Page 93 of Pints & Potions

“You’ve always had a soft spot for children.” Anu’s smile was warm and admiring. “You’re descendants will be a welcome addition to my island.”

“Thank you, Blessed.” Isis hugged her. “Shall we continue to work together on this one?”

“I’d like nothing better.”

They shared a smile and turned back to watch the scene reflected on the pool surface as it unfolded.

Seamus and Moirastood in front of Ronan’s chair, arguing about who was to blame for the current failure. The bickering was driving Ronan mad. If they didn’t stop soon, he was likely to murder them both.

His phone burned a hole in his pocket, and he removed it to read Rebecca Walsh-Thorne’s message from two weeks ago. The only one he’d received from Bec in over a decade and a half, despite his waiting impatiently.

“Seethat Piper doesn’t come to harm while she’s in Ireland.”

He’d promptly texted back.

“Not my call.”

Rebecca’s replywas immediate and stung like the dickens.

“You owe me that much for what you did.”

Ronan guzzledwhat was left of his red wine and stared moodily at the screen.

What he did, yes. He’d tried to seduce her away from her husband and child twenty-two years ago. For all of a moment, he thought he’d had done it. Thought she’d loved him as he loved her. But no. Her heart had been given to Hoyt Thorne and she had no room for Ronan.

Well, if Bec ever saw him again, she’d murder him dead, to be sure. He’d failed to keep Piper safe. Despite his command to leave Piper untouched, Seamus and Moira had gone off script and harmed Bec’s daughter at every opportunity.

Ronan was a piss-poor excuse for a watchdog.

He eyed them sourly as they continued their quarrel.

“You’re a feckingeejitis what you are!” Seamus roared at Moira. “You didn’t trust I’d take care of Piper meself, and you had to show your hand as you tried to prove Cian still loved ya above all others.” An evil, gloating grin spread across his face. “But he doesn’t, does he?”

The sound of Moira’s slap rang out.

The scarlet hand imprint on Seamus’s cheek was no more than the idiot deserved.

As the ring leader of their trio, Ronan had his work cut out for him.

He should’ve killed them the first time they defied him.

“Enough!” he barked and slammed his fist on an end table.

With a surly exchange of glances, Moira and Seamus complied.

Ronan lifted his hand and let flames dance along his fingertips. “The next one who defies my direct order will roast in a hell of my making, do you understand?”

Seamus audibly gulped as Moira studied the polished points of her two-inch nails.

“Moira. Do you understand me?”

“Yes,” she hissed, and the boiling fury in her glare would singe a lesser man.

“Cian O’Malley is now off the table, as is the Thorne woman.” He rose to his impressive height of six-feet-five and stared down at his two impulsive cousins. “I mean it. If Piper Thorne gets a hangnail, I’ll visit it on you both tenfold. Am I clear?”

They nodded, and Ronan was positive they’d have this conversation again. Preferably before they not-so-accidentally killed Piper with their harebrained schemes.

“We need to prevent the next part of the prophecy,” he told them, to gain their focus.

---