Page 10 of Bittersweet Revenge
She picks up my book. “Crime and Punishment? You read the weirdest shit.”
Everyone around me seems to think that, so I just shrug again. “Murder, Mafia, and college by day, books by night. Whatcan I say? I’m well rounded.” She gives me a shake of her head and a sad smile, but before she has the chance to say anything else, I tell her, “I’ll walk you to your dorm.”
“I don’t need you to protect me.”
“I’ll have Cil or Rory do it, then.”
“Jesus. You never fucking learn, do you? We just talked about me not needing someone to take care of me, and you basically agreed to give me some freedom while I’m here.”
She doesn’t get that I really do love her and don’t know how I would survive if anything ever happened to her. “College is dangerous. Frat boys all around who should probably have their dicks cut off.”
“And if they try something I don’t want, I’ll be the one to cut it off. Love you, brother.” Aislin kisses my forehead and leaves my room.
As soon as she’s gone, I pick up my cell and call Cil. It’s after dark, and she’s walking. Campus is close enough that she can do that, but that doesn’t mean it’s safe.
“Yeah.”
“You home?”
“Yep.”
“Follow Aislin back to her dorm. Don’t let her see you, though.”
He curses. “She’s gonna have my fuckin’ balls for this.”
“Not if you don’t get caught.” I end the call, pick up my book, and get back to reading.
*
Friday night, thehouse is full just like I want it to be. I enjoy time to myself, always have and always will, but I can’t deny loving a good party from time to time. I’ve been drinking beer since Iwas eight, my father saying it would put hair on my chest, make me a man, and Mom…well, he snuffs out the fire in her, and she doesn’t go against anything he says.
Conan says she didn’t use to be like that. I’ve seen it at times with my own eyes when it comes to anyone but my father, but somehow he’s extinguished the light in her…just like he’s trying to do with Aislin…and maybe I’m doing that to her too… Fuck.
It’s hard to find the lines sometimes. Most of the time, I don’t give a fuck, but when it comes to my mom or my sister, I do.
Speaking of Aislin, I haven’t seen her tonight. She said she would try to bring Dean, but when she asked him on Thursday in class, he said maybe. What the fuck is with the maybe? He got invited to a party at Tiernan fucking O’Shea’s house. When that happens, you come.
Everyone fucking comes.
Music pumps through the speakers. There aren’t other homes close, but even if there were, they wouldn’t call the cops on us. We own Ashford—the college and the town. People don’t breathe without our permission.
“Why are you sulking?” Rory leans against the wall beside me and wipes his nose.
“Did you fucking snort cocaine tonight?”
He grins. “Just a bump.” He doesn’t do it a lot—none of us do. No good comes of partaking much in your own product, but every once in a while, we have to reel Rory in. “Come on, T. Don’t go all Daddy Boss Man on us tonight. We’re back at school, where we’re fucking kings, and I wanted to have some fun.”
I shake my head, but I’m not angry with him. “Don’t do any more.”
“Yes, sir,” he says playfully. “Also, Aislin just got here with your fucking boy. Thought you might want to know.”
I roll my eyes, but my skin heats, something unfamiliar unfurling in my gut. I should fucking hate this guy, and I do. Ihate anyone I don’t know. But…I want him too. Probably just to prove I can have him.
“He’s not my boy.”
“No, but you want to dick him down. If not, Aislin wouldn’t have brought him. Not after the other day.”
No, she wouldn’t have. “Why don’t you go find something to do?”
