I feel my jaw slacken. “How did you know that?”
She smiles her benevolent grin. “Because he loves you, and any man of the Clan would do just that once he’s set his sights on a woman he loves.”
I smile at Fiona. “Remember when I asked you if any of them were single?”
“Oh, aye,” she says with a rueful laugh. “And at the time I thought you were off your nut for being attracted to my brother.” She grimaces. “Honestly, I still find it a bit disconcerting as it were, but things being as they may, I see now why it’s best for the two of you. I really do.
I turn and give her a big hug. “Thank you.”
She kisses my cheek. “Of course. I have to admit it’s a bit selfish, though, really…” she bites her lip.
“Why’s that?”
Her eyes grow a little misty. “I want you here with me. I’ve missed you so, and I’m excited to have my friend back.”
I blow out a breath and nod. I’m nervous, but it’s a hopeful sort of excitement, the type you get before a really big day.
I don’t know all the details of the plan. Tiernan said it would be easier that way, if I could just focus on what I had to do without worrying about a crash or anything like that. He said he’d orchestrate everything.
And I trust him. I really do.
“Let’s go,” Fiona says. “You look perfect for your date.”
My ‘date’ that will end up in my ‘death.’ The death of the woman I once was.
I’m trembling as I go down the stairs. Tiernan’s got his hands shoved in his pockets, staring out the window as I come. He turns to look at me, his face breaking out into a grin when I hit the bottom of the stairs.
He gives me a big hug. “You look gorgeous,” he says.
I’m literally wearing nothing but a white top and plain trousers, and a pair of ballet flats.
“Tiernan, I might go to the grocery dressed like this,” I say with a laugh. I have nothing but a sheer layer of lip gloss on my lips. I’ve got a little clip holding my short hair out of my face.
“Doesn’t matter,” he says soberly. “You look lovely, nonetheless. You nervous?’
“More like nervous excited. You?”
He shrugs. “I don’t get nervous.”
But his eyes are twinkling. “Oh, right.”
He exhales. “I feel like I do before I enter the ring.”
“Oh?”
“Nervous energy.”
We understand each other, then. As in damn near everything.
Lachlan’s waiting outside for us by the garage, wearing a chauffeur’s uniform.
“Bloody stuffy,” he says angrily. “Feel like a goddamn funeral director.”
“You look excellent,” I say with a laugh. He grins.
“Alright, kids,” he says, gesturing to the car. “In you go, and I’ll go over how this will work.”
We do what he says. He slides into the driver’s seat, turns, and speaks to us.
“We chose tonight because it’s quick, and there’s rain. I’ll drive along the road with dimmed lights, and there’s another car that will head our way, driven by Tully.”
I nod. “Got it.”
“We’ll collide, but we’ll have it such a way that no one will be hurt, and the cars will be wrecked.”
Tiernan nods soberly, his fingers gripping mine more tightly.
“There will be smoke. Fire. We’ll cart her away to safety and have a double taking her place. She’ll arrive at the hospital via ambulance, as will you.” He jerks his chin at Tiernan. “Only it’ll be the real you.”
Tiernan nods.
“Megan’s connection will pronounce Aisling dead on arrival. And Shanna’s connection on the local paper will do a story as well. Got it?”
I exhale. “Got it.”
“And in the meantime, Aisling will be brought to our house, where they’re waiting to do one more makeover.”
“Do you know what I’ll look like?”
He shrugs. “Damned if I know,” he mutters. “But I’m sure they’ll do fine.”
“Should make me a redhead,” I reply. “Feisty temper and all.”
He smiles. “’Tis the truth.”
Tiernan rolls his eyes. “Got a ways to go before we pick out the shade of your hair, love.”
“Right, then,” Lachlan says. “And off we go.”
As if on cue, the clouds open. Rain pours down in torrents, lighting ripping through the dark night sky. Lachlan goes at a steady clip, until we come to the bend in the road we expect. I see headlights coming toward us, and instinctively bury my head on Tiernan’s shoulders.
“Bloody hell,” Lachlan says, and in one split second, I worry that something’s gone wrong. Tiernan shouts, Lachlan swerves to the right, and moments later there’s a sickening crunch of metal. My head slams against the car door, and my world goes black.When I wake, it’s hours later. I can tell by the way my body’s stiff, like I’ve worked out and a day’s passed. I try to turn my head but find I can’t, there’s some type of neck brace around it. My eyes fly open.