Page 62 of Whiskey & Witches

“Are you growing fond of him, then?”

She couldn’t miss the sullenness in her husband’s tone, and she shot him a weary smile. “You’ve had me from the first day of primary school, and you still question my commitment?”

Carrick straightened in his chair and set the empty cup and saucer on the table beside him. “What can I say? He’s a handsome man. I can only imagine he’d get any woman he set his sights on.”

She opened her mouth to respond, but there was a commotion behind her. When she peered over her shoulder, she saw Piper and her mother, Rebecca Walsh-Thorne, the talented world-renowned surgeon—and Ronan’s ex-lover—had arrived.

Rebecca shot Ronan a sour look and responded to Carrick’s comment. “I’m living proof of that.”

“Cut yourself a break, Mom.” Piper gave her mother a warm smile. “The guy looks like he’d earn millions modeling underwear.”

“Oh, he definitely could,” Rebecca said with an appreciative sigh.

Her daughter scowled. “We just ventured into TMI territory.”

Roisin laughed and stood up to greet the newcomers. Holding out her hand to shake the doctor’s, she said, “I’m Roisin O’Malley.”

“Rebecca Thorne, and you know Piper, of course.” Approaching Ronan, she stared down at him and jolted the instant he opened his eyes to stare back. “I heard your vicious bitch of a cousin infected you, Mr. O’Connor,” she said coolly.

With her upswept dark hair and carefully made-up chocolate-colored eyes, she was a striking woman. She complimented Ronan’s blond good looks, and it was easy to see why they’d been attracted to each other to begin with.

A wry smile curled his lips. “That’s the way it’s to be then, Bec?”

“Yes. I’m here to save your life and nothing more.” Color stained Rebecca’s cheeks. “And don’t get any ideas. Hoyt chose to stay behind because he didn’t want to be tempted to undo all my hard work.”

“Aye.” He struggled to sit up, and Carrick joined Rebecca in helping him. “I’m grateful he resisted the urge to finish me off.”

Roisin edged closer to the doctor. “I don’t want to hurry your reunion, to be sure, but those odd black lines have crept up to his neck.”

Rebecca’s sharp gaze dropped to Ronan’s throat and narrowed. “I don’t recall that happening to Cian. Piper, do you?”

“No. This could be a new side effect,” her daughter said. “Does this mean I can’t stab him through the heart with a syringe?”

Turning green and looking about to pass out again, Ronan attempted to stand, only to be held back by Carrick.

“Sure, and tell me I’ve died and gone to hell. It’s why I’m surrounded by the lot of you, willing to torture me while my veins are on fire,” Ronan muttered as he swiped his forearm across his forehead.

“Can he have water?” Roisin asked, well aware he was burning up and hoping that the fluids might ease his suffering to a small degree.

Rebecca shook her head as she checked his vital signs. “I want to know what we are dealing with before he has anything, but you and our hostess can set up a room for him to be comfortable. An en suite bathroom with a tub might be useful. We probably need to ice him down until we can get this fever under control.”

“Where the devil is Dethridge?” Carrick muttered. “Shouldn’t he have been back by now?”

“I’ll go see if I can find him.” Piper was heading for the hallway when Damian appeared outside the French doors.

“Wait! He’s here now.”

Damian tookone look at Ronan and swore under his breath. He’d waited too long. The poison was coursing through his friend’s entire body, destroying everything it touched, and it was a wonder Ronan had survived this long.

Approaching Rebecca, he asked, “What have you given Ronan so far?”

“Nothing. I was afraid to until I drew blood and had an idea of what it is.”

“Good. If you’ll please stand back, I want to examine his wound.” To Ronan, Damian said, “Move to the floor and rest on your stomach.”

The others in the room winced as Ronan lurched upright and screamed his agony.

Damian caught him as he tumbled forward, and he grunted under the unexpected weight. With the help of Carrick, they positioned Ronan face down on the floor. “O’Connor, I’m going to put you into a temporary stasis and suspend your body’s functions. Don’t fight it. I won’t let you die.”

---