Page 71 of Ruined Wrath
“Come on, Daddy!” Scout calls.
I force myself to move, to be a father instead of a chess piece for five goddamn minutes. But as I open the car door and help buckle Scout into his seat, one thought plays on a loop in my head.
Lorcan didn’t ask me to leave for no reason, so whatever he’s planning, my brothers better be ready.
The grave look on Fiona’s face as she approaches the car tells me she’s thinking the same thing.
“Ready to go?” I ask her.
She avoids my gaze but gives me a quick nod before getting in the car.
The idea of spending the next few days alone, just the three of us, feels dangerous and not just because of Lorcan.
The drive starts with Scout filling the silence, narrating everything we pass from the cars to the billboard signs on the freeway.
Fiona angles her body toward him, her smile never faltering as she asks him questions to keep him distracted.
I try to focus only on the road, but I’m too aware of the distance between our knees, the way her hand stays folded in her lap, instead of entwined with mine.
It used to be that we would reach for each other without thinking, and now every movement between us feels considered and careful, like we’re strangers.
Once we clear the city and the skyline fades behind us, my unease only sharpens.
Open roads mean exposure.
I tail one of the SUVs, never letting more than one car get between us. I tighten my grip on the wheel and quickly check the rearview mirror again to make sure the other two black SUVs are still behind us.
It doesn’t feel like enough protection, but having a full motorcade would only draw more attention.
Scout presses his face to the window as he watches the ski resort come into view.
I booked the entire place out for the next few days, so I could control exactly who would be coming and going. Realistically, it’s not just Lorcan I need to worry about, and I would be a fool to assume that Adrian didn’t have eyes on me at all times, looking for the perfect opportunity to strike. And what better time than when I am completely isolated from my family?
“Can we go ice skating first?” Scout asks. “Actually, I want to go in the pool!”
“We have plenty of time to do everything,” Fiona reminds him.
“Yeah, but I just don’t know what to dofirst.”
His excitement only makes me feel even guiltier. Scout is acting like this is the greatest day of his life, and if I were a betterfather, I would have given him hundreds of other days like this, instead of locking him inside for most of his childhood.
The security at the entrance gives a subtle nod as we pull in, and I clock the faces of each of them for reference.
“You brought half an army,” Fiona comments as the cars follow behind us into the resort.
“Did you expect any less?” I mutter.
“No, I guess not.”
By the time I kill the engine, Scout is practically ready to burst with excitement.
The second I help him out of the car, he makes to bolt for the hotel entrance, but I quickly grab him by the hood of his coat before he makes it three steps.
“Slow down, bud. You can’t go running off.”
“I’m not!” he huffs. “I just want togo.”
Fiona appears around the front of the car, shouldering Scout’s backpack. “Your dad is right, Scout. Just because we have the place to ourselves doesn’t mean you can do whatever you want.”
