Total pages in book: 110
Estimated words: 107306 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 537(@200wpm)___ 429(@250wpm)___ 358(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 107306 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 537(@200wpm)___ 429(@250wpm)___ 358(@300wpm)
Um, did he forget what we did here the other night? Cillian cocks a brow, telling me not to mention it. I cross my arms and pout.
We’ve stayed in Boston for a couple of days, everyone needing to come down after what happened. Plus, we’ve been trying to figure out how to deal with killing a whole lot of people in a random house. Flynn and Finan took care of the owner—an innocent casualty to the life we live. I don’t know if they killed him, are blackmailing him, or gave him money to sell the house and keep his mouth shut or else, but whatever they did, I’m sure they made the right decision.
“Tiernan, Cillian, and Rory, come set the table. Dinner is almost done,” Fia calls to us from the kitchen.
“What about Ash?” Tiernan argues, sounding like a child, something he rarely does.
“I helped cook, asshole.” She sticks her tongue out at her brother, Tiernan pretending to try and grab it.
It’s always something special to see him this way, to see him let go. It happened even less when his father was alive, but that soft place has always been something Fia gives him.
“I’ll help,” Shai says.
“Me too,” Ollie adds, Dean already following Tiernan.
“What’s up with Conan and Fia?” Shai asks softly. “He’s always watching her.”
“Nothing. I mean, he’s in love with her. He’s been in love with her for as long as I’ve known him, but she doesn’t see him that way. For her, he’s her best friend, and after Sloan, I don’t think Fia will ever get into a relationship again.”
“Damn.”
“He should try dick,” I say.
“I think Rian needs some too,” Shai jokes, making me laugh.
We set the long table quickly, bringing the food out and placing it in the center. Fia made a large Irish meal—stew, boxty, cabbage with bacon, and bread.
“Let’s eat!” she calls out.
“Let me go help my mom,” Shai says, but I shake my head.
“I’ll get her. Sit, pet.”
He flips me off but grins. He likes being taken care of, and I do too.
“Mama Kat.” I hold my hand out for her.
“I’m still sad my son found you first,” she teases, and as inappropriate as she is, it makes me laugh. Chaos recognizes chaos, I guess. As long as she’s good to Shai, I don’t care how wild she is.
Dinner is full of loud laughter and conversation—Conan, Finan, Rian, and Flynn having joined the rest of us. After the meal, we clean up, and then everyone gathers in the living room. Ash, I notice, lingers behind. I slip from the room and return to the kitchen. She’s leaning against the counter, glued to her phone, and I join her. “Oh, hey,” she says. “Is everything okay?”
“Everything is fucking perfect.” I grin widely.
“Just a few months ago you didn’t think you knew how to fall in love. You certainly didn’t want to, and look at you now.” She nudges me with her arm.
“I love him, but I’m also obsessed with him,” I explain.
“I would expect nothing less.” She drops her head to my shoulder. “I’m glad you’re happy. I knew you’d be good at it.”
“Good at what?”
“Loving someone the way you love Shai.”
“Only because it’s him.”
“That’s what love is.” She sighs.
“Are you in love with Zuri?”
Her silence is all the confirmation I need. “Yes, but I don’t know if it will last.”
“Why the fuck not?”
“Nothing…everything…I’m scared.”
I huff in reply. “You’re not afraid of anything. You’re the bravest person I know.” I wrap my arm around her.
“I don’t always feel like it.”
“You put on a good show.”
“Don’t we all? Ignore me. The last few days have just been a lot. Dean was shot last year, now Conan and Kat got shot.”
“This is our life, Ash.”
“I know. Like I said, ignore me. I’m being a baby.”
I kiss the top of her head. “Want me to kidnap her?”
She snorts out a laugh. “Maybe I can Stockholm her into falling in love with me and being okay with who we are.”
“This doesn’t have to be who you are. It’s not who Fia is.”
“It’s not who she is, but it also is. Even if I choose to live differently, I’ll always be a part of this world, Ror, just like my mom. Where do we go when our people get shot? There will always be danger. I love my family and would never walk away from you all, but it’s a lot for someone else to willingly walk into.”
She’s right about that.
“Is everything okay?” Shai asks, coming into the kitchen.
“Yes. Your boyfriend is giving me romance advice.”
“I’m sorry,” Shai teases, Ash and I laughing.
“I’m fine.” She kisses my cheek, then Shai’s. “Come on. Let’s go join everyone else.”
We go back to the living room. Finan is telling a story, everyone paying rapt attention. He’s good at that, drawing attention to himself. Where both Conan and Rian are quieter, more even keeled, Finan is the wild child, much like me.