Kennedy Gallagher kissed her baby daughter’s tiny foot and nibbled on her toe, delighting in the wonderful sound of baby giggles. Bath time was a treasured morning ritual.

Nick had left a few minutes ago, headed out of town for a few days on special assignment. Even though she missed him already, she had finally overcome, for the most part, the terror of watching him walk out the door. Losing Thomas, her first husband, so unexpectedly had left a huge amount of insecurity when it came to her loved ones. Each time she said goodbye, she was reminded that it could be the last time she saw them. Maudlin, yes, but overcoming the need to grab on for dear life had been a real struggle.

Thankfully, Nick, with his amazing ability to read her, understood. He called frequently throughout the day. He always seemingly had a reason, but she knew him well, too. One of the million reasons she adored Nick Gallagher was his incredible compassion.

Noticing that Isabella’s eyes were fluttering sleepily, Kennedy picked her up and settled her in her crib. If she timed it right, she could do a load of laundry, put away the breakfast dishes, and get in an hour of research, too. Her job with the Grey Justice Group gave her the flexibility to complete her work in her time frame. Nap time for Isabella meant work time for her.

Just as she headed downstairs, the doorbell rang. Though her mind was on the various things she wanted to get accomplished, she never opened the door without looking first. She had been through too much, lost too much, to ever take anything for granted. Danger often lurked in the most unexpected places.

Her breath caught on a gasp as she peered through the peephole. There was no danger here, but shock momentarily froze her. The woman on her doorstep had long, honey-gold hair, wore dark-rimmed glasses, and had a sharp nose to go with her pointed chin. She would have been unrecognizable to almost anyone, but Kennedy had spent too much time staring into the mesmerizing gray eyes of Irelyn Raine not to recognize her.

Having her show up incognito was much less surprising than having her show up at all. She hadn’t seen Irelyn in almost two years. Kennedy had once believed they shared a friendship, but after all this time, she had accepted that the other woman hadn’t felt the same way.

She wasn’t the best at hiding her feelings, so when she opened the door, she wasn’t surprised to hear Irelyn say, “You have every right to be angry.”

Shaking her head, Kennedy pushed open the screen door and stepped back, allowing Irelyn to step inside. “I’m not angry, I’m just—” She shook her head again. No, she wouldn’t lie. “All right, I am angry, but mostly I’m hurt and confused. Where have you been, and why didn’t you at least call and let me know you’re okay?”

“I’m sorry.” She gave a small smile. “I’m not used to people caring where I am.”

“Even Grey?”

“Except for a few weeks here and there, Grey has always known my location.”

“Have you seen him lately?”

“A few weeks ago.” She glanced over Kennedy’s shoulder. “Mind if we sit down?”

“Of course. Come in and have a seat. Would you like something to drink or eat?”

“Water would be good.”

She led Irelyn into the living room and said, “Be right back.”

“Kennedy?”

She glanced over her shoulder. “Yes?”

“Don’t call Grey. Okay?”

“I won’t, but don’t expect me not to tell him when I see him. I don’t keep secrets from my boss or my friends.”

“I understand. It’s one of the many reasons I’ve missed you.”

Giving her a solemn look, Kennedy walked away.

Irelyn settled into a chair with a giant sigh. Once she had decided to come here, she hadn’t been able to get Kennedy out of her mind. Kennedy was the first and only real female friend Irelyn had ever had. She didn’t waste time on regrets about that, but she did feel regret that she hadn’t been there for her friend when she had needed her most. Kennedy had almost died at the hands of Adam Slater. Irelyn had been out of the country by then, coming to terms with what she had done—what she needed to do. She hadn’t been a good friend to her only friend. Unfortunately, that wasn’t going to change.

She gazed around at the organized chaos of the room. This was what a home was supposed to look like, from the comfortable-looking sofa that invited afternoon naps, to the basket full of stuffed animals and baby toys in the corner. Kennedy and Nick had made a home for themselves and for their daughter, filled with love, laughter, and all the things that went with having a family.

She had once ached for this beyond anything. She no longer thought about it. Wishing for something that would never happen was both pointless and a waste of energy.

“Here you go,” Kennedy said as she returned to the living room. She handed a glass of ice water to Irelyn and then sat on the sofa across from her.

Irelyn took a sip of her water, surprised to realize she was nervous. Kennedy was so authentic and real…such a good person. Irelyn had rarely met anyone so genuinely fine. It was easier to deal with the fake and the feral—the ones who were only looking out for themselves. That was what she had been raised with and knew how to handle.

“Talk to me, Irelyn. Tell me where you’ve been, what you’ve been doing for almost two years.”

Describing her life to Kennedy was not only impossible, it could be dangerous for her and Nick to know anything. No way was she going to put this family at risk.

“A bit of traveling.”

“Traveling where?”

“Europe, mostly.”

She watched as the other woman rose and came to sit on the arm of her chair. She should have known that Kennedy wasn’t going to accept a trite, uninformative answer.

“Talk to me,” Kennedy said. “You know you can trust me. I care about you…and I care about Grey. The attempt on his life has got everyone jittery. Lacey will be getting out of the hospital soon, but it’ll be at least a month before she’s able to go back to work. We’re all on edge.”

“But Grey is taking extra care, right? He’s taking the threat seriously?”

“Of course he’s taking it seriously. Someone tried to kill him.”

She didn’t tell Kennedy that attempts on Grey’s life weren’t all that uncommon. Grey was more than capable of protecting himself and usually handled the situation without police intervention. This time, because of Lacey’s injury, that hadn’t been possible. The assassination attempt had made international news, and the authorities, no doubt, were investigating heavily. That didn’t mean, however, that Grey wasn’t working on his own. His intel would reach farther and wider than anyone else’s.

“I’m glad Lacey is on the road to recovery. I hope she’ll come back to work for the Grey Justice Group. She’s one of the best handlers we’ve…Grey has ever had.”

Kennedy didn’t mention the slip, but Irelyn cursed herself anyway. She was exhausted, and it was showing. She needed to do what she’d come here to do and get out. Her flight for England left in a couple of hours.

“Grey’s not been the same without you.”

Those words stopped her in her tracks, and another slash was added to a heart that had become much too vulnerable lately. In just a few moments of being in Kennedy’s presence, she was a mass of emotions once again.

No, this couldn’t happen. She stood. “I need to get going.”

“But you just got here.”

“I know…I just wanted to see you. I was in the States and…”

“And?” Kennedy said.

“Just wanted to say hi,” she finished lamely.

“That’s it?”

“That, and I also wanted to ask you to talk to Grey, convince him to take all precautions. Tell him not to trust anyone but his closest advisers. There could be moles or spies in the organization. Tell him—”

“Why don’t you tell him yourself?”

Ignoring the question, she continued, “And tell Nick, too. He’ll rein Grey in if he thinks he’s putting himself too much at risk.”

“We will all look out for Grey, Irelyn. But who’s looking out for you?”

“I can look after myself. Just be on guard. Okay?” She took a step toward the front door.

“Wait. You can’t leave without meeting Isabella.”

It took extreme effort for Irelyn to say, “Maybe next time. I have a flight to catch.”

“So you won’t be seeing Grey?”

“No.” Ignoring the hurt in Kennedy’s eyes, she said sincerely, “I’m happy for you and Nick. You both deserve happiness. And congratulations on your daughter. She’s a very lucky little girl to have you both as parents.”

“Irelyn,” Kennedy said softly, “why did you come here? Really.”

She looked out into the neighborhood with its two- and three-car garages, manicured lawns, flower gardens, and young children playing hopscotch on the sidewalk. So lovely, so simple. So very far away from what she had known. What she was returning to.

“Irelyn?”

She shook herself and turned back to Kennedy. Getting sentimental would help no one. “Please, just make sure Grey understands that he needs to be careful. Extra careful. All precautions must be taken. He won’t listen to me, but he’ll listen to you and Nick. Whoever is behind this attempt won’t stop until he’s successful. Tell him. Okay?”

She walked toward the porch steps, her mind a jumble of emotions. There were many things she wanted to say to this woman she never planned to see again. If she said them, though, there would be more questions. Besides, it would be an indulgence. One she couldn’t afford.

“Wait.” Worry clouded Kennedy’s lovely brown eyes. “Whatever happened between you and Grey…it can be fixed.”

“No, it can’t, but thank you for your concern.”

“Nothing is irrevocable, Irelyn.”

So much innocence and optimism in that statement. Another reason she admired Kennedy so much. She had gone through the darkest of the dark, but because of her strength and resilience, she had walked back into the sunshine. That took courage.

“Talk to Grey,” Kennedy urged. “You can work things out. I know you can. He cares for you so much.”

Irelyn knew that without a doubt. Hoping to convey her thoughts in a way Kennedy might understand, she said, “Have you ever played solitaire?”

Confusion flickered on Kennedy’s face. “Yes, of course.”

“Ever notice that with just one wrong move, you can lose the game?”

“Yes, but life isn’t a game.”

“Of course it is. Some people are just better at it than others. You and Nick, though—you’re good at it. I’m really happy for you.”

“Is that what happened? You or Grey made a wrong move? You did something you regret? He did something to hurt you? Whatever happened can be fixed.”

“I can’t fix what I did…some things can’t be changed. They are what they are.”

“What did you do that can’t be fixed? What is it you think Grey can’t forgive you for?”

“I killed his parents.”

The words had spilled from her mouth before she knew she planned to say them. She didn’t wait to see the shock and horror on Kennedy’s face. She strode quickly to her car. Jumping in, she took off without a backward look. She shouldn’t have said anything. Spontaneous outbursts like that were dangerous. They not only caused problems, they cost lives.

She blew out a cleansing breath. Okay, she had done what she came to Dallas to do. Now on to the next part. The part that would not only resolve her past, but would also save Grey’s life. She planned to accomplish both, even at the cost of her own life. It was the very least she could do.