Page 127 of Three Irish Kings

“Dare...”

I don’t know what to say. I don’t know what to tell him.

He’s struggling to breathe, tears welling in his eyes, and I know he’s hurting as bad as I am.

My heart aches for him, despite my jealousy of their close relationship. She might never have chosen me, but he had a real chance with her.

Dare literally howls, rushing past me to upheave the mattress, throwing it against the wall, swiping everything off the nightstand and dresser, just destroying the room.

I move to the doorway, letting him do it, knowing he needs this more than he needs me to talk him down.

He doesn’t stop until there is nothing left in its place, and he even punches several holes in the drywall, yelling. When he’s done, he’s exhausted, and his knuckles are split.

There’s already a bandage around one of them, seeping red.

He struggles to catch his breath, bent over, doubled as if he’s going to hurl.

I’m about to hurl myself, and I barely make it to the bathroom before I throw up what little I have in my stomach.

I wash my face and stare at myself in the mirror.

My eyes are so light they’re almost transparent, and I look about ten years older than my years.

This is what heartbreak does to a person, I guess.

When I return to Isla’s room, Dare’s got his shirt on, bouncing on his heels.

He wipes at his eyes. “We have to find her. Liam’s going to fucking kill me.”

His voice breaks, and I know it’s not Liam he’s worried about.

I nod. “It’s after noon. She could have been gone for hours.”

Dare sets his jaw. “So, we’ll find her. I didn’t have that much cash, she’ll have to use my credit cards. When she does, I’ll find her.”

I don’t say that she’s too smart for that, that she’ll seek out other options, he doesn’t need to hear it.

“We have to call Liam.”

Dare takes a deep breath and gives me a mirthless smile as he picks up his trusted Betsy. “Wanna play rock-paper-scissors?”

I bark out a dark chuckle and shake my head. “I’ll do it.”

My hands are trembling when I take out the phone.

Liam’s at work.

I don’t know how he’ll react. Liam is a hothead, so he might go off the rails, might hurt Dare.

I have to make sure he doesn’t do that.

The pit in my stomach is still there but lessened. I feel mostly numb, can barely feel my fingers as I pull up Liam’s contact.

Thank God. Numb is better than that aching hole in my gut.

The phone rings three times, and I hope he’s too busy, hope it goes to voicemail. Leaving him a message would be so much easier than hearing his voice.

“Hayes.”