AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Tabon raised an eyebrow. “What are you up to, Avarie?”
Her sister made a growling sound. “It really isn’t any of your business, but Aine is trying to find out what happened to Striker’s sister.”
“Oh.”
All three women turned and looked at him.
“You know something, don’t you?” Ava asked her husband.
Tabon scrubbed his face with his hand. “I’m going to kill Striker, unless he kills me first.” He pulled out a chair and sat down next to Aine, who studied his face. Whatever Tabon was about to say would be breaking a confidence, and that wasn’t fair to him or to Striker.
“Don’t tell me,” she murmured.
“What?” gasped Ava.
“I’m serious,” she said, looking between her sister and brother-in-law. “If Striker asked you not to tell me, then you shouldn’t.”
“I disagree,” said Ava, folding her arms. “If Striker wasn’t honest with my sister, then you need to tell her the truth.”
“Come with me.”
When Tabon stood and held his hand out to her; Aine was tempted to refuse to go with him. Whatever he was about to tell her was something he didn’t want to say in front of Ava or Quinn.
“What do you know about Striker’s family?” he asked once they were out on the deck and he’d closed the sliding glass door behind them.
“Just that his parents are both dead, as is his aunt, who raised him.”
“Did he tell you much about his mother and father?”
“A little. I know neither of them were in his life.”
“Both of his parents were addicts—drugs and alcohol.”
“I figured it was something like that.”
“His sister was too.”
“Okay.”
“Striker may have some concern about genetic predisposition.”
“Based on what?”
“You’re aware that addictive personalities can be, at least in part, genetic. A lot of things that may have once been considered strictly behavioral, we’re finding, may be more nature than nurture.”
Aine nodded. “My degree is in neuroscience, Tabon.”
“I know it is. So, whether Striker is willing to admit it or not, you can understand where he’s coming from.”
Aine thought over what Tabon had just told her. Could that be what was behind their breakup? It didn’t make sense. He’d known about his family members’ addictions long before they’d started seeing each other. To say his sister’s death was the impetus that made him realize he was “predisposed” didn’t make sense. There had to be more to it.
“There’s something you’re not telling me.”
Tabon shook his head. “I can’t, Aine. It’s Striker’s story, not mine. I know your sister will disagree with me. She may even insist I tell you everything I know, but before we came out here, you told me not to tell you anything. Instead, I’ve told you as much as you could’ve figured out on your own.”
Aine put her hand on Tabon’s arm. “I meant what I said. I wouldn’t ask you to betray a confidence.”
“And I won’t ask you to lie to your sister.”
