Page 22

CHAPTER 22

P atrick let Noah’s words marinate as he pulled up an uncomfortable patch of grass and watched the man continually tuck Fi’s hair behind her ear in long, soothing strokes.

Part of him wanted to break the offending hand, but he no longer had the right to be jealous of their closeness. Perhaps he never did. Like a stalker, he’d watched them from upstairs. After nearly beating the living shite out of the man—much to Patrick’s delight—Fi had allowed Noah to hold her as she sobbed her heart out.

From where he’d stood, Patrick imagined he was the root cause of all her problems and heartaches. He hoped like hell his death could give her the peace she deserved.

“She clings to you in her sleep,” he observed, careful to keep his jealousy from his voice. “If you love her, you should let her know.”

“Sure, and I did, but she wants you.”

“And you’ve a mind to let me win?” Patrick’s laugh was genuine, albeit a bit rusty after the last few days.

“Fuck no! But it’s not like I have a choice, do I? She’ll pick who she picks, and I’ll not grovel like a hungry dog.”

“But it’s what we both are, man. Hungry dogs for her affection, aye?” He shouldn’t feel an affinity for his competition, but he did. In the end, though, it was about Fi’s overall happiness.

Fionola’s lids lifted, and she met his gaze. Her expression was void of emotion, like his and Noah’s. It was as if they all feared revealing too much to the other.

“If you want my affection so badly, why is it you told everyone who’d come out here to send me away?” she asked.

“Because I was afraid to face you,” he confessed, amazed at her ability to ferret out the truth when he sought to hide it. “Afraid you were only waiting to tell me how much you despised me.” Without breaking eye contact, he gestured with his head toward Noah. “Afraid you’d kick me in the bollocks like ya kicked this one’s shin.”

Her lips twitched as if she fought a smile. “If you made me wait longer, I likely would’ve.”

He grinned. “Then I timed it perfectly, aye?”

The smile she’d been working on disappeared as she sat up. “You don’t intend to have representation at the Council meeting?”

“Not sure what the point would be. I’m guilty, Fionola.” He’d said her full first name, hoping to insert distance between them, but her grimace said she understood what he was doing. “I abducted people who’d been through hell and stuck them right back there.”

“But your mind was cracked, and you’re not to blame.”

“If not me, who? Who? ” He shoved away his building frustration with a heartfelt sigh. “I’m the one who hunted them down, befriended them under false pretenses, and put them back in the very cage where they’d first been terrorized. Me , Fi. No one else.”

“You didn’t know, Patrick.” Her voice was achingly sweet in her certainty. “Your mind was broken for a time, but it’s healed now, yeah?”

“It’s healed now,” he agreed. “And someone— me —needs to be punished for the crimes against the witch community.”

Big, fat tears rolled down her cheeks to drift off her jaw. In her angst, she hadn’t registered she was crying and was startled when Noah handed her the tissues he’d conjured.

“They can’t exact justice on a man who was sick to begin with,” she argued.

“They can now that my mind’s intact, though. The Aether saw to it when he and his Sentinels repaired the damage.”

Noah sent him a sharp look, and Patrick gave him a minute head shake. He didn’t blame Damian for his part. It needed to be done for him to face his eventual sentencing. His and Loman’s victims would demand justice, and they’d tear apart the witch community to get it if Patrick wasn’t offered to them on a silver platter.

“I’ll be your representative,” she declared.

“You’d make a fine one, but they’ll want someone with more clout, all the same.”

“Someone like me?”

All three of them turned at the sound of Ronan O’Connor’s voice.

He settled on a nearby bench and rested his forearms on his thighs, clasping his hands loosely in front of him. His silvery gaze searched each of their faces before landing on Patrick’s.

“It was my da who terrorized those people, and you right along with them. The man was a master manipulator and relished others’ pain.” The haunted look in his eyes said Ronan was one of those “others.” After a long exhale, he shook his head and said, “The Council is well aware he was a right proper, sadistic bastard. And I’ll reveal to everyone what my childhood was like, as will Ruairí and any other cousins I can dredge up. It turned half our family mad, and our testimony should weigh in your favor, Paddy.”

“Why would you do that for me? It wasn’t as if I were kind to you, son.”

“Son. Me Dove will love the sound of that, she will. That’s all the thanks I need.”

Ronan flashed a wide smile, and Patrick could swear the sun shone brighter, flowers turned their faces to the sky, and the birds sang louder. A single glance at Fi showed her to be equally charmed. Noah frowned, causing Patrick to chuckle. Likely the man was used to being the prettiest one in the room.

“What if it doesn’t work?” Fi asked, worrying her lip.

The Aether stepped from the shadows and placed a hand on Ronan’s shoulder. The absence of his surprise indicated the Guardian had known the man was there.

“It will,” Damian said. “Patrick will have the O’Connors’ testimony, yours, and mine.” He shot an inquiring glance at Noah and smiled, cementing their familial relationship in everyone’s minds. After seeing the two men together, there was no doubt they were blood relatives. “My brother will testify on your behalf as well, Mr. O’Malley.”

“Brother?” Fi about broke her back as she twisted to look at Noah. “For fuck’s sake! Sure, and you weren’t lying to me when you said you were old as dirt.”

“I said no such thing, woman. I said , you don’t want to know.”

Her grin caused Patrick’s heart to beat faster, such was the joy of seeing it.

“True,” she replied. “But I heard you say you were around for centuries.”

“Two. Two centuries, and stop making me feel ancient,” he muttered with a sour look.

“And I told you , you turn grumbly, like Patrick, when you’re trying to hide your softer side.” She bumped Noah’s shoulder with hers, then sent a laughing glance Patrick’s way. “I’ve you both figured out.”

His desire to sweep her up and steal her away gave him pause.

“Why are you frowning?” She shifted and positioned herself in front of him. “What was it I said wrong?”

“You didn’t say anything wrong, love, and fuck anyone who ever makes you feel like you do.” Clasping her hand, he brought it to his lips and kissed her knuckles. “You’re perfect, Fionola Bohannon, and don’t be forgetting it again, yeah?”

With a wry laugh, she grabbed his face and laid a loud, smacking kiss on his mouth. “I won’t, but don’t you be forgetting it whenever you’re vexed with me in the future, yeah?”

“I won’t.” He grinned.

Lowering her voice to a whisper, she asked, “So why the frown?”

“I experienced the need to run away with you. To chain you to my bed, make love to you, and never let you leave again,” he confessed, equally low. Not blinking so she could see his honesty, he said, “It scares me to feel this way, Fi. What if I act on it?”

“I’m hoping you do, but only with me. After all this is over, and you’re safe, I’ll expect such treatment.” After giving him a saucy wink, she turned serious. “You’re right to worry, but it’s the worry that will keep you from acting on impulse, Patrick. You’ve only to have faith in yourself, and all will be well.”

“After this is over, I want you to take time for yourself to make sure this”—he gestured between them—“is what you truly want. Will you do that for me, love?”

“You’re talking about the future.”

Her smile glowed, filling Patrick with wonder that he could feel the way he did after so short a time.

He huffed out a laugh. “Aye. So I am.” Looking beyond her to where the other three men had moved to give them privacy, Patrick shrugged. “How can I lose with them on my side?” He met her loving gaze. “And with you.” Throat tight with overwhelming gratitude, he simply stared at her.

“I’m real. This is real,” she assured him, sensing his uncertainty.

“Thank Christ!” Tugging her onto his lap, he wrapped a hand around the back of her neck and an arm around her waist, then dipped her backward to put her off balance. A sparkle lit her eyes and started a fire in his soul. Unable to wait another second to kiss her berry-colored lips, he dipped his head and captured her mouth.

Fi’s arms circled his shoulders, and she opened under him, accepting his kiss and returning his passion twofold. This moment was made sweeter by the knowledge she’d remain beside him, would continue to care about him, despite his villainous trip to the dark side.

When he let her up, her cheeks were flushed and she was laughing her delight. “I forgot we had an audience,” she whispered with a giggle.

Patrick checked over her shoulder, seeing the only one who noticed was Noah.

Guilt, or something like it, was a knife to his heart. He’d been on the other side, when Rose preferred another. Then another, and another one after that. It sucked Godzilla-sized balls to see your love with another. With a grimace, he mouthed an apology and received a sad little smile in return.

Noah faced away, and his brief words to Damian and Ronan were indistinguishable. With another quicksilver half smile, he afforded them a sharp nod and strolled in Patrick’s direction. When he arrived, he reached down and helped Fi to her feet before holding out a hand to Patrick.

After they were standing face-to-face, Noah nodded. “You’ll be good to her, yeah?”

“If she’ll have me for the long haul, she’ll be treated like a feckin’ princess,” he promised.

“That’s all I can ask.” Turning to Fionola, Noah held out his arms, bussing her forehead the instant she stepped into them. “And you, Fionola Bohannon…” His swallow was audible and fed Patrick’s guilt. “You’re fired. So ya best never set foot in my pub again. At least not until my broken heart has had time to heal properly.”

“How long is that? Until a petite brunette walks in next week?”

“Ouch. It will take at least a fortnight, but give me twice that for my wounded pride.” He laughed and ducked away when she tried to gut-punch him.

After he’d sobered, he caught her hand in his, and a long, poignant moment passed between them. “ Go lonraí an ghrian go te ar d’aghaidh , Fionola. Know that the sun shone warm upon mine when I held you.”

Taking Patrick’s hand in his free one, Noah placed it over hers, entwined their fingers, and curled them under before letting them go. He grinned at the unified fist, but it failed to reach his dark eyes.

“I’m guessing this is how the Goddess planned it; the two of you fighting the world together as one. Don’t take advantage of her forgiving heart, Patrick O’Malley, or you’ll answer to me.” With that one last warning, Noah teleported away.

Patrick maintained their connection and used it to tug her against him. “I won’t,” he promised, looking deep into her shimmering eyes. “I promise, love.”