AllFreeNovel
Share Us
But Arnie pays them no attention as he pulls into a parking space seemingly reserved just for him. As he kills the engine, he turns to look at me.
“This is your last chance. I can take you home right now.”
My traitorous heart skips a beat when it realizes he just referred to the estate asmyhome. But I squish it.
“I want to see him,” I reply firmly, meeting his stare evenly.
He takes a moment, seemingly to read the resolution on my face, and sighs. “Okay then. I will do whatever it takes to get you in and out. But when Connor sees you again, I can’t guarantee he’ll want to let you leave.”
With that, he pushes the door open and steps into the warehouse.
I’m immediately enveloped in an atmosphere thick with the heady scent of alcohol and industry. A cocktail of sharp, biting notes that hinted at the kind of potent spirits being produced within these walls.
My hand grips the door tightly.
Last chance, Roisin.
I push it open.
My feet touch the floor of the Maguire family base. Its secrets and shadows stand as a stark testament to the power and complexity of the world I never knew I was a part of. Dim, amber-hued lighting casts long shadows across the cavernous space, creating a sense of secrecy that feels almost suffocating.
But the only sound is the whine of machinery as I join Arnie at the front of the car.
There are more than a few eyes on us now. Some gawk openly as Arnie places a gentle, guiding hand on my lower back, while others huddle together in whispered conversations. Their eyes dart between us as we make our way toward the back of the room.
“Arnie!” A woman’s voice calls out to us as we pass by the huge metal distillery tanks.
I turn to see a cute, dark-haired woman in a white lab coat waving at us, a pretty smile on her lips. But Arnie doesn’t stop. In fact, he presses harder into the small of my back so that I won’t linger.
Instead, I have to watch as the woman appraises me thoroughly. Apparently, Arnie’s indifference doesn’t sit well with her.
I almost smirk. The petty, childish part of me wants to snuggle up to Arnie more and put on more of a show. If nothing more than to cause trouble for the man who dragged me into this.
But right now, we have bigger fish.
“Arnie?”
We turn back to the crowd of people who have now assembled to witness our arrival. Within the heart of it, someone is pushing through. Desperately moving past the gawking faces to look for himself.
When he finally reaches the front line, he staggers forward. Then freezes.
Our eyes meet.
It’s been five long years, but I recognize him instantly.
He might have a fuzz of a beard trimmed to his jaw and arms that look about the size of tree trunks. His hair might be longer, worn back off his face. There might be lines on his forehead that were never there before and yellowing bruises across his cheek.
But his chocolate eyes haven’t changed a bit.
“R-Roisin?” Connor stammers. His eyes are wide in a mixture of joy and sheer disbelief.
I can only stand there, watching as he takes a step forward. Then another. My brother’s face contorts as tears begin to roll down his cheeks.
My heart aches. Longs to reach out for him. To begin healing whatever the fuck is broken within me that made him leave me in the first place.
The box in my head trembles, threatening to spill as memory after memory of my brother slips through the cracks. Helping me with my homework, making me a hot water bottle to help stave off the cold on wintery nights, picking me up from school, and keeping me out of trouble.
So many things I’ve not thought about in years knock me breathless.
