Page 105 of Made

While the water ran, I pulled some silky pajamas out of a drawer in my ginormous custom-Maeve closet and added my warmest fleece robe. It wasn’t like Esme to follow directions. That’s how I knew the past few days must’ve been as difficult as anything she’d ever endured.

“What else do you need?”

She shook her head.

“What else do you want?” Her gaze wandered to mine. “Did they hurt you?”

She took in a shaky breath before saying, “Mostly my pride.” A fresh tear formed and ran down her cheek. “I was so scared.”

“For Kagan?”

“They set him up for failure, Rita. If Keir and Killian hadn’t outwitted the Cardinals and come to help, I’d be trapped in that place forever, and Kagan would be… I don’t know. Eaten. Or damned. Or…”

“Good thing he has brothers who’d do anything for him then. But wow, Esme. It turns out you picked somebody who’s willing to risk everything for you.” Her face screwed up like she was going to start sobbing again. “Hey. That’s not a bad thing. It’s something to cherish. To celebrate. Yours is one of the most romantic stories in the history of romance.”

“But I don’t know how to be with somebody like that. I’ve always been on my own. And, you know I can be…”

“Prickly?”

She nodded.

I chuckled. “It’s pretty clear to me that Kagan wants you just as you are.” I grabbed the pretty lime green verbena bath salts. “Throw some of this in there,” I said. “It will make the entire room, and you, smell like heaven. Might evenencourage you to drift off for a well-deserved bath nap.” She looked dubious. “House!” I said. “Keep the bath water at this temperature unless Esmerelda tells you to change it.”

“You just gave me the keys to the house?”

I laughed. “Not a chance. You have a temporary key to the bath water. I’m going to get Kagan some tea and something to eat. He could probably benefit from the same bath treatment, but I’m not going to suggest it.”

“Where’s Keir?”

“At Evie’s. Running a clandestine errand. But he promised to share every detail when he gets home.”

The sight that greeted me in the kitchen made me not only pull up, but take a step back. Frey was sitting in Kagan’s lap. It was awkward, but neither of them seemed to mind. Neither of my pups had ever attempted to crawl into someone’s lap. They were near-grown Border Collies. I had no explanation. Only the conjecture that Frey recognized Kagan as exhausted or heroic or both. In any case, she seemed to think he needed a hug.

“If you don’t want her in your lap, Kagan…”

“She’s fine, Rita.”

“I didn’t know you were fond of dogs.”

“I would no’ say that in general, but Fen and Frey? They’re no’ really dogs.”

Couldn’t help but smile like the proud dog-mom I was. I turned my back to set the kettle on the burner that had somehow become the designated water boiler.

“How hungry are you?” I asked.

“Fair to middlin’.”

Opening the fridge, I said, “Well, let’s see. Got some leftover Turkish wraps. A fruit plate. I think there’s everything I’d need to make a mile-high deli sandwich.” I looked over at the cookie jar. “I think Keir would forgive me if I shared his bacon jar.”

Kagan’s head jerked toward the counter. “Bacon?”

The way his eyes lit up, I knew I had a winner. No need to add to the list of possibilities. I shut the refrigerator, then put a plate, a napkin, and a cookie jar full of freshly grilled bacon in front of him.

“Do you want to talk about it?” He shook his head. “Was it awful?”

He stopped chewing. “Could’ve been leagues worse.”

“Do you know what Keir is doing?”