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As I sip the hot coffee, letting the bitterness ground me, I steel myself for the conversation ahead. I know Ciarán and Cathal will resist my plan to return to work. But I need this. I need to reclaim some independence, some sense of my old life. I cannot hide here in the penthouse forever.
Right on cue, I hear the heavy tread of footsteps and the brothers wander into the kitchen, smiling when they see me.
“Morning, Tinks,” Ciarán rumbles, dropping a quick kiss on the top of my head before making a beeline for the coffeepot.
Cathal offers me a gentle smile as he sits down across from me. “Sleep okay?”
“Well, enough,” I reply, wrapping my hands around the warm mug tightly and resisting the urge to add it would be better if he were next to me. He isn’t ready and I’m okay with it.
Taking a deep breath. “Listen, I’ve been thinking. It’s time I get back to normal life a bit. Including going back to work.”
Ciarán freezes, mug halfway to his lips. Cathal’s eyebrows raise in surprise and concern. Here we go.
“No.”
“Yes.” I meet his steely gaze.
“Not happening.”
“It is.”
“This is a severely bad idea.”
“I’m going to get dressed.” Steadily, I rise, knowing that this isn’t over by a long shot.
They follow me quickly, but I’m faster, reaching the bedroom and shrugging out of the robe. Opening the closet, I reach for my work uniform and get dressed as Ciarán and Cathal glare at me from the doorway.
“Take those off right now.”
Meeting Ciaran’s gaze, I give him a sultry smile, which distracts him momentarily. But then he’s back to being fierce and protective, taking a step closer to me.
“We need to talk about this.”
“So talk.”
The silence is deafening as he gathers his thoughts.
15
SUMMER
The morning light filters through the curtains as I stand in front of the mirror, adjusting my uniform for work. A part of me is nervous about stepping back into the world, but I’m determined to maintain my independence and not rely on Ciarán and Cathal for everything. My fingers fumble with the buttons, but I get them done up properly.
“Summer, are you sure about this?” Ciarán’s voice comes from behind me. I can see his reflection in the mirror, tall and brooding, his blue eyes filled with worry.
“Absolutely,” I reply, meeting his gaze in the mirror. “I need to do this, Ciarán. I can’t just hide away forever.”
Cathal enters the room, leaning against the doorframe with a conflicted expression and a mug of coffee in his hand. “We understand your need for independence, but we don’t like the idea of you going out there alone, Summerbell,” he says, his tone soft but firm.
“Look, I appreciate your concern, but it’s just work,” I insist, turning to face both of them. “I won’t be alone at the store, and it’s not like it’s far from here.”
Ciarán runs a hand through his dark hair, obviously agitated. “That’s exactly what worries us, Tinks. It’s nothere. We just want to keep you safe.”
“Keeping me safe doesn’t mean keeping me locked away,” I argue, staring them down. “I need to have some semblance of normalcy in my life, and that means going to work and taking care of myself.”
Cathal sighs, his shoulders slumping as he concedes. He is exhausted, in pain, and not in the mood for this argument. I get it, I do. But fuck. I’m not a kept woman. Iwon’tbe.
“Look, I get that you both care about me, but I can’t just sit around and do nothing,” I snap, my hands on my hips as I face Ciarán. “I need to be able to live my life without constantly feeling like a burden.”
