Chasing River (Burying Water #3) (40 page)

“I heard you and Ma talking outside the door. Did he really confess to that bombing?” Aengus has never been one to own up to his mistakes, so I can understand the doubt in Rowen’s voice.

“Yeah. I didn’t give him much choice.”

“What’s going to happen to him?”

“Nothing that wouldn’t have happened to him eventually.” As much as I dread the day we get the phone call from Portlaoise informing us that we need to be planning for a funeral, at least we’re not going to get caught in the line of fire again.

“I guess. I just . . .” Rowen’s eyelids begin sticking together. He hasn’t been conscious for more than half an hour at a time.

I ease out of my chair, gritting against the throb in my thigh. I have no right to moan about anything next to Rowen. “I’m heading back to Amber’s now. I’ll be here in the morning.”

“Going to spend some quality time with your future father-in-law?”

Now it’s my turn to groan. The second those sharp, near-black eyes of his settled on me earlier today, I knew he’d already made a decision, and it wouldn’t be a favorable one for me. That was
before
Amber told him why he had to jump on a plane and fly across an ocean.

I’m actually dreading this. Part of me thinks I should just head home for the night. If I weren’t so desperate to see Amber, I would.

“I’ll save you a bed next to me. I’m sure you’ll . . .” His words drift off.

“Get some rest, brother.” I shut the door quietly behind me and head down the hall, around the corner. The garda standing outside Aengus’s room recognizes me and nods once, his gaze darting behind me. Probably wondering if he’ll need to restrain Marion Delaney again. I slow just long enough to peer through the window in the door, to see Aengus lying in his bed, his eyes closed. His wrist handcuffed to the bedrail.

“Have a good night,” I offer to the garda.

And then I keep going.

“Hey . . .” Amber slips her arms around my waist, giving me a sleepy-eyed smile. The house smells like garlic and tomato sauce. Dirtied plates wait to be cleaned from the dining table, along with two glasses and the bottle of Jameson.

But there’s no sheriff in sight.

“Relax. He went to bed already.”

My entire body caves with relief. Amber starts laughing.

“Quiet!” I silence her with a deep kiss. “You’ll wake him up.”

“He’s a deep sleeper.” She reaches up to brush my hair off my face, the glimmer from a moment ago replaced with sadness. “How’s Rowen?”

“He looks rough, but . . . he’ll pull through.”

She nods, blinking away the gloss that suddenly coats her eyes. “I want to go with you tomorrow to see him. Maybe I can get Ivy to come, too.”

“I think he’d like that.” Most fellas wouldn’t want visitors right now, but Rowen isn’t like most. “So? How was tonight? Has your da booked you a flight home for tomorrow?”

“He may have suggested it once or twice.” A strange, somber look flashes across her face, but it dissolves with her smile. She slips her hands into mine and begins leading me in with backward steps. “It was fine. I mean, he’s not happy about it all, but I didn’t expect him to be. You hungry?”

“I could eat.” Being in that hospital room with Rowen didn’t inspire my appetite but now that I’m out, I’m famished.

She frowns at my limp. With everything else going on today, I forgot to bring my painkillers with me. “Go on upstairs. I want to take a look at that leg. I’ll bring dinner to you.”

I can’t help the wary glance up at the landing.

“Oh, for God’s sake. He’s not waiting in a dark corner for you. Besides, he’s on the third floor.” She wanders over to the casserole sitting on top of the stove, grabbing a plate on her way.

“So, I’ll be taking the spare room next to yours?”

Her exasperated sigh answers me. “I don’t believe it. You spent eighteen months in prison with the worst criminals in Ireland and you’re terrified of my father. Go on. I’ll be up there in a minute.” She shakes her head as she putters around the kitchen, grabbing my painkillers from the windowsill, filling a glass of water.

A little smirk on her face the entire time.

“Go on.” She slaps my arse once as she passes me on the stairs and I watch her climb, wanting so desperately to return the favor. After the past two days, I could use the pure ecstasy that comes with being inside Amber. That’s not going to happen tonight, though. For one thing, because I physically can’t, and for another, because I’m sure, deep sleeper or not, that her sheriff father would finish the job that Jackie Hanegan failed to do, should he hear it.

I happily follow Amber’s orders, undressing and lying in bed so she can tend to me. I watch her skilled hands go to work on my thigh, gently washing the area around the stitches and re-covering it with fresh bandages. She doesn’t even flinch at the sight of it, and even I’ll admit that it’s grotesque. Enough that I can’t touch my dinner while she’s doing it.

“You’re all set.” She looks up to catch me looking down her tank top, the thin cotton leaving little to the imagination. Neither do my knickers, at the moment. A secretive smile flashes across her wide, full lips. And then those skillful hands of hers shift upward, to peel the waistband down and over my erection, so gently.

“You don’t have to . . .” My words and all resolve are lost the second I feel her hot breath. I weave my fingers through her thick hair as I watch her, allowing myself a brief moment to forget everything else and just enjoy this time with her. To revel in the fact that this beautiful creature still wants me.

She just feels too good—better than any other girl has, and I’ve had my share of well-practiced ones—and I don’t last long, covering my face with a pillow to smother the sounds of my release.

I haven’t tiptoed down a set of stairs since I was eighteen and sneaking out of Marjorie Gilbert’s bedroom with her parents sitting at the kitchen table, sipping on their morning coffee.

The difference is that Amber’s father knows I’m here and it’s three o’clock in the morning. I’m just hoping that I can fill my glass of water and limp my way back with him completely unaware.

My hopes are dashed when I hear the bottom step creak.

“River.” Even in the unlit kitchen, I can clearly see his dark, annoyed eyes skate over me. In hindsight, I probably should have thrown some clothes on over my knickers.

“Hello . . .uh . . .”

“Gabe. Call me Gabe,” he says smoothly.

I clear my throat. “Right. Gabe.” Amber’s right to laugh at me. I’ve faced murderers and rapists, and yet this calm, collected, honest man, with his clothes rumpled and his short hair standing on end, unnerves me far more than any of them ever did. I lay in bed next to her for a while tonight, trying to figure out exactly why. Finally, I think I found the answer. It’s because I can tell that Amber values his opinion highly, and I’m guessing she makes most of her decisions based on what she thinks her father would approve of.

Whatever I’m imagining his opinion of me is, in reality, it’s probably worse.

He walks over to open the refrigerator, his fingers strumming against the door as he surveys its contents. “How’s the leg?”

“Sore, but I’ll be fine.”

He nods, pulling out some sliced ham and bread. “Amber mentioned your brother being in pretty bad shape.”

“He’ll pull through. He’s strong.”

“And your other brother?” There’s no missing the contempt in his voice. The “other brother” who nearly killed his daughter.

“He’ll have plenty of time to heal in prison.”

“I gathered that.”

I watch Gabe as he quietly fixes himself a sandwich, until I have to assume the conversation is over. “Have a good night.”

His gruff voice stops my feet. “You know . . . my stomach was in knots the entire flight over. I didn’t sleep at all, not since Alex woke me up yesterday to tell me that Amber was in trouble.” He frowns. “Or was it the day before yesterday . . . ? Anyway, as exhausted as I was, I fell asleep as soon as my head hit the pillow tonight. But my mind didn’t stop spinning. I saw Amber in handcuffs, in prison . . . lying in the debris at that bar of yours . . . all these horrible, awful things that
could
have happened to my daughter while she was here. With you.”

I hold my breath, preparing myself for the condemnation. The “stay the hell away from Amber or I’ll kill you” warning. I wonder if he’ll give it to me straight up or veil it somehow, to sound more civilized.

“A week ago, when she ran through that park, she
would have
been hurt, or worse. Not
could have
.
Would have
, had it not been for you. I think my brain finally picked up on that critical part because suddenly I woke up.” He stares out the kitchen window, simply holding the sandwich in one hand, not eating it. “Thank you. For what you did that day. I’ll always owe you for that.”

I nod. And then realize that he can’t hear that, so I add, “I’m just glad I was there.”

“So am I.” He takes a bite of his sandwich. “Get some rest.”

“You too.” I make a move to head back upstairs.

“And River?”

“Yeah?”

Gabe finally turns and meets my eyes. “You’ll never be good enough for my daughter.”

I don’t know if he’s saying that to discourage me or to hurt me. Or challenge me. Or maybe he’s just stating the obvious. He’s right, though, and I’m glad he sees it, because it means he’s good enough to be her father.

I smile. “But I’ll never stop trying to be.”

He pauses, something unreadable flickering across his face before it smooths over. “Good night.”

“You sure you don’t want to stay a few more days?” I shut River’s trunk—every time he calls it his boot, I giggle—and watch my dad sling his duffel bag over his shoulder.

“Your mother says she needs me back home.”

“Is that what you heard? Because I swear I heard something
completely
different. How peaceful the house is and how clean the kitchen is . . .”

“Alright, alright.” He hooks an arm around my neck and pulls me into his side. “Besides, the longer I stay here, the longer
you’ll
stay here.” His gaze drifts over to River, who’s standing quietly by his car in the airport drop-off lane. He drops his voice. “Don’t forget what I said, okay?”

I force my smile.
Get on a plane and leave River behind.
“I haven’t forgotten, believe me.”

“If it’s meant to work out, then it will.” He plants a kiss on my forehead. “Thanks for sacrificing a few days for your ol’ dad. I had fun.” Nothing about his tone suggests that’s true, but that’s just him. We spent more time together in the last four days than we have since Jesse and I were nine and we went camping for a week. Aside from the odd bickering—River can’t believe how similar the two of us sound sometimes—I found myself laughing a lot more than I usually do with him. Something’s changed between my father and me, a subtle shift in how I see him, and maybe in how he sees me. I’m guessing the last two weeks and the revelations they’ve brought has played a big role in that.

“Thanks for going easy on him.” River gave us our space, spending most of his time with Rowen and his parents, but he did venture out for a few pints.

Dad grunts in response, though I can tell he’s warmed up to River. Not to the idea of me and River, but . . .

“So, when will you be home, again? Beginning of September?”

The realistic answer to that would be “yes,” but saying it now feels like I’m promising him that I will be. And I’m not entirely sure anymore. “Go on, you’re going to miss your plane.”

He sighs. “Right.” Strolling over to River, they clasp hands. “Keep her out of any more trouble while she’s here.”

“Definitely,” River promises somberly, standing tall. “It was a pleasure to meet you.” Unless my dad finds himself back in Ireland, he’s not likely to ever see River again.

Dad presses his lips together and then nods. “Take care of yourself, and your family. Tell your mother that she makes a mean stew.”

River grins. “She’ll be happy to hear that.”

“Well, alright then.” With one last nod my way, sparking a wave of emotion that brings tears to my eyes, my dad disappears into the Dublin airport.