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“Is this all from Leo?”
I don’t know why it didn’t occur to me that Daniel would have told him everything.
“Are you going to run to him whenever I get hurt?” I ask, looking around my brother.
“Yes,” both guys answer in unison. I roll my eyes as Daniel winks at me, smirking, before returning to dishing up breakfast.
“You two never did have the big falling out Oli claimed, did you?” I ask.
A month after Daniel left, Oliver went to see him. He was meant to be there for a week but returned after only two days. He said they had a big fight and didn’t want to discuss it. Oli never mentioned him again after that, so neither did I.
The two guys share a look, and I know I’m finally about to get some answers about what’s been going on. Oli sits on a bar stool next to me, looking serious.
“Yes and no,” he says as he takes my hand. “I did fall out with Daniel, we got into a fight, and I punched him.”
“He broke my nose, to be fair.”
I look at Daniel and back to my brother. I can’t believe he would do that to his best friend. I knew they had fought, but I didn’t think it was physical.
“I think you are going to need to start from the beginning, as I obviously missed a lot,” I point out.
“Eat whilst we explain,” Daniel orders pushing a plate of pancakes and bacon towards me.
“Thank you,” I smile, looking down at the plate of my favourite breakfast. I don’t know how he remembers so much.
“Small bites, it won’t hurt as much,” he adds, pouring maple syrup onto my plate. I start cutting small pieces and look at my brother with arched brows, waiting for an explanation. I can see he’s trying to work out what to say. He has never been the best at talking about personal things. But I won’t let him continue lying to me. I want the truth and will keep pushing until I get it.
“We all knew you planned on telling Daniel how you felt on your birthday, and we didn’t lie when we said he got called away to his fathers,” Oli starts. I continue to look at my brother, too embarrassed to look at Daniel. But I can feel him watching me and eventually turn to see him offering me a reassuring smile.
“I didn’t want to go, princess. I begged them to let me wait just one day, just enough time to tell you how I felt and get you to come with me, but I was given no choice. I had to leave you behind. My father had been hurt, and we knew my brother Clayton, and I would be taking over the business sooner than expected.”
My heart freezes. After all those years of believing I meant something to him and then all the doubt that came after he left. He had wanted to take me with him. That may hurt me more than I anticipated. Even though he says he cared, he never returned for me.
“As you know, we met a month later, and I came home after only two days. We fought because as much as I tried to ignore the fact that you were broken-hearted, I couldn’t. I hated him for doing that to you. For putting you in the position where you loved him so much and relied on him, but most of all for him leaving you behind. We got into a big argument as Daniel wanted to come and see you to tell you how he felt, but I told him never to contact you again. The last thing I wanted was for you to be dragged into his world. I wanted to protect you from his family business and from being hurt by him even more than you already were.”
“By family business, you mean the mafia family and all they control?” I ask. Both Daniel and Oli stare at me in silence. They had no idea I was aware of everything the Sullivan family controlled and own.
“You knew?” Daniel asks. I let out a deep breath and nod.
“For fuck sake, I thought I was protecting you from finding out! How the hell do you know?” Oliver demands. I instinctively chew on my bottom lip as I always do whenever I get nervous and regret it when I catch the cut.
“I heard you both discussing it one night. So, I did my own research. I wasn’t a hundred per cent sure, but then little things started to add up.” I turn to look at Daniel. “A year after you left, I noticed Oli acting a little weird sometimes.” I focus on my brother as I continue. “I would see your knuckles cut up, the odd black eye, or the fact that a few times you came around, you had a gun hidden in your trousers. I figured you had gotten involved and couldn’t get out. I considered Danny was back, but I didn’t want to believe you would hide that from me. So, I figured it was Clayton who you worked for.”
Daniel reaches over and punches Oliver’s arm. From the look on his face, I have a feeling he wants to punch more than just his arm.
“What the fuck was that for?” Oli protests, rubbing it.
“I told you to let me speak to her, but no! You were convinced she had no idea and would freak out. Does she look freaked out to you? Five years Oliver!” Daniel yells as he throws his arms up in the air, turning away from us as he runs his fingers through his hair.
“I still stand by what I said. I don’t want her in this life, Daniel! I want to know my little sister is safe, and her association with you puts her in danger. Just look at last night,” Oliver shouts, throwing his hand towards me as if to prove a point.
“But he wasn’t trying to get back at Daniel last night. He was trying to get back at you.”
Oliver and Daniel both stare at me.
“What?” Oliver asks as my eyes fill with tears.
“Leo said he had planned on using me to get back at you for sleeping with his girlfriend. He had planned on using me to taunt you. Apparently, it was all planned, but when he saw me talking to Danny, he realised he had to speed up his plan.” The words get stuck in my throat, but I force myself to swallow the lump that’s formed and take a deep breath. Daniel walks around the kitchen bar, puts an arm around my shoulders, and lets me lean against him.
