The door opened and closed softly and he sucked in a sharp breath, suddenly aware that Jacqueline\u2019s arms were around him and he was hanging onto her like a drowning man clinging to the only thing keeping him afloat.\u00a0 He turned his face slightly to peer past her arm toward the door to see who\u2019d entered, who\u2019d interrupted.<\/p>\n
\u201cNeve,\u201d he croaked.\u00a0 \u201cLeann\u00e1n<\/i>.\u00a0 Come in.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re already in,\u201d Neve said quietly.\u00a0 \u201cJ.T. said you asked for us, but if you two are busy\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n
Phelan swallowed hard, stiffening slightly.\u00a0 Jacqueline\u2019s arms loosened and she straightened, pulling away.\u00a0 He regretted that, but let her go.\u00a0 \u201cNo,\u201d he said quietly.\u00a0 \u201cIt\u2019s all right, I did ask for you.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cDo you want me to go?\u201d\u00a0 Jacqueline asked softly.<\/p>\n
\u201cNo,\u201d he said.\u00a0 \u201cStay.\u00a0 You should hear what I\u2019m going to say, too.\u00a0 You deserve it as much as they do.\u201d\u00a0 His gaze flicked from her back to Neve and Marin, who drifted closer to the bed as he took a deep, steadying breath and tried not to wince.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m sorry,\u201d he said.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m bloody sorry.\u201d<\/p>\n
It wasn\u2019t what he\u2019d originally intended to say, but it was what he\u2019d decided to say now.<\/p>\n
\u201cAre you going to tell Thom and Cameron and Thordin and all the others that, too?\u201d Neve asked quietly.\u00a0 \u201cThey deserve it as much as we do.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI figured you guys could do that for me,\u201d Phelan murmured, closing his eyes for a moment.\u00a0 Weariness he hadn\u2019t felt a moment before was threatening to pull him down like an undertow.\u00a0 \u201cBut you deserved to hear it from me.\u00a0 I am<\/i> sorry, and you\u2019ve my promise that I\u2019m not going to try to run again.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou swear?\u201d\u00a0 Marin asked quietly, though her voice was firm.\u00a0 He heard steel there, a dim and painful echo of the woman who\u2019d raised \u00c9riu.<\/p>\n
His heart gave a brief, painful squeeze and he nodded.\u00a0 \u201cI swear.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ll take it,\u201d she said quietly, then looked at Neve.\u00a0 \u201cAre you satisfied?\u201d<\/p>\n
She nodded.\u00a0 \u201cI think so.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cGood,\u201d Marin said.\u00a0 Then she shot him an impish smile.\u00a0 \u201cWe\u2019ll leave you two alone.\u00a0 Neve and I have to pack the boys off to bed.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThey haven\u2019t been to bed yet?\u201d\u00a0 Jacqueline asked, blinking blearily.<\/p>\n
\u201cNo,\u201d Marin said.\u00a0 \u201cBut we left Thom asleep by the fire.\u00a0 You haven\u2019t been to bed yet, either.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ll go soon enough,\u201d Jacqueline said, glancing toward Phelan.\u00a0 He gave her a shy smile and felt a flush creeping across his cheeks.<\/p>\n
Neve noticed and laughed.\u00a0 \u201cGood night, you two.\u201d<\/p>\n
With that, she and Marin slid out the door and left them in peace.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
The door opened and closed softly and he sucked in a sharp breath, suddenly aware that Jacqueline\u2019s arms were around him and he was hanging onto her like a drowning man clinging to the only thing keeping him afloat.\u00a0 He … Continue reading