AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“So would I,” Cathal growls, eager to be included in the potential assassination of my aunt.
Snickering at how cute it is, I inhale deeply.
“Look, this way I can just hang up on her if she starts. I don’t expect any answers, but I have questions and I want her to know I know, you know?”
“Totally.” Ciarán kisses the top of my head and hands me his phone.
Nodding my thanks, I take it from him, pulling my big girl drawers up.
As I dial Aunt Margaret’s number, my heart pounds in my chest like a caged animal. The phone rings once, twice, three times before she answers.
“Hello?” Aunt Margaret’s cold, clipped voice sends a skitter of immense hatred over my soul.
“Aunt Margaret, it’s Summer,” I say, struggling to keep my voice steady. Confronted with her mean, cruel voice, I’m regretting this decision instantly, but Ciarán takes my hand and laces our fingers together, showing me his support and it gives me the balls to carry on. “We need to talk.”
“About what?” she snaps, her tone icy.
“About why you lied to me about my parents’ deaths,” I state, trying to maintain control. “And why you were always so fucking mean to me?”
Biting my lip, I shake my head as Ciarán pulls a face at me. I shrug. It’s out there now. No takey-backeys.
A brief pause follows before she responds, her voice dripping with disdain. “Is this really necessary, child? I did what I had to do, or would you rather you lived on the street?”
“Did what you had to do? You lied to me and made my life miserable!” My anger flares, but I force myself to take a deep breath and continue as I drag my hand out of Ciaran’s and turn my back on the brothers. “Why, Aunt Margaret? What possible reason could you have?”
“Your parents were weak, Summer. They couldn’t handle their responsibilities, and they left you vulnerable,” she says cryptically. “I had to be the strong one, to ensure you survived.”
“By lying to me and treating me like shit?” I demand, my voice shaking with rage. “You don’t get to decide what’s best for me. I deserve the truth.”
“Fine,” Aunt Margaret hisses. “Your parents were involved in something dangerous, something that cost them their lives. I took you in to protect you, to make sure you didn’t suffer the same fate.”
“What dangerous thing? What were they involved in?” I ask, desperation seeping into my voice.
“You don’t need to know,” she replies, a cruel edge in her tone. “It’s better if you stay ignorant, which isn’t hard in your case.”
“Fuck you, Aunt Margaret! I have a right to know!” I shout, my frustration boiling over.
“Enough!” Her voice is like ice, cutting through the air and that tone brings back past trauma of when I made her so angry, she used to lock me in my room without food for days. “Never speak to me about this again.” She hangs up, as I was prepared for her to do.
I stare at the phone, my hands trembling, as the weight of Aunt Margaret’s words sink in. I hate her. But now, I can’t help the gnawing fear in the pit of my stomach that whatever secret my parents were hiding, it must be darker than I could’ve ever imagined and maybe she is right. Maybe she did try to protect me, but she didn’t know how to be a parent. Always ice-cold, never involved with anyone, never had kids of her own. She is the classic case of better off alone.
Ciarán and Cathal exchange worried glances before they both wrap their arms around me, their warmth providing a small measure of comfort amid the storm of emotions raging inside me.
My chest feels tight, and a burning rage coils in my stomach like a venomous snake, ready to strike. Aunt Margaret’s refusal to shed light on the mysteries of my past is infuriating, but I won’t let her win. If she thinks she can keep me in the dark forever, then she’s sorely mistaken.
“Tinks,” Ciarán says softly, his thumb gently tracing circles on the back of my hand. “If you want to get to the bottom of this, just ask. We’ve got resources.”
“Right,” Cathal says, his voice firm and resolute. “Whatever it takes, we’re not backing down.”
Their unwavering support rallies my spirit, and I take a deep breath, steadying myself. “You’re right. We can’t let her control our lives. We’ll find the truth, even if we have to tear down every wall she’s built around it.”
“Fucking right, we will,” Ciarán grins, his eyes blazing with resolve.
Cathal nods in agreement, a fierce expression painting his handsome features. “And if anyone stands in our way, they’ll regret it.”
24
SUMMER
