AllFreeNovel
Share Us
The second my family finds out that I drove intoxicated, they’ll start up an intervention, and that’s the last thing I need.
“Who’s here?” I ask, grunting as I bring myself up on all fours.
He shrugs while I stand, stumbling to regain my balance. “Fuck if I know.”
My mind flickers back to the scene of the accident. Someone was there. Someone pulled me out of the water. My eyes were closed, so I didn’t get a good look at their face, and that makes the memory fuzzy. Vision makes the vivid scenes so real, so when I don’t have the image, the memory isn’t as sharp as when I can see something so clearly.
Was it a man? A woman?
I shuffle through the options, the other senses I had at my disposal. Touch. The hands tugging me toward the light were rough. Large, strong hands that probably belonged to a man. All I could smell was dirty river water and dead fish. That wouldn’t help decipher anything.
When I came to, I only saw the face of a paramedic pushing down on my chest. I coughed up water. Fuck. Had my heart stopped beating? Maybe.
My heart sinks with that realization. For a moment, my mind was blank, and I let the darkness slip through my fingers. I could’ve ended the pain that festers deep inside of my bones, but someone prevented that.
A faceless someone.
The officer grabs me by the elbow and drags me down the hall. I didn’t go to the hospital. I convinced the sergeant on duty that I’d be fine. Just take me to jail, lock me up. Maybe I’d get lucky, and some secondary drowning would happen in the cell.
Hours later, I’m still breathing. I may be Irish, but I did not, in fact, get lucky.
“Here.” The officer shoves a plastic bag at my chest, then opens the door to the lobby.
I glance around, trying to take notice of anyone in the lobby, but it’s empty. My feet ache, and my clothes are a sopping wet mess, but I walk to the exit.
“Christ, you look like shit,” Scotty says.
I turn, groaning when I see my friend leaning against the railing of the stairs. He’s in jeans and a T-shirt, and I do a double take—the scruff of blond hair on his cheeks is something new. I’m not used to this side of him, only used to him wearing the black suit, with a clean-shaven face. That Scotty is gone now that he’s out of organized crime. It’s only been a month or so, but civilian life seems to have softened his face. He’s not as tense, smiling more.
Love and all that shit. They say it’s good for the soul. I wouldn’t know. I’d never know, since my love is gone.
“See my sister’s making sure you’re getting fat.” I grin as I head toward him and punch at his stomach.
He chuckles, shaking his head. “I’ve gained weight. But it’s all muscle, bro.” He flexes his bicep, then extends his hand for a shake.
I take it, pulling him into a brotherly hug. “I’m glad you’re happy.” Even if it is with my baby sister. The words hang in the air, left unspoken.
“I wish you were,” he says, pulling away. He grabs the duffle on the ground beside him, then shoves it at my chest. “You can get dressed in the car. Saoirse is waiting, and she’s about to give you an ear full.”
I snort. My youngest sibling, and only sister, is a spitball to be reckoned with. So, I brace myself for her wrath. Together, we head down the stairs, then down the block to the parking garage. When we get there, Saoirse rolls down the window of the front passenger seat. She pokes her head out of the blacked-out Rolls Royce, her red hair almost to her shoulders already. She’d cut it off last month after she was rescued from her kidnapping. It looks great on her, but the reason behind it always causes my stomach to swirl with rage whenever I see the new style.
“You asshole!” Saoirse shouts. “The hotel opening istomorrow. As if I don’t have enough on my plate, I get a phone call from the chief of police telling me you’re in the drunk tank?”
I roll my eyes, open the back door of the car, and climb in. Scotty rounds the car to get into the driver’s seat. And I take off my dirty clothes. Saoirse doesn’t care, though. She whips her head around, continuing her lecture.
“God, Declan. You smell like rotten fish.” Her nose crinkles.
I grunt.
“Why?” she practically shouts. “You could have killed someone, Dec. You could have killed yourself.”
That was the point. I did it because I wanted to die.
My gaze snaps to hers. “Drinking and driving is nothing compared to the other heinous crimes, Saoirse,” I grind out. “Leave it be. I was just letting off some steam.”
She huffs, shaking her head. “Leave it be. Do you understand why Chief Santez called me and not Callum?”
Callum is the oldest of us, the one in charge. I don’t respond as I pull on a fresh t-shirt.
