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Caden stops pacing and turns to face us, his expression pained. “I fucked up, all right? I let my guard down, trusted the wrong people, and now they’re trying to take everything I’ve worked for.”
“Fuck,” Ciarán swears under his breath, his fingers digging into his temples. His controlled demeanor is starting to crack, revealing the worry that he’s been trying to hide.
“Can we even trust you?” I challenge Caden, my voice wavering with hurt and betrayal.
“Look, Cathal, I know I’ve been a little shit at times,” he admits, his gaze never leaving mine. “But when it comes down to it, we’re still family. I wouldn’t come to you unless I had any other choice. Gannons together, always, right?”
“Fuck right off with that shite,” I snarl, hearing those words tumble from his lips is like a punch to the gut. It was our dad’s favorite saying and I know I’m not the only one who thinks Caden got off lighter than me and Ciarán when it came to our asshole father.
However, I know he’s right—we are family, and that bond runs deep. As dangerous as this situation may be, there’s no way we can turn our backs on him now.
“Fine,” Ciarán finally says, his voice steady and resolute. “Let’s figure out what we need to do.”
Caden nods in agreement, the tension in his body dropping a fraction.
Forcing myself to focus on the task at hand instead of dwelling on the past, I clench my fists.
“First things first,” I interject, trying to keep my anger in check. “We need to find out who’s behind this coup and what their game plan is. Inside job?”
“Yeah, and I already fucking know,” Caden grits, pulling out his phone. He quickly scrolls through it before showing us a list of names. “These are the fuckers trying to take over my territory.”
“Any idea how they plan on doing it?” Ciarán asks, scanning the list with a furrowed brow.
“Rumors are flying about an assassination attempt,” Caden reveals, glancing around nervously. “But I don’t know when or where it’ll happen.”
“Shit,” I mutter, realizing the gravity of the situation. “So you come here where Summer is to lead them directly to us?”
“Not intentionally to drag Summer into this,” he says, his eyes softening as he says her name.
It makes me want to roll mine. He’s as lost to her as we are.
“Then we need to beef up security and lie low until we have more information,” Ciarán suggests, looking like his mind already racing with strategies.
“Right,” I agree, feeling a renewed determination to stand by my brothers. “We’ve got your back, Caden. We’ll figure this shit out, but you need to stay here, turn your phone off and lie low.”
He nods in agreement, his expression solemn as he realizes he has to play by our rules now. Ciarán is the strategist and I’m a born killer. Together, we’ll handle any threat. I just don’t like to think how far gone Caden is if he’s gotten himself into this mess.
“Caden, can you do us a favor and actually stick to this shit?” I ask, trying to keep my voice steady. “Summer is the most important thing in our life and if you’ve done or do anything to put her in harm’s way, I’ll slice your cock off and ram it down your throat to pull out of your ass. Do I make myself perfectly clear?”
“Of course,” he nods, seeming to have shaken off the shock of the news, his usual cocky attitude back in place. “She will be safe here, and I won’t leave her alone.”
“That’s what I’m afraid of,” Ciarán mutters, sharing my thought. I’m not even sure where he stands on Caden being with Summer. We’ve both avoided discussing it, hoping it would never come up. But it seems Caden isn’t going anywhere now. For all the mistrust of the past, I believe he is in danger, and he’s scared, even if he won’t admit it. I can see it in his eyes. Those puppy dog eyes that have swayed practically everyone he has ever come across into fawning all over him, Summer included.
“We’re here for you, man, but if you touch her without her consent, you are dead.”
“Who said anything about touching?” he asks, but I can see it written all over his face. He wants to fuck her. It’s obvious.
“Go and lie down in the guest room,” Ciarán mutters. “You look like shit.”
Caden nods, not arguing for once, and slips off.
“Why did you do that? You know Summer will be all over him in a matter of seconds.”
He sighs. “Yeah, I know. But we need to talk.”
“You don’t believe him?”
“No, trouble is, I do. I also know he wants Summer. So what do we do about that?”
