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“Good,” Cathal says softly, pressing a gentle kiss to my forehead. “We’ll keep you safe, Summerbell. Always. We promise, but you have to work with us.”
“I will, I swear. Where’s Ronny?”
“Good fucking question,” Ciarán growls, looking around and confirming my suspicion that he should’ve been here.
Should’ve, but wasn’t.
The world around me feels like it’s coming apart at the seams. I’m a target. I can’t help the tears that prick at the corners of my eyes as I grapple with the reality that there’s no going back. My connection to the Gannon brothers and the danger surrounding them has seeped into my life.
“Teach me how to defend myself. Teach me how to use a weapon.”
Cathal raises an eyebrow, a hint of surprise flickering across his features. “Are you sure about this, Summer?”
“Fuck yes, I’m sure,” I snap, surprising even myself with the intensity of my conviction. “I’m not content to just be protected anymore. I want to fight back. I need to know that I can stand on my own two feet if I have to.”
Ciarán hesitates for a moment, looking torn. But then he nods, his jaw set with resolve. “All right. We’ll teach you. But you have to promise us one thing.”
“Anything,” I say without hesitation.
“Promise us you won’t go looking for trouble,” Cathal says, his eyes dark and serious. “Learning to defend yourself is one thing, but seeking out danger is another.”
“I know,” I reply, swallowing hard. “I won’t, I promise.”
“Then let’s get started,” Ciarán says, some of the tension dissipating from his shoulders as he reaches out to squeeze my hand reassuringly as he leads me out of the alley and back onto the main street, leaving the bodies of my attackers behind a dumpster. The body count is sky high.Howare the police not kicking our door down? How deep are they in Ciarán’s and Cathal’s pockets? I don’t even want to think about it. The thought that no one is really safe in this city makes me nauseous and that is a feeling of vulnerability that I can no longer accept. I’m here, I’m in this up to my fucking eyeballs. It’s go with the flow or die.
I choose the Gannon brothers. I choose their life. I choose the darkness. Now I have to live with it.
17
SUMMER
The sound of the gun firing reverberates through the empty warehouse, and my hands tremble as I lower the weapon. I can’t believe I just shot a gun for the first time in my life. It feels so foreign, but at the same time empowering.
“Good,” Ciarán says, standing behind me with his arms crossed. “Your aim is a little off, and the kickback was too harsh. You need a firmer grip, but you did good.”
Snickering, I turn to him. “A little off? You’re lucky I didn’t shoot you and you’re standing behind me.”
He grins and shakes his head. “No, you did well, Tinks. Don’t diminish what you’re doing here. You’re being brave, safe, and smart.”
Lowering my gaze, I blush furiously at his compliments, hoping he says more things like that. I want to impress him; both of them.
Cathal steps forward, picking up a knife from the table beside us. “Now let’s try something more close quarters.”
Gulping, I look down at the blade in his hand. It’s the one he handed me the other day when we were in this warehouse and I saw my father, it fires up my anger and I grip the knife he hands me tightly. “Right,” I say, taking a deep breath. “Show me what to do.”
“First, you need to know how to hold it properly,” Cathal instructs, guiding my hand around the handle of the knife. “Keep your grip firm, but not too tight. You want to be able to maneuver it easily.”
“Okay.” I nod, feeling the weight of the weapon in my palm. It feels oddly comforting, like an extension of my body.
“Now, let’s practice some basic strikes,” Ciarán says, stepping forward with a padded target. “Aim for the vital points — throat, stomach, kidneys.”
“Eyes,” Cathal adds and I balk.
“Are you sure about this?” I ask hesitantly, staring at the target.
“Trust yourself, Summer,” Ciarán reassures me, his voice calm and steady. “You’ve got this. Think about the one person you’d love to stab in the guts.”
“Crystal?” I mutter, more to myself, but they both jump on it.
