Page 194 of Deceived Wrath

The grief that hits me is suffocating, filled with emotions I don’t want to feel. Anger that I didn’t see it sooner, and shame that I didn’t push harder when I realized who Lorcan truly was. But most of all, I regret that my relationship with my father turnedinto something brittle and distant instead of fixing it when I still had time.

I always assumed there would be time. Now my father will never get to see the man I’ve become, and the father I’m trying to be.

But worst of all, Scout will never know his grandfather, and that loss will follow him whether he knows it or not. And that’s on me.

I should have tried harder. I should have swallowed my pride and my resentment toward my father and forced us to reconcile for Scout’s sake. Instead, I let silence do what it always does.

It finished the job.

I drag a hand down my face, suddenly exhausted in a way sleep won’t help.

The office feels too small, like the walls are starting to close in. Because that’s not the worst of it.

If Lorcan has been working with Adrian Smirnov all this time, does that mean he knows about Scout?

The question roots itself deep in my chest, sending a surge of panic through me.

I’ve buried Scout’s origins carefully, making sure there were no records of him, no paper trail that leads back to Nadia or the Smirnov name.

But Lorcan is patient, and what’s worse is, he’s family. He knows how we hide things. He knows where to dig to look for the information we want buried the most.

“What have you told him?” I growl, turning on Fiona.

Fear flashes in her eyes. “N-nothing.”

“It’s not worth your life to lie. What you told him about me, I don’t give a shit about, but I need to know if Lorcan knows about Scout.”

“I didn’t tell him anything about Scout, I swear.” Fiona’s voice cracks, and I can see it in her eyes that she’s telling the truth.

Then again, this is the same woman who’s been lying to my face for weeks, and I had no idea.

It seems I’m not as good a judge of character as I thought.

“If any harm comes to him because of you, so help me, you’ll wish Lorcan was here to end it.”

“I wouldneverhurt Scout.”

“And I used to believe you.”

Fiona flinches, but she doesn’t deny it.

She looks wrecked. Her eyes are red and swollen, and she’s twisting her hands together in the way she does when she’s worried.

“Cormac, please. Just…tell me what you’re thinking.”

I don’t answer, because what I’m thinking would destroy what little control I have left.

When Fiona takes a step toward me, I immediately step back.

“Don’t. You believed him because it made betraying me easier.”

Her silence is answer enough.

“You watched me with Scout. You saw how careful I am with him. How everything I do is about keeping him safe.”

“I know. That’s why I stopped.”

I shake my head slowly. “You didn’t stop. You got caught. There’s a big fucking difference.”