Page 19 of Revived
I don’t even have to think about it, “I don’t have to think, I know they never have and never will.”
“And you’ve been with them almost every single day since Kindergarten, correct?”
I roll my eyes, though his are still on the ice so I doubt he sees “Preschool, but you know that already. Get to the point, Roe. I’m growing bored of this.”
“You just made my point. Those boys would cut their own hearts out of their chest before they ever put you in any sort of compromisingsituation.” He puts up his hand when I open my mouth to argue. “I’m not saying you guys didn’t feel the thrill of a supposed danger, but you all were never in real danger. They would never allow that. I’m so certain of it that I’d bet my life on it. So, where I worried about a world of things when it came to the two of them, I never had to worry about them getting killed in the streets for being idiotic teenagers. I have you to thank for that.”
He stuns me into silence, which just for the record is not easy to do. He’s not wrong though, they would never put me in real danger, and I’ve always known that. I just never realized that it eased his mind like that.
After a few long moments I turn to him and smile brightly, “You didn’t let them lose themselves to their grief. You also didn’t push them into the life you were forced to live. You stepped in and became a full time parent at the ripe old age of twenty-five. As a twenty-five year old now, I couldn’t imagine taking care of three teenagers and becoming the head of an organization overnight. Hell, I couldn’t do that with years of preparation. Sullivan is the man he is today because of you, Clara, Declan, Kieran, and Mac. And I will never be able to thankyouenough for that.”
In a completely out of character move for us, I turn and wrap my arms around Rowan’s middle, the same way I hug my Papa. He hugs me back the same way I imagine he hugs his children. After a few quick moments we pull apart and turn back to the window like that entire moment didn’t just happen. But it did and I’m thankful for that.
Chapter eight
Sullivan Byrne
The final buzzer sounds signaling the end of the game and the Declaration’s victory over the Dolphins. Of course that isn’t all that it signals. It also signals Flynn dropping his gloves and decking Drew fucking St. Claire. Drew and Flynn played together in college and were really good friends, but ever since they started on their respective teams, they’ve been arch enemies. Not the “we’re enemies on the ice, friends off” kind either. The true, beat the shit out of each other every game kind.
I’ve asked him about it more times than I can count, but every time he says some version of the same thing. “He crossed a line.” That could mean a number of things, but none of them are good. Flynn fights on the ice all of the time, but it never goes beyond that. Word on the street is that he sent Drew a bag of dicks in the mail earlier this year. Yeah, you heard that right… A bag of dildos dropped off on his doorstep for his wife to find. A classic, really, but I try not to encourage him too much.
My brothers and I watch with balled up fists and tight jaws as Drew swings and pops Flynn in the brow. He must have hit him just right because his skin splits with the impact, and blood drips down his face and onto the ice. However, Flynn would never let him get the last hit. As soon as the refs move in, he pulls all of his power and hits St. Claire perfectly, and down he goes…Night night, Drew.
Flynn throws his hands up in surrender now that his opponent is napping on the ice and skates off. I swear he’s got an extra pep in his step as he makes his way off the ice. The plan is for him to meet us up here after he gets changed out, but something tells me he’s going to take a while. His coach is about to light his ass up, and surely the press is going to want a piece of him too.
The ice clears out, but again, it’s going to be a while, and I worked last night, so when my ass meets the theater style recliner and I make myself comfortable, no one bothers me. I grab my sunglasses from the inside pocket of my suit jacket and put them on so the lights aren’t so sharp, and in no time, I’m out. That’s the good part about being in my line of work. I can fall asleep anywhere at any time. Sometimes, these five minute naps are all I get in a shift.
I must sleep for around thirty minutes before being woken up by Flynn. We shoot the shit with our brothers a little while longer before telling them bye and heading back home. As Elle and I drive the distance back to Temple Valley in silence, I fight with myself about bringing up the subject of what happened earlier. I know we said we would talk when we get back, but I’m on the edge of my seat with how thick the tension in this vehicle is.
“So, we should talk about what happened earlier, right?” I ask, my eyes stay glued to the road.
“You mean the kissing and stuff? Or your brothers acting like cavemen at the end of the game?” I catch a ghost of a smile out of my peripheral vision.
“They were just excited about the win, and you know what I mean.” I can’t help but smile.
“You’re going to tell me them yelling and throwing each other around the suite was normal? Kieran almost went through the glass.” She laughs.
“You’re being dramatic. They were fine.” My smile is bright now.
“Okay, fine. I’ll bite. What about what happened earlier?” She’s trying to play coy, but her right hand is spinning a ring on her left, which conveys her nervousness to me.
“Were you comfortable? Was it weird for you? Do you want to do it again? Are we going to do this, for real this time? You know, just the basics.” Sarcasm drips from my voice.
“Uhh– Are you trying to ask me if I want to keep kissing you?... and stuff.” I can hear the smile in her voice. She’s enjoying this a little too much.
“Yeah, I guess.” My hand comes up to the back of my neck and pulls slightly on the small hairs at the back of my head. It’s my tell.
Her hand comes up and gently pulls mine away from my head. She sets our hands in her lap, and when I glance over while taking our exit she beams at me. “I’d love nothing more than to continue what we started tonight–”
“Thank fuck.” I murmur while grasping her upper thigh.Finally.
“Sul… I wasn’t done. I’d love to, but we can’t. We both know what will happen.”
All the excitement that was just zipping through my body deflates in a moment.
“Oh, yeah. Of course. You’re right.” I try to hide my disappointment, but she sees. Of course she does.
“Monster…”
