Page 101 of Severed Rivalry
She keeps shaking her head.
“Where’s your mind going? You have a brain that makes connections and looks for systems. Spitball with me. Nothing is off the table.”
“Could she have had another seizure? Could this have anything to do with me? Does this lead people to Renée or me? Shit in the media is too frequent, and we’ve been compromised. We could be found.”
I squeeze her and my voice goes low. “Thatis off the table.”
“The mugshot, the FBI, two ambulances. We’re at risk and you know—you know, Cian—what that risk is. I won’t allow it.”
“I will not lose you again.” I squat just enough to be eye level. “And I will never let you lose your daughter. So get that out of your head.”
The click and pop of the stretcher locking into place is met with the paramedics barking to one another and beginning the choreography of moving a stretcher through the house.
“Where are you taking her?” Sariah asks.
“Swedish. Unless something happens and we have to divert.”
I nod at the medical tech and lower my voice, “Am I taking you to Swedish or to Renée?”
“Please, universe, don’t let me have to answer that question for the third time today.”
“That’s not an answer, Angel.”
“I need my daughter. Will you check on Rosie?”
“Absolutely. Let’s get you home.”
She freezes in my arms. “I— I don’t want to be…” She swallows and takes a deep breath. “But I’m scared to go home.”
“My home. Our home if you’ll let it be. I need you safe, so for now, just be there, with Renée where no one would think to look. Nothing ties you to it.”
Yet.
We lock up the house behind us and hurry to the truck. The rush home for expected sex was way more fun than this urgency.
We arrive just on the heels of Liam and Renée, the younger looking wild from the ride. I can’t tell if she’s relieved to be off the motorcycle or disappointed.
Sariah pulls her in and barely lets her go.
“Can you stay?” I ask my brother.
His head pulls back, and his brows pinch, but he nods.
I drop my voice so Renée can’t hear. “Rosie is unconscious. She’s at Swedish and I promised Sariah—” I look through my front door from my spot in the driveway.
“Enough said.” He slaps my shoulder.
I return to the truck and wonder how my day went downhill so quickly.
Sariah
I must’ve fallen asleep at some point. I mean, obviously I did, because I wake to an arm sliding over my waist and lips hitting my shoulder.
“Ci?”
“I sure hope so.” At least there’s humor in his voice.
“What time is it?”
