AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I smirked. “None taken. And yes, I believe she does.”
Liam raised his eyebrows, clearly impressed. “Good for you, bro,” he said, puffing out a cloud of smoke.
Kieran nodded in approval too, but his eyes were serious. “Don’t hurt her, Tristan,” he said quietly, “She’s been through enough.”
“Rich, coming from you. But I wouldn’t.”
“Wait, Tristan,” Liam said. “I have an idea. What if you, I don’t know, took her on a date first? You guys have never been on a date, have you?”
“No,” I admitted, rubbing the back of my neck. “We haven’t really had the time.”
“Make the time,” Liam said, shrugging at my incredulous look. “Hey, women like that stuff. Trust me.”
I grimaced. “You hear this shit, Kieran? My baby brother giving me advice on women?”
Kieran snorted, shaking his head as he leaned back on the bed. “Yeah, I think we’ve officially entered the twilight zone.” He raised an eyebrow at Liam. “And since when are you an expert on women?”
“I’ve been around,” Liam said with a nonchalant shrug, grinning smugly. “I listen when they talk. You should try it sometime.”
“Alright, Romeo.” Kieran rolled his eyes but there was a smile tugging at his lips, amused by our brother’s newfound wisdom.
I sighed, running a hand through my hair. “Alright, alright. Let’s say I take your advice,” I turned to Liam, “Where should I take her?”
Liam shrugged again, looking thoughtful as he stared off into the distance. “What does she like?”
“Hard to know,” I said. “So far, we’ve gone on the run, been in a car chase, gun fights…and I get the feeling none of that is her thing.”
Liam tutted. “Okay, maybe I really am just super stoned, but have you considered, I don’t know, asking her?”
“Shut up, kid.”
“Make me.” Liam replied lazily, his eyes twinkling with mirth.
It felt good to laugh and banter with my brothers, a balm against the gnawing pain that hung constant in our hearts. There was a solace in their company, a refuge in the shared burden of grief. I realized then that despite our differences, we were all pieces of the same puzzle, bound by blood and circumstance.
With a heavy sigh, I rose from the bed and walked towards the window, staring at the Boston cityscape illuminated by the soft glow of the setting sun. The mansion had always been a fortress of sorts, a sanctuary against the outside world, but now it felt more like an island of isolation.
“I’ll figure it out,” I said when the conversation had quieted down, turning back to face them. “But not tonight.”
Kieran nodded. “That’s fair.” He stood as well and pulled Liam up with him. “Come on. It’s rude to get high up here while our guests have to pretend to like each other.”
Laughing, Liam allowed himself to be pulled up by Kieran. “You know, you’re not as much of a dick as everyone says you are.”
“Don’t spread that around,” Kieran retorted, leading the way out of the room.
I lingered behind, my gaze wandering back to the window. The view of the city was breathtaking from here, bathed in the warm hues of the setting sun. But unlike before, it failed to bring me peace. Instead, it only served as a reminder of what was at stake.
A knock on the door pulled me from my thoughts and I turned to find Adriana entering the room.
“I thought I might find you up here,” she said, her eyes meeting mine with an understanding that seared through my defenses. She was dressed in an oversized sweater that hung off one bare shoulder and her dark hair was pulled back in a loose ponytail. All black, of course, except for the golden crucifix hanging around her neck. “How are you holding up?”
“I’m okay,” I lied, giving her a tight-lipped smile. The word tasted like ash in my mouth, heavy with unshed tears and unspoken fears. She didn’t need to know that just yet.
Adriana crossed the room, her eyes never leaving mine. “You don’t have to be okay, Tristan,” her hand reached out for mine when she spoke. The touch was unexpected - gentle, soothing. It grounded me.
“I always thought Malachy was an asshole. Never thought his death would hit me this hard.”
“‘They fuck you up, your mum and dad. They may not mean to, but they do.’”
