Free Betrayals (Cainsville Book 4) by Kelley Armstrong

caused the deaths of innocent people. I will not forgive myself for that. No more than I forgive myself for the danger he put you in. I knew Chandler was not a righteousman, but I thought he could be controlled. I allowed my zealousness to overwhelm my prudence. It won’t happen again.”
    “And Halloran?”
    “He appears immune to our compulsions. We’ve been seeking other remedies.”
    “But I had a vision of him being pursued by you guys.”
    Ioan frowned and then said, “We haven’t caught up to him. Possibly that’s a prognostic vision? Have you had those?”
    “No, just visions of the past.”
    “I don’t know what to say, then. I can only hope that it
is
a vision of the future, and we’ll catch up to him soon. As for his interest in Ricky, though, that’s very concerning. It seems—”
    “Awfully coincidental?” I said. “Yep. Whatever’s going on, though, I am going to investigate, because I can’t take the chance of ignoring it. I’m here to ask for everything you know about Ciro Halloran.”
    “What about him?”
    “Whatever you learned in the course of your investigation. Background info, current info, anything pertinent.”
    “None of that is pertinent,” Ioan said. “He’s killing fae. That is an undisputed fact. Details would simply get in the way. I can provide his home address, though.”
    “Already got it. How about the crimes, then? Begin with motivation. Why’d he do it?”
    Ioan looked confused. “We’re not a court, Liv. We know he’s guilty.
Why
he’s done it is meaningless.”
    “Can you tell me
anything
about the murders?”
    “The facts, yes.”
    “Do that, then.”
    It was two blocks back to where Ricky had found street parking. He was quiet as we walked. When we reached the bike, Icaught his hand, and he looked over and said, “I’m okay.” When I kept giving him a look, he pulled me into a hug and whispered, “I’ll
be
okay.”
    I eased back. “I know you suspected Ioan was your grandfather, but having it confirmed is a different thing.”
    Ricky made a face. “Yeah. Not in the way he thinks …”
    “What’s pissing you off is what he did to your grandmother and your father. He helped them financially, but there’s more to supporting your kid than that. Which is a lesson your father learned well.” Don had raised Ricky from birth, letting his mother continue med school and then go on to lead her own life and build her own family.
    Ricky said, “When guys screw around and leave a kid behind, it’s a thoughtless, stupid mistake. But the Cŵn Annwn do it intentionally, and I can’t wrap my head about that. My grandmother was an unwed mom in the sixties. Ioan fucked up her life, and now he stands there, telling me the truth like I’m going to get all misty-eyed. I wanted to—” He broke off.
    I hooked my fingers in his belt loops and tugged him closer. “You’re angry. You have a right to be angry. Accept it. Redirect it.” I leaned to his ear and whispered, “I kinda like the way you redirect it.” I reached into the saddlebags and waggled a skirt I kept stuffed in there. “Ride?”
    He chuckled and nodded.
    We lay in a patch of forest, the temperature plummeting as the sun dropped. Ricky pulled me against him, his warmth wrapping around me.
    We weren’t dozing. The sex hadn’t been strenuous enough for that. We just rested, as we usually did, finding a bit of forest and catching our breath, enjoying each other’s company. The last time we’d been out, Ricky had joked that we should squeeze ablanket into the saddlebags, as the days grew shorter, autumn settling in to winter. I would, too, if it meant holding on to these moments for a few weeks longer.
    As Ricky returned texts from his dad, I made a call. Gabriel didn’t answer until the fourth ring. That gave me pause, but we’d parted on good terms, no need for concern. That’s what it’s like with Gabriel—even a moment’s delay and I’m racking my brain, worrying that I’ve