Page 39 of Whiskey & Witches
Her love burned fierce as she stared at him, and her fingertips traced the lines of his face as if memorizing each of his features. “Yes.”
Releasing a breath he hadn’t been aware of holding, Carrick helped her stand and rested his forehead against hers. “We’re stronger together. You, Aeden, and me. A unit.” He swallowed hard. “Never leave me, Roisin. I’m not sure I could take it a second time.”
“I thought it was you who didn’t want me anymore,” she whispered. “That I was broken and useless to you. To Aeden.”
“No! Jaysus! You’re the glue that keeps us all together. Here, Aeden and I were living half-lives without you.” He tilted her chin up and gently traced her scars. “I can’t tell you enough how these don’t matter to me, Ro, other than they break my heart because they cause you pain.”
“Do you think Aeden will be okay?”
“He’s our son. He’s got your cleverness and steely resolve.”
“And your kindness of heart.”
“And his own tough little spirit.”
She smiled through her tears. “Then he’ll be okay.”
“Yeah. I think he’ll be okay. Now that we have you back, that is.” And because he couldn’t help himself, couldn’t go another minute without tasting her love, Carrick kissed her. When she didn’t pull away but instead returned his passion, kiss for kiss, he felt lighter. Happier. “I want to make love with you more than I want to breathe,” he growled, trailing his fingers across the flat plane of her abdomen.
“Too bad there’s a child in our bed,” she laughed and followed it with a low moan as he dipped his hand beneath the waistband of her pajama bottoms and touched her. It thrilled him to find her wet and ready, even as it frustrated the feck out of him.
“We can use the spare room upstairs,” he said and hoped like hell she’d take him up on it.
“Ye—”
Aeden’s terrorized scream rent the air.
“Stay here!” Carrick ordered as he dashed for the bedroom. Static began in the tips of his fingers, and by the time he reached the bedroom, blue sparks were dancing in the palms of his hands. But as he skidded to a halt inside the door, it registered this was only another of Aeden’s night terrors and not an enemy attack.
Carrick shook his hands to dispel the building magic and climbed onto the bed, drawing his son into his tight embrace. “It’s okay, Aeden. It’s okay. Da’s got you. I’m here.”
“Mam!” Aeden’s eyes were wide and staring at some distant horror only he could see. “No!”
It hurt to hear his strained cry, and Carrick knew from experience, Aeden would wake with his throat on fire for his efforts.
Roisin joined them on the bed and stroked the sweat-damp hair from Aeden’s face. “I’m here,mo stór.I’m right here.” Fat droplets dripped from the outer corners of Aeden’s eyes and rolled into his hairline at the temples. She continued to smooth back his hair as she rained butterfly kisses on his face. “I’m here.”
Slowly, second by agonizing second, Aeden’s body relaxed and softened, and he blinked, coming back to himself. Carrick felt the exact moment when Aeden recognized them as his little body lost its rigidity, and he breathed his relief.
“Mam?” Aeden croaked, grabbing his neck.
“I’m here,” she assured him with a trembling smile. She’d positioned her face to only allow Aeden to glimpse the undamaged half, and Carrick wanted to assure her again neither of them cared anymore about the scars. But he couldn’t speak for Aeden, and he didn’t know how their boy would react waking from yet another nightmare.
Aeden hugged Carrick briefly before drawing back and reaching for Roisin. The peace on their son’s face as he cuddled into her embrace and curled his fingers into Ro’s corkscrew curls stabbed Carrick right in the fucking heart. Not for reasons of jealousy, but once again, he understood what a colossal mistake he’d made in keeping them apart. Who knows how much sooner Aeden would’ve recovered? And Roisin, too. He’d not wanted to cause her undo stress or tax her strength, but might she have healed sooner with the love of her family?
Carrick’s self-hatred was all-consuming.
“Seamus and Moira want to hurt us, Mam,” Aeden signed.
Roisin compressed her lips and hugged him tighter.
Carrick met her worried gaze over the top of their son’s head. He shook his head, silently promising that those two monsters would never get close to either of them again.
CHAPTER16
The morning was relatively quiet, but Roisin still kept her family within eyesight until it was time to reinforce the wards. She approached Piper to help with the spell for both the cottage and the home she shared with Carrick and Aeden. If anyone with ill intent set foot on their property, they’d be alerted to trouble and be able to react accordingly.
The two women met inside the study at the Black Cat Inn, and Piper immediately hugged her. Last night at the cottage, she had requested private time with Roisin so they could be properly introduced without the men. Piper hadn’t judged her for staying away from her family, and she’d promised to fill Roisin in on all the things she’d missed about Aeden’s life in the interim. Other than with Bridget, Roisin had never felt such an instant friendship with another woman. Piper had also assured her she’d find a way to help Aeden heal completely, cementing Roisin’s adoration for the woman.
