Page 95 of Blindsided
“What else can we do?” Wren shrugs. “The past is the past. Besides, Mia wasn’t the only one with a secret identity. Did you know Kat was a championkickboxer?”
“No, I did not.”
I lean against the counter, trying to process this new information. The MacGallans aren’t just wealthy and complicated—they’re apparently dangerous too.
“So let me get this straight,” I say slowly. “Mia was sent to kill the MacGallan brothers but fell in love with Connor instead. Kat is a former champion fighter. Wren is Mia’s sister, which makes her... what? Also, an assassin?”
“God, no,” Wren laughs. “I was a nurse in a nursing home when I met Declan. The most dangerous thing about me was my ability to cut off the lights at bedtime.”
“And you all just... coexist now? One big happy family?”
The three of them exchange looks that speak volumes.
“‘Happy’ might be stretching it,” Rory admits. “But ‘family,’ yes. A weird, dysfunctional, occasionally homicidal family.”
“We’re working on the happy part,” Mia adds, her expression softening. “Connor helps. He’s good at bringing people together.”
“Unlike Declan, who’s good at strategic planning but terrible at emotional intelligence,” Wren sighs.
“And Kane?” I ask, unable to help myself. “Where does he fit in all this?”
“Kane’s the wild card,” Rory says thoughtfully. “Always has been, even when we thought he was just a cousin. He’s the one who questions everything, who refuses to play by the rules.”
“He’s also the one most like Tomas,” Wren adds. “Though he’d hate to hear that.”
“I don’t think he’s quite the manwhore as his father, though,” Rory said.
I think about Kane—his restlessness, his intensity, the way he chafes against expectations while simultaneously craving connection. It makes sense that he would be the one most like the man who set this whole convoluted treasure hunt in motion.
“And now I’m sleeping with him,” I mutter into my wine glass. “Great life choices, Kori.”
Mia laughs, the sound unexpectedly warm from a former professional killer. “If it helps, you’re probably the sanest person he’s ever been involved with.”
“Low bar,” I grumble, but I’m smiling despite myself.
The oven timer dings, saving me from further embarrassment. As I pull out the perfectly baked brownies, the kitchen door swings open again, revealing Kat. Her face is tight with tension, but iteases slightly at the sight of us and the array of baked goods.
“Please tell me those are stress brownies,” Kat says, making a beeline for the pan in my hands. “I need chocolate after that nightmare.”
“Fresh out of the oven,” I tell her, setting the pan on a cooling rack. “That bad, huh?”
Kat grabs a knife, not waiting for the brownies to cool before cutting herself a piece. “Worse. Tomas left everything divided equally among all his children—including Kane.”
“And Kane’s not happy about it?” I guess, remembering his reaction earlier.
“Kane walked out,” Kat says, taking a bite of brownie and closing her eyes in momentary bliss. “Said he didn’t want any of it. Declan’s furious.”
I feel a pang of worry for Kane. “Where is he now?”
“Last I saw, he was heading toward the stables.”
I glance at the clock, realizing I’ve left my phone upstairs for hours. “I should probably check my messages. Excuse me for a minute.”
As I head upstairs, I can’t help but worry about Kane. I understand his reluctance to accept an inheritance from a father he never knew. Still, I also know the MacGallans well enough by now to recognize that refusing his share will only complicate matters.
In my room, I rummage through my bag for my inhaler first. The stress of everything—the sex with Kane, the MacGallan family drama, the revelation about Mia being an assassin—has my chest feeling tight. I take a puff, holding my breath for the required count before exhaling.
Next, I grab my phone, which I’d turned off this morning before Kane arrived with breakfast. It powers on with a series of chimes as notifications flood in. Before I can check any of them, the screen lights up with an incoming call from Jen.
