Page 38 of Demanding Mob Boss

And she will find out. She's too smart and independent not to.

Also, I feel obligated to tell her about Cian's plans when she's feeling better. She's my friend. I'll tell Cian I told her. He's my friend too.

Without any further violence, Sully leads us to the waiting area nearest Shea's room. It's empty except for a couple of men who acknowledge Cian and Lachlan with nods.

"Gulliver is on guard outside her room, Boss," Sully says. "Your mom wants me to let her know when you get here."

Cian inclines his head and Sully takes off. He's back a few minutes later with an older woman. Her hair is the same reddish gold as Cian's, but with strands of grey. Her plump face is lined with worry and exhaustion.

Grabbing her son's arms, she looks imploringly into his face. "Tell me you didn't blow up the frat house, boyo."

Cian's face is impassive when he shakes his head. "Lachlan will nab the men who touched her. We'll deal with them. If any others knew about the attack, we'll deal with them."

Mrs. Doyle's eyes widen, like she's surprised. "Good. That's good."

Then she notices me. Maybe because Cian is still holding my hand and I'm so close, or because I’m a stranger in a private family situation.

"You must be Anna," she says to me.

I nod. Shea said she told her mom about me. I wonder if Mrs. Doyle thinks it's odd her son is holding my hand. It is strange, but I like it and I think he needs it, so I'm not pulling away.

"Anna helped your boy contain his rage," Lachlan says.

Heat climbs into my cheeks when I think of how I did that. I push the thoughts away, not ready to deal with them yet.

Mrs. Doyle looks down at our joined hands and up at her son, her expression anxious. Then she gives me a strained smile. "My son didn't drag you here, did he?"

"No. I offered to come."

"With your boss to the hospital?" Mrs. Doyle's tone is pure disbelief.

I know I'm not like other people, but the rest of her family is okay with that. I hope she will be too. "He's also my friend."

"Is he? That's um…that's nice. Cian is not big on making friends."

"I'm not either," I admit.

"You're shy," Mrs. Doyle says, like she knows. Then she looks at her son. "Shea said she wants to see you, boyo. Promise me you won't lecture her about sneaking out."

"There's nothing to say that she doesn't already know," Cian says.

I'm sure he's right. "Tell her you love her," I instruct him. "She needs to hear that. And that you don't think less of her for what happened to her."

Cian looks down at me. "She should know that."

"We don't always know what other people think we do." Ini taught me that.

She's much more open with her feelings, but when she needs me to reassure her, she tells me. Because she knows a lot happens in my head that never makes it out of my mouth. I love both her and Mrs. Hart, but I never told them until one night when Ini told me that some words have to be said, not just felt.

So, that's what I say now. "Some words have to be spoken."

Cian nods. "Okay." He squeezes my hand and then lets it go before turning and leaving without another word.

"Tell her I want to see her," Lachlan calls to Cian.

Cian puts his hand up in acknowledgment. I watch him until he disappears around a corner in the hall. Then I turn to face Mrs. Doyle and Lachlan. Best case scenario, they are talking to each other, but I can feel their gazes on me.

Sure enough, Mrs. Doyle is looking at me with a bemused expression.

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