Page 97 of Wasted

“Isn’t your what?”

Cillian.

She whirled toward his deep voice, catching sight of his handsome grin as he let the door close, finally triggering the bell that signaled entry. Heat flushed her face. But she lifted her chin and met those coal-black eyes. “It’s about time you arrived. We’ve been waiting for over thirty minutes.”

“Yeah, I had a few errands to run.” He walked toward her and Sydney. Or rather, limped.

The irregularity appeared to be originating from his right hip. “What happened?” She lowered her gaze farther down.

His right pant leg was tattered and ripped, exposing bloodied skin on his thigh and knee.

“Cillian?” Alarm pinched her chest. “Are you all right?”

“If I say ‘no,’ will you give me free PT?” He winked.

She gave his arm a swat.

“Ouch.” He rubbed the arm as if that was the worst injury he’d received.

“If you don’t tell me what happened in the next two seconds, I’m going to go straight home with Sydney like I should have done a half hour ago.”

“Okay.” He glanced around the empty lobby.

Victoria followed his scan. “Everyone’s in the back at another prenatal class like the one Sydney just attended.”

“Yeah, they hold them at different times so there’s room for everybody.” Sydney looked Cillian up and down. “Did somebody beat you up?”

“Yeah, you should see the other guy.” He gave her a half-hearted grin, then landed his focus on Victoria. “Somebody sabotaged my bike.”

“Your motorcycle?” She sucked in a quick breath. “Did you crash?”

“Pretty much. He loosened the bolts just enough so the tire would come off after riding for a while.”

“Who would do that?” Sydney’s question barely reached Victoria’s ears as she stared at Cillian, her heart pounding.

He could’ve been killed. Cillian could have died. Because of her and this quest to prove her innocence.

“That’s enough.”

Cillian’s eyebrows lowered. “What?”

“I said that’s enough. We have to stop.” Victoria folded her arms across her sweater. “We need to stop investigating and trying to find the killer. This has become far too dangerous.”

“Vicks, it’s okay.” He stepped closer to her and rested his hand on her arm.

She pulled away, lifting her hands in the air. “No, it is most certainly not okay, Cillian. You were almost killed. I cannot be responsible for you getting hurt.”

“You aren’t responsible for this, Vicks. Thomas’s killer is. And this is great. It means we’re on the right track. We’re getting really close, and?—”

“Cillian, no.” Exasperation pinched her tone, but she couldn’t help it. He was the most maddening man she’d ever known. “This isn’t some thrill-seeking adventure where only you are involved. You need to think, to consider how your actions will affect others.”

“That’s why I told you to wait for me, and I came here as soon as I showed the lieutenant our evidence against Glenn. He finally listened, by the way. He might actually follow up this time or make McCully do it.”

“Cillian, you aren’t listening.”

“I am listening. I’m going to make sure you’re safe until this guy is locked up, so you don’t have to worry about a thing.”

“Not worry? When you walk in here looking like you’ve been hit by a truck? When I might never have seen you—” Emotion choked the words. She turned away, blinking hard to banish the tears that suddenly sprang to her eyes.