Page 15 of Revived
“You’re such a little brat.”
She shrugs, not even a little bit sorry about it. “I’ll admit it. Alas, here I am, all brat with no tamer. What a shame.” She lets out an exasperated sigh as she collapses back against the seat.
“Put your damn seatbelt on and behave, Elena.” She smirks at me as I shut the door and stomp over to my side. On the way over I have to adjust my hardening dick before I make things even more awkward. She wasn’t flirting with me; the blood roaring in my veins to grab her and kiss her just didn’t get the memo.
***
“Ellie!” Kieran exclaims as he wraps Elle up in his arms as soon as she’s in reach.
My jaw aches from how tightly it’s clenched while I watch her getting passed between the four of them. I know she was just fucking with me earlier, but I can’t help but want to cut off the hands of every last one of them as they so easily embrace her. They have their own partners. They need to get their hands off of her. The petty part of me wants to send a picture of them fawning over her to my sisters and brother-in-law. Jakob’s a jealous asshole, and it’d just take one picture with a wry text to have him all worked up. Honestly, the desire to do it burns almost as brightly as the desire to grab her, bend her over one of these tables, and paint her bratty ass a nice shade of pink. Alas, I don’t do any of that and instead take Rowan’s outstretched hand. It’s been almost a year since I’ve seen them in person. Flynn and I skipped Christmas, choosing instead to volunteer at the firehouse, where we handed out Christmas dinners to those struggling to make ends meet.
Rowan looks the way he always has. He’s thirty-six now but still looks just like that twenty-five year old that stepped up to the plate to take care of his grief stricken little brothers. I don’t know when it’s normal to start going gray, but aside from a couple of silver streaks in his close cut beard– that I’m positive Flynn and I are responsible for– you could easily mistake him for being my age. He pulls me into his arms once his hand is clasped around mine and hugs tightly.
“Missed you, Sul.” He says in the exact same tone I would imagine my Da would have used if he was still alive.
“Yeah, you too.” I awkwardly pat his back and pull back. If I didn’t know better, I’d say that I see hurt flash in his eyes, but that can’t be right. What the hell is he hurt over? I’m standing directly in front of him.
Before he can lock me into some conversation about coming back to Jersey, Mac sweeps in and pulls me in until he taps my back in a half handshake, half hug.
“Hey little brother. How’s work going?”
Unlike the rest of them, Mac’s the least overbearing. Don’t get me wrong, I know he has my location tracked and probably my phone tapped, but at least he’s quiet about his obsessive need to know everything.
“It’s going. Saving cats out of trees. Helping little old ladies cross the street. Putting the wet stuff on the hot stuff, ya know, the usual.”
Mac chuckles, “Yeah, sounds like you’re living the dream down here. They make you Lieutenant by putting wet shit on hot shit?” He lifts a playful brow.
“Nah, that was from saving the cats.” My eyes dance with playfulness. This is until I realize he just—
“You made Lieutenant?! When?” Kieran yells across the space in shock.
“Damn, congratulations Sully.” Declan walks over and claps me on the back. He was in a conversation with Elle but quickly abandoned it to come dote on his little brother.
Declan also put his life on hold when our parents died, and honestly, he sacrificed the most to make sure he was there for us. Now, don’t get me wrong, Rowan dropped everything for us, but it was Declan who had to drop out of college. He gave up his dream of being a medic to come work for the family and be there for us. He did it so quietly that I didn’t fully put together what he’d done for us until years later.
“Thank you.” I smile as he wraps me up in a hug. After a few seconds I have to make a dramatic noise like he’s choking me to death so he’ll release me.
Immediately Elle is at my side, wrapping her hand around mine. My brothers look but don’t say a word.
“Okay, let’s eat. I’m starving, and we have a game to get to.” Rowan announces as we all make our way to the table and take our seats.
Without a word or prompting, I grab Elle’s bag and pull out her injection supplies. She takes long acting insulin twice a day and insulin every time before she eats. Quietly and quickly I prep the injection site before pulling the syringe and vial out of the small pouch and drawing the correct dose. After making sure all the air bubbles are out, she leans her head on my shoulder. I inject the insulin, making sure to hold the syringe in for five seconds before removing the needle and covering it. I kiss her temple softly and wait until she sits up before standing to go find the sharps container that the manager keeps in his office. I know it’s there because I called to check first.
When I return back to the table, everyone’s already eating, and my plate’s already been made. They have the long table set up family style. Quietly taking my seat beside Elle, I lean over and press my lips to her temple. “Thank you.”
“Don’t thank me, Roe’s the one who made sure they had the food out right after we got here. I just made the plate.”
She’s trying to smooth it all over, but she knows as well as I do that I like things the way they are now.
“So, Sully. How long ago did you say you were promoted?” Rowan asks while picking at his plate. “Kieran asked earlier but I didn’t catch your answer.”
“I didn’t.” I answer. My voice brokering no room for a discussion.
“Alright Sullivan, we get it. You’re unhappy we’re here. You’re unhappy to be sitting here with us. Just cut the shit attitude. We’re all here to support Flynn. You won’t be seen, and neither will Elena. Now can we all please just pretend to like each other for the next couple of fucking hours?” Declan’s hand slams down on the table to really drive his point home.
I didn’t mean to upset him, and I know if he tells Jake I did, I’m going to have a string of overly annoying texts to answer later. So I’ll concede if for no other reason than to avoid my brother's annoying husband just a little longer.
My beef with Jake will never truly go away. I know what actually happened back in the day now, but I don’t care. Part of me will always hold him responsible for the shit Declan endured for five years. Never mind all the times he held a fucking knife to Dec’s neck. As a brother you can only be understanding about that shit for so long. I get it. They’re madly in love and doing amazing. That’s all fine and shit but those dark years still happened, and I can’t forget or forgive as easily as the others.
