“I’m taking your advice, Finn.”
“What advice? And why are you taking it on this occasion when you usually ignore me?”
I arched a brow at his agitation. “Why are you so stressed? You weren’t this freaked out when Aidan went to Florida for Thanksgiving. Declan’s heading to Europe soon—”
“They’re them. You’re you.”
“What does that mean?” I grumbled. “I’m perfectly capable of traveling on my own. I’m not a child.”
His unease was annoying, but its source was genuine. “You don’t leave.”
His words had me blinking. “Huh?”
“You don’t leave.”
Aoife sensed the rawness in his voice, too, because she cuddled into him. “It’s okay, Finn. Conor needs a vacation.”
“He's not going on vacation. Conor’s a workaholic,” he argued, still stiff with tension. “And I didn’t advise him to go away. I advised him to go after what belongs to him.”
“Which is?” Aoife queried, darting a wary glance between us.
“Lodestar,” I said simply.
“That was when I thought she was in goddamn New Jersey! Not fuck knows where,” Finn sniped, raking a hand through his hair.
“She’s in Russia.” I cleared my throat. “I think.”
“Russia,” he yelled. “You want to go to motherfucking Russia?”
Jake stirred, but he only nuzzled his face deeper into my throat. Finn grimaced apologetically as Aoife tutted him, but even she was starting to appear anxious.
“I don’twantto go. Ihaveto go. I’m sure she’s involved in that bombing in Moscow.”
His eyes flared wide then immediately shuttered. His fingers raked through his hair again before he started drumming them on Aoife’s knee. “Maxim Lyanov is in and out of Moscow.”
“You’ve been watching him?”
“Of course. He has influence over there. Maybe if your ass gets locked up in a gulag in Siberia, I can put pressure on him to have you released.”
My lips twitched. “Finn, I didn’t know you cared.”
His cheeks flushed with color. “Fuck off.”
Still smiling, I pressed a kiss to Jake’s forehead and gave him a gentle hug.
“Conor?” Aoife asked, her voice quiet.
“Yes, sis?”
“Y-You are coming home, aren’t you?”
Finn stiffened. “What are you talking about? Of course, he is.”
Ignoring him, I locked my eyes on hers. “Not until I bring Star back with me. She’s my penguin,” I said simply. “You’ve all got yours. I want mine so I’m not going to stop until she’s here. With me. Understand?”
Her nod was slow in coming but I knew she understood.
A glance at Finn told me he did too.