Page 181 of Deceived Wrath

Her smile hits me like a punch to the gut. She really is breathtaking.

It seems I was doomed from the start.

“I had to talk to Brennan.”

She comes to a stop in front of me, her brows pulling together as she searches my face.

I do my best to keep my expression neutral despite the raging storm inside my head.

“Is everything okay?”

“Yeah. Just business.”

She tilts her head, her blonde ponytail falling over her shoulder. “You say that like it’s supposed to reassure me.”

“I won’t be long. Brennan’s here if you need anything.”

She crosses her arms, pretending she’s annoyed instead of worried. “You’re actually taking an eye off us for longer than half a second now?”

I almost laugh.

Almost.

“Only because I have to.”

I reach for her hand without thinking and squeeze it harder than necessary, like I’m trying to anchor myself to something real.

She squeezes back without hesitation.

“I’ll be back soon,” I promise.

She searches my face, like she can feel the shift between us even if she doesn’t understand the true reason for it.

“Okay. But don’t be too long.” She leans up and kisses me, her body fitting against mine like it always has.

Despite everything, I kiss her back, pouring everything I don’t know how to say into it.

Please be innocent.

Please let me be wrong.

But even as I hold her, even as she sighs softly against my mouth, the truth coils tighter in my chest.

This isn’t paranoia.

This is instinct.

When I pull away, she smiles at me like she trusts me completely, but I quickly turn and head out the door as one thought pounds through my head with sickening certainty.

Fiona is the spy.

Chapter Thirty-Nine

FIONA

I standat the door and watch Cormac leave, feeling like this is the opportunity I’ve been waiting for.

I might not get another chance like this, and I can’t afford to waste it.