. Made us soup and watched over Aoife while I was able to rest.”

“I heard. Cormac wouldn’t shut up about how good the soup was.”

She smiles. “She’s very sweet. Aoife seems to really take to her.”

I grunt, annoyed. Yes, yes. Everyone likes Summer Smith

“She’d be a great?—”

“She’s too young for me, Allie.”

Her eyebrows raise. “I was going to say,” she continues, “she’d be a great hostess at one of the restaurants. Didn’t you say you were looking for someone?”

Yeah. Like two months ago and the position has since been filled. Allie has the memory of a?—

Wait.

She smirks at me, and I gather my tea she’s left in the travel mug on the island.

“I’ll be at O’Brien’s. Call if you need me.”

I leave the house. The short drive to the pub isn’t enough time to rid my mind of Summer Smith and prepare to address my men about the recent developments with Riku. But I shift the mask as best I can.

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