Page 6 of Deceived Wrath

"He's back in LA, which is why I disappear for days at a time. I go and visit him as often as I can."

Kieran glowers at me, but I stay silent.

I knew I was going to have to tell him at some point, but having Scout be public knowledge, even if it is just among my family, puts me on edge.

My main priority is to keep him safe, and the best way I know how to do that is to keep him a secret.

Kieran stalks past me in the opposite direction to the bar. "I'm going to need something stronger than champagne for this. Let's go."

I don't ask any questions. I simply follow behind him in silence as I try to work out how much I can get away with not telling Kieran. He might be my brother, but when it comes to my son, blood means nothing. Especially considering the shit that has gone down with our uncle over the past few months.

He was in our inner circle, the closest we have to a father figure now that our own was murdered, and yet that wasn't enough to stop him from screwing us over right under our noses.

So, I won't apologize for being paranoid.

As we pass the packed dance floor, where it seems my youngest brother Brennan is trying his hardest to impress one of Riley's friends with some kind of interpretive dance, Riley steps into our path.

"Where are you going?" Riley places her hands on her hips as she glances between the two of us.

"To find some decent whiskey. We'll be back soon," Kieran answers without hesitation before bending down to press a quick kiss to his wife's cheek.

I look away, feeling like an outsider witnessing even the brief moment of affection.

Thankfully, Ronan's wife, Ciara, chooses that moment to appear, holding Nico, and Riley's attention immediately diverts to our nephew.

"Someone was missing his auntie." Ciara hands over her five-month-old son.

Riley laughs. "Are you sure someone didn't just need an excuse to go and pee by yourself?"

"Don't tempt me with a good time."

With Riley distracted by the squirming baby in her arms, Kieran and I duck out of the party and head inside the house.

Ciara has redecorated it so much over the last couple of years that it barely resembles the house I grew up in, but that's probably not a bad thing.

I know my brothers have fond memories of sitting around the dinner table, listening to our father spout on about the family legacy and the role each of us would play, but I don't see it that way. Then again, I was never my father's favorite like Ronan or the golden child like Brennan. I was the black sheep. Always have been and always will be.

Every time I set foot in this house, it feels like someone has tied a noose around my neck.

The walls might be a different color, and vases of fresh flowers have been set on every available surface, but the memories are still there. Being led up these very stairs to my father's old office, where he would rip into me for not being as committed to the family as my brothers.

I keep my eyes down as I try to ignore the flood of memories that are trying to resurface as Kieran leads me into the office that now belongs to Ronan.

"I thought you didn't live here anymore." I close the door behind me as Kieran makes a beeline for the bar cart and starts helping himself to a decanter of whiskey.

"I don't, but after all the shit Ronan made me deal with over the last few months, I've given myself lifetime access to his liquor."

"Fair enough."

The silence hangs heavy in the air as Kieran makes us both a drink.

There's so much I want to say, but I can't seem to form the words.

"Here." He hands me my drink.

I nod my thanks but don't take a sip. I need to keep my head clear. If I have to come clean about Scout to Kieran, then so be it, but there's also a hell of a lot more I need to keep hidden.

I stay silent as Kieran drains his glass and stalks back over to the cart to pour himself another.