Page 50 of Ruined Wrath
Zoe straightens instinctively, clocking his reaction immediately.
“Hi, you must be Cormac, I’m Zoe…”
But Cormac isn’t listening. His eyes are fixed on mine, sharp and assessing.
I can hear his thoughts loud and clear, as if he were shouting through a megaphone.
Having Zoe here wasn’t part of the rules.
He takes a step forward, looking like he’s about to combust with rage.
I go to push Zoe behind me when, all of a sudden, Ciara comes flying out of the house looking slightly panicked.
“Cormac! Just in time! I need your help with something.”
She grabs at his sleeve, pulling him toward the house.
I can see in the hard set of his jaw and the anger in his eyes that he wants to fight her, but thankfully, Ciara doesn’t back down.
“Now. It can’t wait.”
She steers him away before he can say anything, and both Zoe and I exhale.
“He looks like a laugh a minute,” she mutters.
“I told you he’s pissed at me.”
“Well, at least he let himself be dragged away before he exploded in a blind rage, so that’s a win, right?”
I’m not sure it is.
But as I watch Cormac disappear back into the house, I cling to the possibility anyway. Because right now, hope, however fragile, is all I have.
Chapter Twelve
CORMAC
“Wantto tell me what that little stunt was about?” I slam the door to Fiona’s bedroom so hard it rattles in the frame.
Somewhere down the hall, one of the babies starts crying, but I don’t even flinch.
I’m beyond pissed, and Fiona needs to know it.
She blinks at me. “Stunt? Is this about Zoe?”
The way she says her name so casually makes my jaw tighten.
“Yes. It’s about you inviting people into this house like you’re not on fucking lockdown!”
Her brows knit together. “Ciara invited her. I didn’t?—”
I stalk closer. “I don’t care who sent the invitation. You don’t get to decide who comes and goes. Not right now. Not after everything.”
Fiona straightens, folding her arms over her chest. “She’s my best friend. She was worried about me.”
I let out a cold, humorless laugh. “Funny. You didn’t seem too worried aboutmewhen you were sneaking around behind my back.”
Her face pales as I stalk toward her, but she doesn’t look away, though I almost wish she would.
