Page 5 of The Brat: Prequel

Her grin pops out like the sun after a long, hard winter in Moskva. “It does.”

“Plus, the second youngest O’Donnelly, doesn’t he have a teenage boy?”

She shrugs. “I don’t know.”

“Think his name’s Shay. You’re similar ages, I reckon. You could become friends if you try. But you have to try, Victoria. No hiding yourself away. Making yourself small to fit into what you think they want. They’re not your father. They won’t hurt you.”

“You don’t know that.”

“I do. The O’Donnellys are nuts for their women. Look at what Eoghan did for Inessa. He had never even met her and he busted your father’s shoulder.”

Hope sparkles in her eyes. “You think one day, if I’m in trouble, he’d hurt someone for me?”

“If he didn’t, I would. You’re surrounded by people who love you, Victoria. It’s time to enjoy it.” I straighten. “Now, this is most of your stuff. If you need anything else or I forgot something, tell Inessa and⁠—”

“I can’t contact you?!”

“Ah, katyonok, there’s protocol now. I’m not your guard anymore. When I told you the Irish care, I meant it. There will be rules you’re not used to, but you’ll adapt.”

She tugs on my hand. “I really will miss you, Max.”

“I’ll miss you too.” I tap her nose. “But more than that, I want you to be happy. Can you do that for me?”

A massive sigh escapes her. “Fine.”

“Brat.”

She blows a raspberry. “Maybe.”

“Always. Now, you have to promise me that you’ll never change.”

Her smile widens. “I can do that.”

“Good.”

THREE

I’LL MISS YOU EVEN MORE

“Do you ever think about life?”

I nervously toy with my pearl necklace. “What about it in particular? Or do you mean the actual way in which people live?”

“You know… life.”

“I need specifics.”

Huffing, Seamus O’Donnelly throws yet another packet of sugar into his coffee—at this point, his drink’s become solid food. “There are no specifics. Just the world, you know?”

“Have you been smoking weed?”

“No. I don’t do drugs.”

Why do I feel like there’s an anymore he needs to tack onto that statement? I side-eye him, judging that he got caught one time and immediately gave up.

Shay is like that.

He wants to experience the world. But he’ll back off if his mom says so.