Grim Offerings (Aisling Grimlock Book 2) Read online

  “It’s cuter when your sister does it,” Griffin said, slipping out of the waiting room.

  Once Griffin was gone, Aidan bounced up from his chair and settled in the one next to me. He wrapped his arm around my shoulders. “He’s going to be okay.”

  I nodded, fighting off tears.

  “He’s going to be fine,” Aidan repeated. “You saved him.”

  I could only hope he was right.

  Thirteen

  Griffin returned a few minutes later. “Maya’s going to see what she can find out.”

  It wasn’t much, but it was all we had to hold on to at this point.

  Griffin eyed Aidan for a second, seemingly surprised that he was sitting next to me, but he let it go and sat at my other side. “Did everyone get along while I was gone?”

  “Contrary to popular belief, we don’t always argue,” Redmond said.

  Griffin waited.

  “That’s just the way we communicate on a normal day,” Braden supplied.

  “I know,” Griffin said, grabbing my hand.

  “That’s how all siblings get along,” Redmond said.

  “I don’t get along that way with my sister.”

  “Then you’re doing it wrong,” Aidan grumbled.

  Griffin shot him a look. Aidan had the grace to avert his eyes.

  “I can’t believe they’ve made us wait this long,” Dad said, rocking in his chair. I knew he wanted to pace, and he had a few times, but he kept returning to the same spot after a few minutes. It’s hard for a man like my father to just sit and wait. It’s not in his nature. He was almost at his limit.

  “They probably can’t figure out what’s wrong with him,” I said. “The paramedic mentioned him not having any injuries in the ambulance.”

  “What did you say?” Redmond asked.

  “I said I didn’t see the attack,” I replied. “I figured it was the safest answer.”

  “You’re smarter than you look,” Aidan said, tightening his hand on my shoulder.

  I was too tired to acknowledge the remark. After a few more minutes of silence, Maya appeared in the doorway. She looked different in her scrubs. She was still pretty, but she appeared so much more approachable. I liked her better in the scrubs.

  “This is Maya,” Griffin said by way of introduction. “This is Braden, Redmond, Mr. Grimlock and Aidan. You remember Aisling.”

  “Yes,” Maya said, her eyes full of sympathy. “I’m sorry to meet you all under these circumstances.”

  “How is Cillian?” Redmond asked.

  “Well, he’s holding his own,” Maya said. “He’s breathing on his own and his brain function seems normal.”

  “That’s good, right?” Aidan asked.

  “It is,” Maya said. “He still hasn’t woken up. And he appears to be running a low-grade fever. The doctors can’t find any injuries. It doesn’t appear he sustained a blow to the head. Until he regains consciousness, they’re … baffled.”

  “Why haven’t they told us that?” Dad asked.

  “Well, Mr. Grimlock, I’m not sure,” Maya said.

  “Call me Cormack.”

  Griffin scowled.

  “Cormack, I think they’re just trying to make sure they have all the information possible before speaking with you,” Maya said. “We try to be very diligent here.”

  “I’m sure you’re a professional,” Braden said, winking.

  Griffin extended his finger in Braden’s direction. “Don’t even think about it.”

  Braden’s face was a mask of faux innocence. “What did I do?”

  “Leave her alone,” Redmond said. “You don’t have a chance anyway.” He waved at Maya.

  Her face was unreadable as she regarded my brothers. “Uh-huh.”

  “Ignore them,” Griffin instructed.

  Maya turned to Aidan. “Don’t you want to flirt, too?”

  Aidan was nonplussed. “I have a boyfriend.”

  “Oh, you’re the twin brother,” she said.

  “I see Aisling has been talking us up,” Redmond said. “What did she say about us?”

  I couldn’t believe they were hitting on a nurse – on Griffin’s sister, of all people – while Cillian was unconscious in another room.

  “She said that you were codependent and unnaturally attached to each other,” Maya replied honestly.

  “I am not codependent,” Braden said.

  “Aidan and Aisling are codependent,” Redmond corrected. “The rest of us are normal.”

  “You modeled the dress I had to make in home economics when I was in high school,” I reminded him.

  “I secretly did that,” Redmond said, pointing and firing an imaginary gun in my direction. “Secretly.”

  I rolled my eyes.

  “I don’t wear dresses,” Redmond clarified for Maya’s benefit.

  “I’m sure you don’t.” Maya appeared genuinely amused.

  “I don’t.”

  “Oh, give it up,” I snapped.

  Maya shifted her attention to me. “The people at the nurse’s station are talking. They said you were the one who found your brother.”

  “She was,” Griffin said. “She’s upset.”

  “It’s good you found him so quickly,” Maya said. “If you hadn’t, who knows what would have happened?”

  “Thanks,” I said.

  Aidan tugged on my hair. “I thought you said she didn’t like you?”

  “Who said that?” Maya asked, straightening.

  “Aisling did,” Redmond said.

  “I never said that,” Maya protested.

  “She’s friends with Angelina,” I reminded them.

  Braden and Redmond made faces.

  “You know Angelina is evil, right?” Aidan asked.

  “She’s my friend,” Maya said, uncomfortable. “She’s never been anything but nice to me.”

  “She’s a snake,” Redmond said.

  “She’s the devil,” Braden interjected.

  “She’s a complete and total bitch,” Dad said, not mincing words. “If she got run over by a truck we’d all band together to bail out whoever hit her.”

  Maya was taken aback.

  “They really dislike Angelina,” Griffin said.

  “So I’ve noticed,” Maya said. “I guess now would be a bad time to tell you she’s in the hospital and asking about Cillian then?”

  My heart jumped. “What?”

  Maya looked as though she wanted to suck the words back into her mouth. “I … she said she heard that he was here and wanted to see him. I’m not sure how she found out.”

  I stood. “Where is she?”

  “Aisling,” Dad warned. “Now is not the time for a hair-pulling contest.”

  “It’s always time for a hair-pulling contest,” Aidan said. “I’ll hold her down.”

  “I’ll get the scissors,” Braden said, moving toward us.

  “Let’s go get her,” Redmond said.

  “You four are not starting a brawl in this hospital,” Dad ordered.

  “I’m going to have to agree with Cormack,” Maya said. She glanced at Griffin. “Do you want to chime in here?”

  “I’m mildly curious to see what will happen,” Griffin admitted.

  “What?”

  “The woman is a viper,” he said. “If Aisling wants to fight, I’d rather she get it out of her system now. That will make her more … pliable … later tonight.”

  Dad reached out and cuffed Griffin on the back of his head. “That is my daughter you’re talking about.”

  Griffin rubbed his head ruefully. “You guys hit a lot.”

  “You’re all really aggressive,” Maya said.

  “Of course they are. They should all be locked up.” My old nemesis had slipped in the family waiting room.

  I shifted my gaze to focus on Angelina. She stood behind Maya, her face a mask of anger. “Go away, harlot.”

  “Don’t you dare speak to me, Aisling,” Angelina snapped. “You should have called me the sec
ond he was admitted to this hospital. I had to hear from a client when you should have called me.”

  “Why?”

  “Because … you know why.”

  “No, I don’t.”

  “Because … we’re in love,” Angelina said, her lower lip jutting out.

  “No, you’re not,” I shot back. “You dated years ago … and for like six months. You cheated on him and he dumped you. He hasn’t bothered speaking to you since. How is that love?”

  “Maybe she’s gone crazy,” Redmond offered.

  “You shut your mouth, Redmond,” Angelina said. “We all know you’re going to take Aisling’s side.”

  “Of course I’m going to take Aisling’s side. She’s my sister.”

  I sent him a pointed look.

  “And she’s always right,” Redmond added.

  “She is not always right.” Angelina stomped her heeled shoe on the tiled floor. “She is a horrible person. Do you know the things she did to me in high school?”

  “How about the things you did to Jerry?” Aidan countered.

  “I never did anything to Jerry,” Angelina said.

  “You called him ‘Jerry the Fairy.’”

  “So? He is a fairy. You need to get over that. God made Adam and Eve, not Adam and Steve,” Angelina said. “It’s not my fault you’re all godless heathens. Well, except for Cillian. You’ve all just snowed him.”

  Maya balked. “Wait a second … .”

  “Listen, I know you have to pretend to like her because she’s sleeping with your brother, but he won’t be able to take her for long and then he’ll dump her,” Angelina said. “I have to pretend to like fairies all the time. I’ve even been to gay bars. They buy houses, though, so I don’t have a lot of choice in the matter. The good news is, you won’t have to be nice to her for long.”

  “Rip her hair out,” Redmond instructed.

  “I’ll shove a sock in her mouth so no one hears her scream,” Braden said.

  “I hate you all,” Angelina said. “Maya, what can you tell me about Cillian?”

  “Nothing,” Maya said. “You’re not family.”

  Angelina was stunned. “I’m his … soul mate.”

  “You’re my ass’s soul mate,” I shot back. “You stay away from my brother.”

  Griffin snagged me around the neck and pulled me flush with his chest. “Calm down.”

  “You are not welcome here, Angelina,” Dad said, fixing her with a hard look. “You need to leave.”

  “You’re not the boss,” Angelina challenged. “Not here. This is a public place.”

  “Omigod! What is she doing here?” Jerry had arrived. He stalked into the waiting room and glared at Angelina. “Who invited the Devil?”

  “She invited herself,” I said.

  “Oh, look, it’s Jerry the fairy,” Angelina said.

  I did it without thinking it through. Mostly. I lashed out and smacked her across the face. Hard.

  Angelina took an involuntary step back, her hand on her reddening cheek. “You … .”

  “That’s enough,” Maya snapped.

  “I want her arrested,” Angelina said, pointing to me. “She assaulted me.”

  “I didn’t see anything,” Griffin said.

  Angelina turned to Maya expectantly. After exchanging a quick look with her brother, Maya squared her shoulders. “I didn’t see anything either.”

  I was surprised by the show of solidarity.

  “You’re all going to be sorry you messed with me,” Angelina hissed.

  “Honey, we’re already sorry you wore that hideous suit,” Jerry said. “The clearance rack is no place to shop, Angelina. How do you expect to sell houses when you look like you’re homeless?”

  Angelina waved her finger in Jerry’s face. “You may be a faggot, but you don’t know everything about fashion. Stop being a cliché.”

  I reached out to slap her again, but Griffin snagged my hand before I could. “Get out,” I seethed.

  “You can’t make me leave.”

  Maya sighed and reached over to grab my wrist, directing my attention to her. “Why don’t you come with me? I’ll see if I can get you in to see your brother.”

  “That sounds like a great idea,” Griffin said.

  “I want to see him,” Angelina said.

  “You’re not allowed to see him,” Maya said. “Not only are you not a family member, but you seem to be a family enemy. My best advice for you is to go home.”

  “I am not going home until I see him.”

  “Fine,” Maya said, nonplussed. She jerked on my arm. “Come with me.”

  Reluctantly, I followed her. Once we were away from the waiting room and near the nurses’ station Maya held up her finger to still me. She motioned for the security guard who was drinking coffee and chatting with the receptionist. “Steve, can you come here, please?”

  Steve shuffled over to us. “I was just having a cup of coffee.”

  “I don’t care about that,” Maya said. “There’s a woman named Angelina Davenport in the waiting room. She’s causing a disturbance. She’s not related to anyone here and she’s upsetting people who are here for legitimate reasons. I need you to show her out.”

  Steve nodded. “I’m on it.”

  I slid an appraising look in Maya’s direction. “Thank you.”

  “I don’t think your family needs more stress,” Maya said, primly. “Now, I don’t want you to think it’s okay to slap someone across the face.”

  “It’s not the first time.”

  Maya ignored me. “You need to learn to use your words.”

  “I can’t use the words good enough for her in a public setting.”

  Maya smiled, sympathetic. “Let’s go see your brother.”

  “HE’S so pale,” I said, moving to Cillian’s bedside.

  “Nurse Taylor?” The doctor watching me didn’t look thrilled with my appearance.

  “Dr. Mackenzie, this is his sister,” Maya explained apologetically. “They’ve been waiting for word. I thought it might be good if he had a familiar voice here to try to wake him.”

  Mackenzie looked me up and down. “I see the family resemblance.”

  “There are four more of them in the waiting room,” Maya said.

  “Okay,” Mackenzie acquiesced. “Try talking to him. We’re not sure why he’s still unconscious. He doesn’t have a head wound. And if he fainted, he should have regained consciousness by now.”

  I took Cillian’s hand in mine and smoothed his hair off his forehead with my other hand. “Did you hear that? They think you fainted.”

  Cillian didn’t stir.

  “Try again,” Mackenzie instructed. “Talk about something that would … I don’t know … upset him.”

  I wracked my brain. “How freaked out are you that Ben Affleck is going to be Batman?”

  Mackenzie shot me an odd look.

  I sucked in a breath. “Angelina was here,” I said. “She insisted on seeing you. I didn’t rip her hair out, but I did smack her across the face. Then Maya … she’s Griffin’s sister, by the way, had her escorted out by security. I’m kind of sad I missed it, but I’m hoping Aidan filmed it on his phone to show me later.”

  Still nothing.

  “Dad told me he never wanted me to join the family business,” I tried again. “He said that he only worried about me before because I kept going to gay bars with Jerry.”

  Cillian’s eyes fluttered. I leaned forward excitedly.

  “You know you’re going to be his favorite for at least a week straight if you wake up right now, don’t you? You’ll get chocolate cake every night, and blueberry pancakes every morning.”

  Cillian’s mouth opened. “Blueberry pancakes are your favorite.” His voice was hoarse, and he hadn’t opened his eyes yet, but he was back. I wanted to cry, I was so relieved.

  “I’ll eat as many mushroom omelets as you want if you open your eyes right now,” I offered, gripping his hand tighter. “I’ll even eat the one
s with the funky mushrooms.”

  “Morels aren’t funky,” he said, forcing his lavender eyes open to focus on me. I’d never seen anything so beautiful. “They’re delicious.”

  “Hi,” I said, tears spilling out.

  “Hi, baby sister. How are you?”

  “Better now.”

  “Good,” Cillian said.

  Mackenzie moved up to the other side of the bed. “Do you know where you are, son?”

  Cillian glanced around the room, his eyes finally falling on Maya. “Heaven?”

  I rolled my eyes. “Really? You’re going to hit on the nurse now?”

  “I have to use my ailment while I can,” Cillian said, winking. “Women love to dote on an injured man.”

  “That’s Griffin’s sister.”

  “I don’t care,” Cillian said, pressing his eyes shut briefly. “She’s hot.”

  I let loose with a shaky laugh. “You’re going to be okay.”

  “Of course I am, Ais,” he said. “I could never leave you.”

  Fourteen

  “What happened?”

  After an hour of doctors hovering around Cillian and asking an unending series of questions, my family – and Griffin and Jerry – were left to our own devices.

  “I don’t really remember,” Cillian said, rubbing his forehead to clear the cobwebs. “It’s all … fuzzy.”

  “What’s the last thing you remember?” Dad asked.

  “Morgan Reid,” Cillian said. “He found us next to the building.”

  “That’s good,” Dad said. To no one’s surprise, he was doting on Cillian. “What do you remember about the conversation?”

  “He’s a pig,” Cillian said. “He was hitting on Aisling.”

  “He is a pig,” Griffin grumbled.

  “And that was after we told him we were married,” Cillian added.

  Redmond made a face. “Gross.”

  I stuck my tongue out at him.

  “He didn’t believe us,” Cillian said.

  “You look too much alike,” Dad said, soothing.

  “Especially with your hair,” Redmond teased. “It’s very feminine.”

  “Don’t you dare pick on your brother’s hair,” Dad ordered.

  Redmond raised his eyebrows once Dad turned his back and mouthed the word “wow” as he smiled at Cillian.

  “I remember leaving Aisling with Reid,” Cillian said. “I didn’t want to, but I was worried. I couldn’t figure out why he wasn’t already dead.”