Page 77 of Severed Rivalry
“Four thirty. The sun is thinking about setting and?—”
“Here we go,” Liam starts.
“Shut up.” A smack rings through the humming room.
Four thirty? I need to get up. I try yet again to slide away to sit up.
“No.”
“Oh good. The caveman has come out to play. Are you coherent yet?”
“Whole time,” he grits out.
“You’ve been coherent the whole time? When we discussed grapes?”
He nods.
“And when you told me you were pretty?”
“Did not.”
“Pretty, huh?” Liam interjects.
“Why do I always miss the good stuff?” Ayla adds.
“You chose to leave for that,” I offer.
“I mean now. Stupid responsibilities.” I swear she’d stamp her foot if she could.
Liam barksa throaty laugh.
Cian extends the hand not holding me wide, and his sister folds in to hug him.
“Love you, Ci. I’ll find you tomorrow.”
He drops a hand and touches her nose before nodding.
“Bye, Sariah. Take care of my big brother, okay?”
“I will.” How did I get folded in so quickly to this family? And why is it like a warm blanket on a frigid night?
Liam pipes up from the corner. “Got your house wired, Sariah. Will show you how to see and operate everything when my brother stops holding you like you’ll float away if he doesn’t.”
“Never.” I feel it as I hear it whispered over me like a vow.
I offer a thumbs-up to Liam as I burrow into Cian’s chest.
Rosie has Renée. They’re safe. And Rosie is fine. I have a few more minutes before I need to leave.
The other shoe won’t drop on me today.
Not today.
Cian is finally coherent with the meds getting out of his system.
That whole redhead thing is no myth.
Cian
