Page 46 of Revived
Since my house is open concept, I can see her standing at the island in my kitchen as she smiles at the flowers, but something prickles at the edges of my brain. I need to text the guys and figure out who’s bringing the flowers in for her. Rowan and Declan sit on the couch, which brings my attention away from her and back to them.
“How can I help you, gentlemen?” I ask, clearing my throat. It still burns, and my body’s still sore, but we might as well get this shit out of the way so I can be alone with Elle again.
“We think you guys should move back to Corey Heights.” Declan rips off the bandaid in full Declan form.
“Have you lost your goddamn mind?” I shoot up in my chair, which causes my body to feel like it’s ripping apart. Unintentionally, I groan in protest and relax back.
The third day after an accident isalwaysthe worst for some reason. I act like it’s no big deal, but I fell onto an oxygen tank and my side from over ten feet high. It’s a miracle that I didn’t shatter my vertebrae or break my damn neck. My entire left side is bruised. I’m thankful I can’t see my back because I know it’s purple. I’m out of work until I’m cleared by my doctor. If I had to guess, that would probably only be a week or two until I stop hurting as much.
“Calm down, Sullivan.” Rowan acts like he’s talking to the sixteen year old version of me instead of the twenty-six year old.
“Don’t talk to me like that,Roe.” I practically spit the name. “I’m an adult who was told I could make my own decisions when I was eighteen. Was I not?” I lift my brow and wait for them to answer.
Rowan is sitting on the edge of the couch with his forearms resting on his thighs. Typically he’s in a custom suit, as expected of him by his line of work, but now? Hours away from Jersey with no wandering eyes in sight? He has on a pair of medium wash jeans and a light gray henley. His medium green eyes staring me down like they always have. Even with our Da alive, he was always a father figure.
Declan, on the other hand, lounges back against the couch in a pair of gray athletic shorts and a navy CHFD hoodie. He wears the most obnoxious pair of burnt orange slip on shoe things, and where Rowan is more uptight, Dec is more laid back.
“You’re right. No one is saying that you have to do anything. We’re saying wethinkyou should. Instead of jumping to a ‘no’ can we just think about it for a minute?” Of course Mr. Voice of Reason has to jump in.
Elle comes in and sits on the ground in front of me before leaning back on my legs. Normally, she’d come sit in my lap, but now she knows how tender my back is so she avoids it. I can barely get her to lay her head on my chest in bed right now.
“Okay, I know you guys have an entire presentation for me. Lay it on me.”
I’ll give them the floor to present their case, but I’m not going anywhere. I love my job too much, and I’m not leaving Elle, Flynn, or the guys. Over my dead body.
Rowan releases a heavy exhale as if he’s over my shit already. Jokes on him, I haven’t even started my shit yet. “Will it make a difference?Your body language screams let me see the kids then get the hell back to Jersey.”
I mean, he’s not wrong.
“It won’t. I won’t leave my life that I have here. Look, I’m sorry that I scared you guys. I’d be scared if I were you too. Flynn gets the shit beat out of him with knives attached to his feet, and I run into danger every other day. I get it, we aren’t making it easy for you guys. In saying that, we need you guys to remember that we’re twenty-six years old. We are adults with fully developed frontal lobes. We’re capable of making our own decisions. This is where we want to be, and this is the life we want. You guys have to get on board with that. Not to mention how absolutely dangerous it is for us to be back in Jersey. We left for a reason, and if you think you can get Flynn back somewhere that’s covered with the memory of Annie, you’re insane. You don’t have to like our decisions, but you do have to respect it.” I look both of them in the eyes before adding, “you also will not be speaking to Flynn about this. I’m confident that I speak for both of us. If either of you bring this bullshit to him, Iwillfind a boxing ring we can bring it to.”
I’m one of six boys. Obviously we fight out our issues.
Elle gently strokes up and down my calf in a show of silent support. Although, much like Dec, I'm in athletic shorts and a TVFD shirt, so I’m really going to need her to stop with the soft touches before I embarrass myself in front of my pseudo parents.
Rowan is seething, but Declan dips his chin with a look of pride and respect on his face, “Fair enough. You’re right, I’m not going to force you into anything, Sul. It didn’t work when you were growing up, and I’m positive it won’t work now. Also, no need to box this out. I agree bringing this up to Flynn will do nothing but cause issues.”
“That’s it?” I ask with skepticism.
“That’s it.” Rowan finally pipes up, but he wouldn’t be Roe if he didn’t throw in a jab. “Would you like to see your nieces and nephews, or would you prefer we go ahead and flee the state now?” He asks with a roll of his eyes.
“Leave without letting me see them, and you’ll think Kieran’s job is child’s play.” Kieran is the enforcer for my family’s ‘business.’ He skins people alive for fun. It’s a whole thing.
Declan types something on his phone before looking at me and smiling. “Well, before we get everyone over here… Jake and I have a surprise for you and Flynn.”
Right at that moment, Flynn walks through the door looking half frantic. “What’s going on?”
I just shrug at him, “your guess is as good as mine.”
“Flynn, go sit by Sully. We have something to tell you.”
Flynn cautiously moves across the room until he sits on the far end of the sofa that sits right beside my recliner. We’re looking at each other and then, the two oldest with confusion. Rowan stands up and moves to the front door just as someone knocks. Before he opens it he turns back to us.
“No yelling, and the rest of us will be over in forty-five minutes.” With that, he’s gone.
Declan opens the door wide, and what I see knocks my breath out of my lungs. Declan’s husband, Jake, walks in carrying not one, but two little bundles of blankets. One in each arm. Holy shit.
“Boys, and Elle.” Declan chuckles as he takes one of the blankets. “We’d like to introduce you to your brand new nieces.”
