Page 54 of Illusive
“They’ve found her,” she managed to say. “She’s at the hospital.”
“Merci à Dieu,” he breathed. His eyes closed for a moment, then he stood abruptly, pulling her gently to her feet. “Please let her know I’m in the city and would like to see her.”
“Come with us.”
“I’m not sure Ireland will want me there,” he said quietly, his gaze dark. “She may want just her family now. Her comfort is my concern, not my own selfish needs.”
She held onto his hand when he tried to let go. “You’re wrong in thinking she has a choice to make between you and her family. You’re the one with the choice, Ronan—between someone else’s past and your future.”
His grip on her fingers tightened in return. “I made a commitment to my family, Elizabeth. If I abandon that, even forIreland, she’ll never understand how I could and certainly never respect me again. So you see, I’m damned either way.”
The sound of a key sliding into the front door lock startled them both.
“That’ll be Gideon,” she said, releasing him. She caught his expression as she glanced away and looked back at him. “My son has a key because this is the guest apartment to his penthouse. I told you—Ireland is very close to her family.”
She rounded him and was retrieving her purse from the side table when the front door opened. Gideon entered with a brisk stride.
He froze mid-step. He was alone, wearing a plain black T-shirt and jeans. With a Yankees ballcap pulled low on his brow, he looked younger than his years.
Ronan eyed him appraisingly, then visibly relaxed his posture, seemingly to make himself appear less of a threat.
Elizabeth caught her son’s weary gaze when he finally turned his attention away from Ronan.
“Let’s go, Mother,” Gideon said tightly, his arm lowering to his side. “Eva’s already headed down to the garage. And you... I’m going to have time for you very soon, Boudreaux. And you’re going to explain how and why you’ve infiltrated my family to the extent that I’m finding you in my sister’s apartment alone with my mother.”
“He’s cat sitting,” Elizabeth explained as she rounded the sofa. “I’m trespassing.”
Gideon stared at her, unblinking. “You have no idea who this man is.”
“I’ve been hearing that I don’t know who my ex-husband is, either. I don’t care. I just want to see my daughter. You can have a pissing match later.”
Her son’s brow arched as she moved toward him. “You can’t believe anything he says about Chris. They met for the first time a few days ago.”
“We all have our secrets,” she rejoined.
“But you’ll pick and choose which ones to believe?” he countered icily.
Elizabeth paused in front of him and returned his cold stare—her son didn’t get that expression from his father. Pretending it didn’t hurt her deeply was a skill she’d had to learn. Even now, it wounded her. They’d been estranged longer than not.
“How’s Ireland?” Ronan’s calm question cut through the sudden tension.
Still looking at Elizabeth, Gideon visibly collected himself and spoke directly to her. “I’m told she’s battered, but not critically injured. She’ll be evaluated more thoroughly at the hospital.”
“Let’s get to her.” Elizabeth resumed walking out of the front door into the vestibule.
“Which hospital?” Ronan asked.
“You’ll come with us,” Elizabeth reiterated over her shoulder.
“No, he won’t,” Gideon vetoed, his tone flat and final.
“Ireland will choose who she wants to see.” Elizabeth faced both of them. “Neither of you will be making that decision for her, especially now, when she needs all the support she can get.”
“You’re assuming he’ll be helpful, not harmful,” Gideon argued curtly. “That goes against the very reason he’s in New York at all.”
“I’m standing right here,” Ronan noted drily. “And I’m perfectly capable of getting myself around.”
Gideon looked at him, his gaze narrowing. “On second thought… Grab your shit and make it quick.”
