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Dad didn’t even bother trying once Torin was big enough to make it a pain in the ass to keep him away from me.
That was a long time ago, but as I twisted around I saw that my brother had the same look in his eyes that he had always had.
“Stop, Drew,” I said, my heart pounding as I fought to keep my voice calm.
But Drew still stood in front of Torin. “You need to get away from your sister,” he said.
I heard a low, angry growl, and my brother reached down and gripped the front of Drew’s dress shirt and picked him bodily up and shoved him aside. Drew wasn’t even a small man, at 6’0 he spent plenty of time at the gym and running triathlons. It didn’t really matter. Torin picked him up as easily as if he had been half as big.
Drew stood there, with Torin in between us now and I could see his chest heaving.
“I should call the police,” he said. “Get them to put your criminal ass back in jail.”
“Don’t be ridiculous,” I said sharply. “I’ll deny everything and you’ll look like an idiot.”
“Laoise, you don’t see!” Drew cried angrily. “You’re blinded! You can’t see what he’s like.”
Yes, I can
Yes, I do
I know what he’s like
He’s still my brother
“You should go now,” I told Drew. “I don’t want a scene.”
“Don’t touch Lele,” my brother said, and I felt his big hand around the back of my neck. “If you do, I’ll kill you.”
I saw Drew’s jaw drop open. “You killed your own fucking father and you think I’m the angry one? You bastard—”
He took a step or two toward me, and I immediately put out a hand to stop him.
“Just go, Drew!” I urged. “I think I see people coming,” I lied, but I hoped he would be more worried about making a public scene.
I was right and he did leave, throwing a glance at me that made me a little nervous. I hoped I wouldn’t have to hear a lecture from him later.
After he had gone, I turned to look at my brother but Torin’s eyes were troubled.
“I don’t like this, Lele,” he said. “I don’t like having to leave you.”
“It’s only for one more day,” I said. “Then you’ll be free of the halfway house meetings and won’t have a curfew. You promised you’d go to them,” I added, when he still didn’t look convinced.
He flicked his eyes to me. I knew he would see a promise made to me as important, and I was relieved that he agreed to return for the evening meetings, but I still felt an unhappy twist in my stomach to see him leave.
I tried to convince myself that it was just a result of having gone so long without seeing him, that I felt a painful drop in my stomach when he left.
Chapter Fourteen
The next morning was the last day of Torin’s mandatory meetings, and I still did not go into the bakery. I sat with my cooling cup of coffee at the kitchen table, looking out at my quiet suburban neighborhood.
And Torin’s parole officer Vick pulled his car into our driveway and knocked on the door, just like he had a few weeks ago. And with that visit, my world with Torin Reilly out of jail would never be the same again.
“Can I offer you a cup of coffee or tea?” I asked him, my heart beating wildly.
But he wasn’t here for pleasantries this time.
Without preamble, Vick said, “It seems Torin will be free to go tomorrow after completing his exit interviews and doing the necessary paperwork.”
