“Implicitly. I was wrong.”
“You shouldn’t ever apologizing for trusting people,” I tell him gently. “This is on Rory for betraying your trust.”
Cillian just shakes his head as though he can’t fathom a reality in which Rory could be working for the enemy.
“There has to be a reason,” he says.
“Would it make a difference?”
“I don’t know,” he admits. “But at least I might understand.”
“Would you, though?”
He sighs. “Probably not.”
“Have you told everyone?” I ask.
“Kian knows. But Da and Ma still don’t. I figured we’d give them a few days before we pile the bad news on.”
“Have you spoken to either one of them?”
Cillian stiffens a little. “Not really. I thought I’d give that some time, too.”
I put my hand on his leg. It’s accompanied by the vague realization that it’s becoming easier and easier to touch him. The contact has taken on a familiar bent now.
Like it’s the most natural thing to do. Primal. Instinctive.
“You rescued them, Cillian,” I point out. “You saved their lives. They’re going to be grateful.”
Cillian gives me a dark smile. “You clearly haven’t met my parents.”
“You’re their son,” I point out. “And you know what they say—blood is thicker than water.”
He smirks. “Need I remind you that there’s an empty gravestone on the family property with my name on it?”
“People have different ways of coping,” I say with a shrug. “Maybe that was your father’s.”
“Now you’re defending him?”
“I’m not,” I say quickly, holding up my hands. “I’m just saying, sometimes they think they’re doing the right thing.”
“Are you referring to your father?” Cillian asks shrewdly.
I sigh, feeling completely transparent. “Maybe. He apologized to me.”
“Yes, he did seem to want to take responsibility for his part in your life,” he agrees.
“He spoke to you about me?”
“He did.”
“What did he say?”
“That’s between the two of us.”
I narrow my eyes at him, but he just gives me that infuriatingly beautiful grin. The kind of grin that makes me want to grab his face and smash my mouth down on top of his.
It’s strange how quickly and forcefully those feelings rise up.