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I give her a half-smile. “Yeah, just processing everything.”
She moves to sit beside me, her hand taking mine. “I know him being here is weird for you guys and he’s not telling us the truth, but I know you have to talk to him as an equal, give him the benefit of the doubt, and show him you love him, no matter what.”
The warmth of her touch soothes me, just as it always does. “You know his soul.”
It’s a statement that I don’t make lightly.
“I do. Like I know Ciarán and like I know you. He is in pain, and he needs his brothers.”
“Have you spoken to Ciarán about this?”
“Not yet,” she admits. “I figured you’d be the easier target.”
Snickering as she giggles, I pull her closer. “You mean you can sway me with your wiles easier.”
“Maybe.”
I realize how much I need her by my side. How much she’s become not just a lover or a friend, but a source of strength and comfort in this turbulent world we inhabit.
Wrapping my arm around her shoulders, I pull her close. “Do you want me to speak to Ciarán?” I whisper into her hair.
She leans into my embrace, and for a moment there’s nothing else but us, lost in our own little world of shared affection.
But reality soon intrudes once more, and with a sigh, I release her when Ciarán barges into the room. “We need to keep an eye on Caden. See what he’s up to.”
I nod, knowing that Ciarán is right. We can’t just let Caden roam free without knowing what he’s doing. “Agreed. But we have to be careful. We don’t want to spook him and make him run again.”
Ciarán grunts in agreement before taking a seat on the edge of the bed. Summer moves to sit beside him, leaning into his side as he wraps an arm around her shoulders.
“He’s your brother,” she says softly. “You have to give him a chance.”
“I know,” Ciarán replies quietly. “But we also have to protect ourselves and what we’ve built here.”
There’s a moment of heavy silence before I speak up. “We’ll talk to him when he wakes. Try to get some answers out of him.”
Ciarán nods, his expression serious.
Only time will tell about Caden’s true motives, but one thing is clear - things are about to get even more complicated for all of us if he decides he wants Summer as well.
32
CATHAL
Sitting with Ciarán and Caden in the now cramped living room, the heavy curtains are drawn to keep the outside world at bay and eyes off Summer. The tension in the air is thick as Caden paces back and forth, his energy a stark contrast to our stillness, despite the pain he is still in. He gulps back half a bottle of water before replacing the cap, trying to cure his raging thirst that too much whiskey brings. He’s been cryptic about why he’s suddenly reappeared in our lives, but now it seems he’s ready to spill the truth.
“Alright, look,” he begins, running a hand through his dark hair in frustration. “I didn’t want to involve you guys in this shit, but I don’t have a choice. There’s a coup brewing in my gang—they want me out.”
Ciarán and I exchange shocked looks—though we’ve always known that Caden’s attitude has always been less menacing than ours, we never imagined that his own people would turn against him.
“Are you fucking serious?” I ask.
Ciarán just stares at Caden, his face a mixture of disbelief and concern.
“Dead serious,” Caden replies, his expression grim. “I can’t trust anyone over there anymore, and I need my brothers by my side.”
Ciarán leans forward, elbows on his knees, his fingers steepled in thought. It’s clear that he’s already strategizing, weighing the risks and consequences of getting involved in Caden’s mess. Meanwhile, I feel my heart rate quicken, my mind racing with fear and anger.
“Jesus Christ, Caden,” I snap, unable to contain my emotions. “How the hell did this even happen?”
