Jaya sat on a stool in the castle’s kitchen, arms wrapped around herself as she rocked back and forth.

She didn’t even know Charlotte and Miles but she felt awful all the way to her bones. Poor Charlotte had been shot in the shoulder, the bullet passing through it and nearly ending up in Miles from what Jon had told her.

Now Charlotte was in the hospital twenty miles west, apparently okay, with Miles by her side. It had been a long night for all of them—another night of no sleep and too much frustration.

They were running out of time.

Colton had taken Shelby to meet with a Garda detective and an Interpol agent at Blackrock. Fitzpatrick’s body had already been taken away and the murder scene analyzed but the detective and his Interpol counterpart wanted to talk to Colton and Shelby in more detail about how they’d “discovered” the body and why they were here.

Jaya’s stomach cramped. She jetted off the stool and just made it to the sink. Once the worst passed, she wiped off her face and propped herself against the worn cabinet, staring out the window at the creeping fog. It never seemed to completely clear up and the gloom wasn’t helping her mood.

“That was Miles.” Jon blew into the kitchen, pocketing his cell. The shadows under his eyes had deepened, but he didn’t seem the least bit tired. “Doctors released Charlotte fifteen minutes ago and they’re on their way. The police say it was a trio of boys out joyriding. Alcohol was involved. They claim they were shooting at cars, not people, and didn’t see us.”

His voice sounded tired, but more than that, a little odd. “You don’t believe that, do you?”

“They have the boys in custody. It really doesn’t appear it was anything more than what the police are claiming.” He ran a hand through his hair. “As soon as Miles and Charlotte get here, the three of us will track down the old O’Sullivan castle and make sure Finn isn’t being held there. Or your dad isn’t holed up there.”

“What do you mean, the three of you? Charlotte was shot last night. The last thing she needs is to go on a hunting expedition.”

He filled the kettle and set it on the stove. “She’s fine and we might need her if we run into the Gypsies.”

“You’ve got to be kidding me.”

His hand stopped in midair as he reached for a clean mug. “What?”

“I don’t want anyone else getting hurt because of me and my family, and also…”—scooting off the stool, she turned off the burner, lowered his arm, and closed the cabinet—“I don’t want any more tea.”

A deep breath made his chest expand and then he slowly let the air out, facing her. “Actually, I was going to make myself some coffee.”

“Oh.” Kieran didn’t have a coffeemaker, not even a French press. All he had was some kind of contraption where you poured hot water over grounds and let it steep. Jaya reached over and turned the stove burner back on. “Sorry.”

Jon took her by the shoulders and stared into her eyes, all the way down to her soul like he always seemed to do. “What do you want, Jaya?”

Damn this man. Why couldn’t he be like the other people in her life and get mad at her once in a while? The pressure inside her kept building and she was going to blow. She didn’t want it to be at him, especially over something as unbelievably nice as his endless patience and caring. Something she’d never had in her life up to this point. “I honestly don’t have an answer to that, outside of ending this nightmare with everyone intact and safe.”

His gaze dropped to her belly. “Charlotte is former MI6. This isn’t the first time she’s been shot. It comes with the territory, and luckily, our shooter was drunk, lucky, and ridiculously unskilled.”

“This wasn’t a random drive-by by a couple of drunk kids. Someone put those boys up to it, I know it.”

His gaze returned hers, patient. “You have every reason to believe the shooting is connected to our mission, but sometimes a shooting is, in fact, accidental.”

“Like my van?” She shook her head. “It wasn’t an accident. Someone is trying to scare us off by terrorizing me, but not actually killing anyone. I don’t know whether to be relieved that Charlotte is okay or pissed off that it happened, but they are not chasing me off. I’m not scared.”

That was sort of a lie, but she was going with it anyway, like one of those positive affirmations Shelby was always writing on sticky notes and hanging on her bathroom mirror.

Jon grinned. “I can see that, but trust me, Charlotte is okay and Beatrice is already looking into the three kids’ backgrounds, just in case. If there’s anything remotely suspicious, she’ll find it. And Charlotte was laughing about her latest GSW when I was on the phone with Miles. Said that once it healed, she was getting a new tattoo around the scar. She’s kind of crazy like that.”

Crazy fit right in with this bunch. Jon had filled her in about the Gypsies and the outcasts at the bar that Charlotte and Miles had seen exchanging money. “I want to go to the O’Sullivan castle with you.”

Jon’s dark brows dipped ever. “I hate to say no, but that’s out of the question.”

“I’m not hanging back any longer and asking everyone else to put their lives on the line for me.”

“You’re carrying our child. That trumps everything.”

“But…” How could she argue with that?

It still sucked.

“Here’s the thing. My grandmother was Gypsy.”

“I know. You told me when you brought me that charm bag when I was in the hospital last fall. Your dad’s mom, right?”

She’d brought Jon a combo putsi and shaman’s healing pouch. The spirits probably didn’t like her crossing up cultures and traditions, but tough shit. In her world, it never hurt to err on the side of caution. “My grandmother was a Fleming and some of them might be part of the group traveling in these parts. Dad didn’t talk about her much. He liked talking about his father’s side of the family more, with all the castles and hidden treasures. Gypsies didn’t interest him and his mother was outcast because she married a non-Gypsy, so from what he always said, she never talked about that life. She died right after I was born and Grandpa O’Sullivan was long gone before then.”

“There’s no guarantee they would talk to you, J.” Jon stared at her as if he could will her into understanding and accepting his need to protect her. “And when we start asking questions, we might scare up whoever tried to run us off the cliffs the other night.”

Fun times. Fisting her hands, she swallowed the fear tightening her throat. “I’m done sitting back and doing nothing, so save your breath. My entire life has been full of risk and taking chances. I promise I will do everything possible to keep our baby safe, but I also have to do whatever I can to find my baby brother. He’s my responsibility too.”

Jon leaned against the counter, his fingers picking at a piece of peeling trim. “The only way you’re going is if you’re willing to follow my orders to the letter, just like Colton and the others on this team.”

“Are you pulling the boss card on me?”

“You’re damn right I am.”

She knew he still suspected the B&B owners had a hand in this somehow. “I want to see the Gypsies, the ones who are in this area. They might be family and this is probably the only chance I’ll ever have. If Charlotte is going, so am I. I’ll hang back and do what you want, but I’m not staying here with Kieran.”

Yes, it was a risk, but it was also an opportunity, and she wasn’t passing it up. All she’d ever wanted was to feel connected to her family, and one by one, they were disappearing on her faster than she could keep up.

“I’ll bring you back to Ireland,” Jon said. “Once the baby comes and you’ve got your business expansion taken care of, we can come back, Jaya.”

“This is me we’re talking about, Jon. My plans tend to go awry, so while I appreciate the offer, I can’t let this opportunity go by. I want to see the castle where my ancestors lived, and if we run across the Gypsies, I want to see them, meet them if possible. You said Charlotte knows how to talk to them and get them to open up. She can help me. Us.”

She saw the war going on behind his eyes. He sighed deeply. “I love you, you know.”

She nodded, sliding closer. His arms went around her. “I do know, and I realize I’m asking the world of you to let me do this.”

The tea kettle whistled and they broke apart, Jon prepping the grounds and pouring the hot water over them while Jaya grabbed two mugs. As the coffee steeped, she found crackers and a tea bag from their supply. Jon quirked a brow at her and she shrugged. “Changed my mind about the tea.”

“Good.” He poured hot water into her mug. “You need to keep your strength up.”

A few minutes later, from somewhere inside the castle, Eamon barked. Jon swiveled to look out the window. “They’re here.”

Jaya moved so she stood next to him, watching Miles and Charlotte drive up the lane in Kieran’s pickup truck. Jon slipped an arm around her waist and nuzzled her ear. “You’re amazing, you know that?”

For the first time that day, she smiled, leaning her head on his shoulder. “I’m batshit crazy, but amazing sounds nicer.”

They shared a chuckle and Jon kissed her temple. “You sure your stomach can handle the bumpy roads?”

“I’ll bring a bucket.”

“If you’re going with us, you need more than that.”

“Oh, yeah? Like what?”

Outside, in the early morning light, Miles parked the truck, then hustled to Charlotte’s side to help her out. She was beaming, her arm in a sling. She caught Miles with her good hand and kissed him square on the lips.

Jaya liked her instantly.

Jon pulled her away from the window and pushed her toward the stairs. “If you’re going with us, you, Miss Jaya Hotti O’Sullivan, need a disguise.”