Page 8 of The Love Destroyers

A sigh eases through him. “That’s good, Shay. That’s really good.”

“Yeah, I’ve given myself a pat on the back too. It’s the only time I’ve gotten to feel really self-righteous over losing a job.”

He glances at the door before shifting his gaze back at me. “Why don’t you come stay with us for a while? There’s plenty of room in the house. I know Rosie would be over the moon.” He pauses for half a second before adding, “So would I.”

I laugh, shaking my head. Feeling like I need another cigarette. “We’ll see.”

He gives me a half smile that says as clear as words—we both know what you mean by that.“Good,” he says out loud. “You ready for this?”

He’s talking about our little sister, walking down the aisle toward a man she barely knows. A man she claims she loves.

But that’s our Rosie. She wears her heart on her sleeve, always has. Still, she’s a woman who knows her own mind. If she says she loves this guy, I’m inclined to trust her. I’ve spent a little time with Anthony over the last couple of days. He acts like he worships my sister, so I’ll forgive him for being a little stiff around the edges.

I think of Emma, whose edges are like razor blades, and grin. Maybe tonight didn’t end as sweetly as it could have, but it sure was fun. I’ll be seeing her again tomorrow. Something tells me she’ll bring my flask.

I nod at Declan and clap him on the back. “Yeah. I think Mom and Dad would’ve approved. He seems like a good guy, and they think they love each other. It’s all good.”

“Thinkthey love each other?” he asks with a laugh.

“There’s no way of knowing something like that for sure. So, yeah, theythinkthey love each other.” I raise a finger. “Now, don’t go running off to Rosie telling her I said so. I’m not saying they’re wrong. They want to make heart eyes at each other and buy too many appliances, that’s their business. The only thing I give a fuck about is that she’s happy. As long as he keeps making her happy, I’ll be his best buddy.”

He shakes his head and runs a hand over his beard, something he grew after we left Pennsylvania, where we were the O’Malley family, and became the Jameses. We left after my uncle died, seeking some kind of fresh start.

One of the people we left behind was the woman I’dthoughtI loved for a while. Thinking I loved Lia and wanted to marry her had taught me a thing or two about love: Mostly, the love you can have for your family is the only worthwhile kind. Everything else is driven by hormones, proximity, and luck.

I look her up on Facebook now and then.

She’s married now, to a man who wears T-shirts with stupid slogans on them.

I know she’s the one who bought them for him, and I feel lucky that I’m not the schmuck still wearing them.

I kept one of them, in case I ever forget what thinking I was in love did to me—it saysI’ve got a dig bick.

I’ll bet Lia has her husband out busting kneecaps, too, working directly for Jimmy the Red, the man who took over for my uncle after he died.

Declan thinks we left our past behind us, and we did.

But it wasn’t as easy as he thought it was.

I hope he never finds out what it cost.

Something tells me he’d find a way to blame himself.

He meets my eyes again, every inch the big brother. “You’re gonna fall in love for real one day, too, Shay, and then you’ll know there’s no maybe about it. You’ll know. You’ll know because it’ll hit you like a damn hammer over the head, and she’ll be the only thing you ever think about.”

“Sounds like a curse.” There’s no way in hell I want to let any woman have that kind of sway over me. I’d only convinced myself I was in love last time, and look how that turned out? Taking in the goofy grin on my usually stoic brother’s face, Ican only imagine the horror of being that pussy whipped over a woman I actually love. No thank you.

He smiles at me. “It is. And it’ll also be the best damn thing that ever happened to you.”

This might be the first time my brother’s ever lied to my face.

CHAPTER THREE

EMMA

It’s New Year’s Eve, the day of Anthony’s wedding. I’m hungover from Seamus’s whiskey, but I wouldn’t let a thing like that stop me from making a point.

Before I head downstairs to join Rosie and the other bridesmaids, I tuck his flask into my garter belt, liking the cool press of it against my inner thigh. I hope he enjoys the way I’ve decorated it.

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