Page 130 of Override

I shrug. "He touched the laptop."

Sloane turns back toward Wheels, unimpressed. "And this is the greatest night of your life?"

Wheels doesn't hesitate. "I've never seen Skee move that fast."

I rub a hand over my face. "You two realize I was the reason we got kicked out."

Wheels throws an arm around my shoulders. "No." He's grinning like an idiot. "You were the entertainment."

Sloane laughs, shaking her head. "I still can't believe you celebrated getting banned from the only place with decent mozzarella sticks."

Despite myself, I laugh. "They were exceptional mozzarella sticks."

Wheels sighs dramatically. “They were the worst.”

Wheels and Sloane disappear through the sliding glass door still arguing.

"I'm telling you," Wheels says over his shoulder. "Nobody makes mozzarella sticks like O'Malley's."

"They're frozen."

"They're handcrafted."

"They're freezer-crafted."

Their voices fade as the door slides shut behind them. The backyard settles into quiet again.

I pull my phone from my pocket. Just one look. That's all. The Gallagher feeds load almost instantly.

Library.

Empty.

Dining room.

Empty.

Kitchen.

There.

Maeve stands at the kitchen island with a mug wrapped between both hands. She looks tired. More tired than she did yesterday. I watch her wander toward the living room.

Without thinking, my thumb moves across the screen. A playlist starts. The opening guitar riff fills the room through the estate's built-in speakers.

Maeve stops. Looks around. Then smiles. A real smile. One I haven't seen in two days.

She shakes her head. "You are crazy, Taibhse."

I grin. Then the camera shifts just enough for me to see her better.

Her eyes lift toward it immediately. "You know..." she says softly, "you're a terrible influence."

Movement. Behind her. Every muscle in my body locks. Ronan.

He steps into the frame so quietly Maeve doesn't notice him until he's only a few feet away.

"Who are you talking to?"