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“Some of us like to have more than jeans from Dickies in our closet.” She tossed her hair over her shoulder. “You’ll get used to dressing up again.”
“Carhartts, actually, and maybe I don’t want to get used to that crap. I hated it as a kid and I fucking loathe it now.”
“You won’t have a choice. The family is on the campaign trail.”
“What?” I sputtered. “They’re putting one of the sons up for election? They’ll never win—”
“No. They’re building up to the time when Seamus can become a politician. That means we’re going legit. Or looking like we are.” She arched a brow at me. “From that display on the front stoop, I’d say Conor intends on keeping you around. God knows why.”
Shoving my hands in my pockets, I muttered, “Below the belt, Vana.”
“Isn’t that what we do? Isn’t that why you think you can just waltz out of my life and then waltz back in as if nothing happened?” She pinched her nose. “Aspen is dating a fucking Russian mobster. Paris is still trying to get me on her reality TV show because it’s sinking faster than theTitanic, and Camden is—”
“—drinking again?”
“And gambling. Then Mom got it in her head to write her life story.
“I swear that Dad and I are the only normal ones in the bunch and I’m married to the head of the Five Points and got kidnapped last year. It’d be nice if my childhood friend, a woman who’s like a sister to me, would have answered my fucking texts. They’re your family too.”
The words sent an ache spearing through my chest.
“Are they? Is your mom even talking to me?”
“I made her…” She sighed. “I didn’t tell her what happened, but I let her know that she was wrong to judge you. I guess I opened her eyes some. And of course, they’re your family. Just like you’re ours.”
Tipping my chin up, I said, “I had things I needed to do and I couldn’t get distracted—”
“So, that’s what I am? A distraction?”
I groaned at her wounded expression. “No, Vana. You might have been a few months ago. But now, I don’t think so.”
“Your kindness overwhelms me,” she grumbled, shoving my shoulder with an expensively manicured hand.
“Did you get hurt?”
She frowned. “When?”
“When you were kidnapped?” That was my area of expertise and I hadn’t been around to save her ass.Some sister I was. “I’m sorry I wasn’t there to help.”
“Conor did most of the heavy lifting. I’m fine.”
“Are you sure? That’s a lot to have to deal with.”
“I’m fine,” she repeated. “Aidan shored up his position and it—”
“It could happen again. No matter what he does to try to protect his role as leader, there are no guarantees,” I warned, but I had no desire to shit on her parade, just to make sure she knew that the storm wasn’t over.
That it never would be.
“You say that and you’re standing in my shoes now too. You love an O’Donnelly. That means you’re going to love his brothers, are on the brink of becoming an 'afternoon tea with the girls’ kind of woman, will eat Sunday dinner with his mother even though she talks about Our Lady more than she does her grandkids, and will be as married to the mob as I am.”
Inside, I squirmed, but I just mumbled, “I know.”
She squinted at me, her confusion evident. “Then what the hell happened while you were gone? Because the Star I know would rather drink strychnine than lead her life according to someone else’s plan.”
My mouth tightened. “I realized that I didn’t have to be a lone wolf anymore. I’m part of a pack now.”
“Have you been binge-watching David Attenborough documentaries again?”
