Page 20

When I glance up, I realize we’re closer than usual. Any time Finn is around, Lorcan makes a point of standing in my personal space, gazing at me longer, but there’s no audience here. It’s just us. The air hums with a new sort of tension.
“I suppose I should be flattered,” I murmur.
“I suppose so.” His lilting accent is back again.
He must read my mind, or I’m giving something away in my body language. The dip in his voice, the intoxicating blend of his Irish and Boston accents, make my knees wobble. If only I could reach out to steady myself. If my skin touches his, our spark will become a flame, then a raging inferno will consume me. There are things I cannot want.
“Be safe.” His gaze flicks between my eyes and my lips.
“Always.” I rattle the keys in my hand, breaking the spell.
Lorcan opens the door and leans his shoulder into it. “When are you back?”
“I’ll be gone for the afternoon.”
“Any later than that—”
“I’ll call.”
His head nod is almost imperceptible.
I hurry out the door and down the hall. I wasted too much time in his office. I’m steps from the front door when I spot Finn.
“Where are you off to without mydeartháir beag?” Finn calls to me.
“Out for the day.”
“You’re taking a guard?” He frowns. “People know who you are now.” He’s moving toward me, trying to head me off.
No one knows who I am.
“I’ll be fine.”
“Kim.” Finn grabs my elbow.
I yank my arm away from him. “Touch me again and you’ll lose some fingers.”
He takes a step back. “This is a shit idea.”
“It’s not your choice.” Inside me, a clock ticks. “Go do whatever it is you do.”
As I beeline to the garage, I’m surprised Finn isn’t following me. He doesn’t like being defied.
Sliding into the vehicle, I open the garage door. Once outside, I cruise through the iron gates that block off their property from the ones surrounding it. The city has consumed them, and driving out of here is a constant surprise. The estate feels isolated even though it’s far from it.
While I drive, I toy with the idea of stopping to see my mother. It would be out of my way, but might be my only opportunity to visit her for months. My presence never matters much. The good days are rare anymore. The sharp wit and intellect I admired in her as a child has leaked out, one memory at a time. My mother is no longer my mother. She’s my last thread of family, and she’s fraying so badly our tenuous connection is bound to snap at any moment.
A few blocks from the bar, I park and wander in and out of shops, keeping an eye on the time. Somehow, I’m here fifteen minutes early. Once I’m sure I’m not being followed, I zigzag through the streets until I get to the bar. Opening the door, I take a moment to let my eyes adjust to the dim lighting. The scent of spilled beer hits my nose as the bells overhead jingle. That smell must have seeped into the wooden floors a long time ago.
The bar is a place most locals, if they used it, would call a hole in the wall. There are a few tables, a bar top, and a bathroom at the back. The bar is well stocked, and I ease onto one of the stools. When I look up, it’s as though Malik, dressed as a bartender, has appeared on the other side of the bar out of thin air.
He passes a whiskey to me and then pours one for himself. “You weren’t followed?”
I don’t answer, just stare at him over the rim of my glass.
“Any news?”
“I’m making progress. Lorcan’s taking me around to meet a lot of people. I almost had to bring a guard today.”