Page 148 of Three Irish Kings
She smiles even through tears, giving me a little wave as I exit the room.
After blowing her a kiss, I practically skip down the stairs.
I know Dare and Liam are probably losing their minds, but I can’t be anything but happy she’s back.
And pregnant.
It has to be mine, right? Ifeellike it’s mine, and I’ll finally get the chance to raise a child, to love a child. I’ll do right by them, not like I was raised.
I’ve always wanted kids, but never known I’d be lucky enough to find someone who would want them with me. I know this means that eventually, I’ll have to leave the life, but I don’t care.
I always wanted to be more than a weapon anyway.
It’s easy enough to find Dare and Liam because there’s a neon sign blazing “bar” in the lobby, with an arrow pointing to the door.
I push open the door, and Liam and Dare are sitting at the bar, both silent and throwing back drinks.
Liam’s disheveled, and I can’t say I’m even surprised. He took her being gone so well that I assume everything is crashing down on him at once.
When I sidle up next to him, he looks at me, blinking slowly with glazed blue eyes.
“Cill.” He’s taking care not to slur his words.
The bartender, a cute redhead who looks half my age, walks up, and I give her a bright smile.
“I’ll have the same as they’re having.”
“Celebrating something or mourning something?”
Dare scoffs while Liam remains silent.
“They’re mourning. I’m celebrating.”
She pours me a double shot of Irish whiskey, and I sip it, enjoying the burn.
“What the hell is wrong with you?” Dare asks.
“What the hell is wrong withyou?” I shoot back, twisting on my barstool to look at him past Liam.
Dare leans back so he can see my face, frowning. “She played all of us, and you’recelebrating?”
“She didn’t play us. She got scared.”
“She’s scared of me.” Liam’s voiceisslurred now, and depressed, and I try to take his glass away, but he tightens his hand around it. “That's why she left. She’s afraid I’ll hurt her. But I would never hurt her. I’d slit my own throat before I?—”
Dare claps a hand over Liam’s mouth. “Liam, shutup.You’re drunk.”
I reach over to shove Dare, and he nearly falls off the stool. “You’re one to talk. Let him speak. He’s being honest with himself for the first time since we met her.”
“I wish we’d never met her.”
I roll my eyes at the bitter tone of his voice. “You’re just mad she didn’t outright choose you.”
“How do you know she didn’t?”
I grin. “Because she’s going to choose me, of course.”
“She should,” Liam pipes in. “You’re the best of us, Cill, really.”
