Page 78 of Wine & Warlocks

“Leave me be, Dethridge,” Ronan stated coldly. “You’re not welcome here.”

“I’m well aware.” The Aether approached and waited as Sabrina placed Buttercup in Ronan’s reluctant arms. Then he clasped Sabrina’s hand to help her to her feet. “I merely came to fetch my disobedient daughter.”

Concentrating on the puppy, Ronan scratched its chest. He wasn’t ready to see the compassion in Damian’s eyes. He needed to hold onto his rage a little longer to get through this endless day.

“For what it’s worth, I’m sorry, Ronan. You and Dubh—”

“Don’t!”His lungs felt as if they were collapsing every single time someone spoke her name, and to hear it fall from Damian’s lips would send Ronan spiraling out of control.

“The panic attacks will go away.”

His head came up, and he exhaled a harsh breath. “Panic attacks?”

With a sympathetic glance his way, Damian squatted and turned Sabrina to face him. “I need to talk to Ronan, Beastie. Please teleport to your mother and help her with Nate and the hellhounds.”

Unable to help himself, Ronan barked a laugh. “Hellhounds?”

With a wry grimace, Damian nodded. “I’m positive Beastie picked the worst of the litter.” To his daughter, he said, “Go now, my love.”

She pulled away to run to Ronan and wrapped her arms around his neck. Pressing her mouth to his ear, she whispered, “Don’t forget. You’ll see Dubheasa again when you’re done here.” She left with a quick peck to his cheek.

Once she was gone, Ronan placed Buttercup on the ground and rose to his feet. “It’s hard to hate a man who loves his child as you do.”

“I’m not your enemy, Ronan. I’d have brought her back if I could’ve.”

“You’re the fucking Aether! You can do anything.”

Damian shook his head and expelled a frustrated breath. “I can’t go against the laws of magic and man.”

“Fuck you! Andfuckthe Authority!” Hands balled into fists, Ronan charged forward. “You could’ve ignored their dictate. For me. For what I’ve done for you and your family. Sure, and you’ve done it when it’s convenient foryou.”

The Aether’s black eyes lit with an unholy light. “Your Guardianship of Sabrina? Are you trying to say that’s all been an act to call in favors?”

It wasn’t. And they both knew it.

Deflated and defeated, Ronan turned away to stare at the headstone. “Dubheasa was my saving grace,” he said in a low voice.

“No, my friend. You were your own saving grace.” Damian picked up the puppy and joined Ronan at the head of the grave. “You broke the cycle of abuse and became your own man. You helped the O’Malleys restore what was lost to them for centuries.”

Damian buried his nose against Buttercup’s ear, and the affectionate gesture dissolved the last of Ronan’s resentment toward him.

“And you became the savior of so many others. All those prisoners, whose lives would’ve ended had you not gotten them off the island, are singing your praise right now.”

“I don’t give a shite about any of them,” Ronan growled.

“Perhaps not, but there are many loved ones not suffering what you are now, all due to your heroism.” Damian handed him the puppy. “Youarea hero, Ronan O’Connor. Whether you want to be or not. And sometimes, heroes pay the steepest penalties in life.”

Ronan’s throat tightened around the scream trying to work its way up from his soul. Squeezing his eyes closed, he hugged Buttercup to him. “I’m no one’s hero.”

“There you’re wrong, my friend.” Damian cupped a hand over Ronan’s shoulder in comfort. “The panic attacks will eventually lessen. And though they are few, embrace the memories of Dubheasa. She wouldn’t want you to suffer as you are.”

CHAPTER33

After Damian left, Ronan gave way to his pent-up emotion, and as the sobs wracked his body, he dropped to his knees. Buttercup released a barely audible whine and tried valiantly to lick the waterfall of tears as they flowed down his face.

He didn’t know how long he’d sat there, giving in to his grief, but eventually, the darkening shadows woke him to the fact he was neglecting the puppy in his arms. At the very least, she needed to be fed and walked. Not necessarily in that order.

Cradling her in one arm, he used the other to dry his face.

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