AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Oh, feck off,” I snarl. “You were just waiting for this opportunity, weren’t you?”
“Always. I tell them the same thing. Caden, especially every Sunday at Mass.”
Snorting, I shake my head. “Like father, like son. What a cunt.”
But his words cut through me like a knife, reminding me of the lingering bitterness that has wedged itself between my brothers and me.
“Holding onto anger only festers more pain. You need to confront these issues head-on, Ciarán. You’re letting the booze drag you further under. Reclaim control over your life before it’s too late.”
“It’s the only thing that helps.”
“I understand, but it makes you volatile. How badly did you hurt this girl?”
“Bad enough that she will probably never want to see or hear from me again.”
“Then get your house in order, Ciarán.”
I struggle to keep my composure, the storm of emotions raging inside me, submerging me, drowning me. But all I can think about is Summer – her touch, her taste, her warmth.She’sthe calming balm to my seething fury and my abyss of pain. The idea of letting her go feels like a death sentence.
Turning on my heel, without another word, I storm out of the church, the heavy wooden doors slamming shut behind me with a resounding thud. My heart races as conflicting thoughts swirl around in my head, each mention of my family fueling the fire that burns.
As I step into the hot air outside, determination settles in my chest like molten steel. No matter what it takes, I will protect Summer from the darkness – even if I have to face my own demons face first to do so.
But deep down, I know this battle won’t be easy. The Gannon family’s sins run deep, and untangling myself from the twisted web of the past might just be the most dangerous challenge I’ve ever faced.
And yet, as I think of Summer, I know she is the only shot I’ll get. She is theonlyfighting chance I’ll have at finding redemption.
16
CIARÁN
Alone in my penthouse, the cityscape sprawls out before me like a twisted reminder of everything I’ve done. The weight of guilt and obsession over Summer presses down on me, suffocating me from within. It’s unbearable, this need to apologize, to make things right with her. But can anything ever be truly right between us? I’m a monster who destroyed her light, and yet, all I want is to hold her close and never let go.
“Damn it,” I mutter, reaching for the crystal decanter on the glass table beside me. The rich scent of aged whiskey fills the air as I pour another glass. It’s not even noon, but the burn of alcohol seems like the only thing that can dull the pain inside me. The glass clinks against the table as I set it down, my hand trembling slightly. God, what have I become? I can’t seem to get through a day without the booze now. Ryan is right. I need to stop doing this.
But not today.
“Summer,” I whisper, her name tasting bitter on my lips.
A phantom sensation of her warmth lingers in my mind, and I take a deep gulp of whiskey, the liquid fire spreading through my chest. I drink heavily, my thoughts swimming in the haze of alcohol, desperate to forget, but her image remains imprinted in the darkest corners of my soul.
Seeing her on the screen of my laptop, the hidden cams tracking her every move, I force down another shot of whiskey.
“Fuck!” My voice is hoarse as I slam the glass down, the sound of it shattering, echoing in the bleak emptiness of the penthouse. I stumble to my feet, the room spinning around me, but I don’t care. In my drunken stupor, I make my way to the floor-to-ceiling windows, staring out at the city that has been both my kingdom and my prison. “Summer, I’m so sorry. I’ll find a way... I promise.”
My words slur together, barely coherent, but the sentiment remains. The desire to fix what I’ve broken consumes me, an unquenchable fire burning within my chest. I don’t know how, and I don’t know when, but somehow, someway, I will make amends with Summer.
I reach for another glass, slumping into a chair, every gulp blurring the edges of reality just a little bit more. But no matter how much I drink, the memories of her - the pain I’ve caused her - remain as vivid as ever, haunting me like a relentless ghost, which drags my past along with it. In this sea of alcohol and darkness, one thing remains certain: I cannot escape my past, nor can I escape my obsession with Summer. And though I may be drowning in guilt and shame, the fire still burns, driving me forward into an uncertain future.
The knock at my penthouse door irritates me, the sound harsh in the haze of alcohol clouding my mind. I glance at it, anger bubbling up, but I force myself to rise from my chair and stumble toward it.
“Who is it?” I growl, my words still slurred.
“Boss, it’s Mark,” comes the voice through the door, tension evident in his tone. “We got a problem down at the Angel.”
I hesitate, my thoughts momentarily torn away from Summer by the mention of trouble. It’s my duty to handle these matters, my responsibility as the leader. I grit my teeth, throwing open the door to find Mark and a few more of my men waiting, their faces grim.
“Fine,” I mutter, rubbing my temples. “What’s going on?”
