Page 8 of Sweet Vengeance
“They’re your friends, not mine.”
He chuckles and walks over to open it. Tiernan comes in first, followed by Cillian, Rory, and Aislin. Great. The whole crew is here, acting like they own the place.
“Our brave little bunny is back. Do you like your room?” Cillian wraps his arm around me as if we’re friends, and I can’t help but notice how good he smells—this mixture ofcitrus and cedar. My body automatically stiffens. I’m not sure what to do here. He feels good and smells great, but he’s not a good person, and I have no idea why he’s touching me.
Why I like it so much.
“Brave little bunny?”
It’s Rory who answers. “Because you talk shit to us like you don’t have a fear in the world, but you’re also cute and cuddly like a pet.”
I shove Cillian away from me as if he’s the one who said that. “Hey. Screw you!”
“He doesn’t even appreciate the room we got him. There are benefits to us liking you,” Cillian tells me.
“Like getting a room I don’t deserve?” Great. Now I’m back on that topic.
“Wait. You really don’t like the room?” Rory asks. “I don’t understand.”
Aislin sighs. “I’m sure he likes the room. You guys forget that not everyone is used to just taking what they want.”
“That!” I point to Aislin. “She gets it.”
“Do you want me to fix it?” Dean asks.
“It’s just a room.” Cillian watches me, looks at me with those intense blue eyes of his, as if he’s trying to figure me out.
Say yes. It’s not fair. It’s not playing by the rules.“No. I’ll keep the room. Hacking into the system again will be too suspicious. I don’t want Dean to get caught.”
“Good,” Tiernan says, “because I probably wouldn’t appreciate it if you didn’t like something nice Dean did for you.” Tiernan’s tone, while not exactly threatening, conveys an honest warning.
Fear skitters up my spine, landing at my nape. I don’t want to be afraid of these guys, I don’t want to be afraid of Dean, but I would be an idiot not to consider the rumors about them and the things they’ve likely done.
“Be nice, T,” Cillian says.
“I am being nice. I warned him.”
“He won’t hurt you,” Dean tells me. “He knows he would have me to deal with if he did.”
Tiernan cocks a brow at him. “Little fighter…that’s foreplay for us.”
Everyone else laughs while I stand there gaping. Are they serious? How is this my life? I don’t belong here with them.
“I have to go to work,” I blurt. I was able to get my job back at the Pizza Palace for the school year, which was a relief. While my schooling is covered by scholarships and grants, having a job is a lifesaver when it comes to other things I need.
“We have shit to do anyway,” Tiernan says. “I don’t have to remind you that what Dean did is between us, yes?” Again, that warning note comes through loud and clear.
“He won’t say anything,” Dean defends me, and warmth fills me that he does. I don’t really understand our friendship, but I’m thankful for it, even while feeling guilty for liking him.
“I won’t. He’s right. For him.” I add the last two words because my moral compass won’t allow me to do it for any other reason except Dean, though admitting that could be dangerous.
I should run. I should run as fast and as far from Ashford as I can get, go back home to my small town and my loving father. But I won’t. This is my dream, and Dean is my friend.
“You’re lucky he likes you.” Tiernan nods Dean’s direction, then slips out the door.
“Catch you later,” Dean tells me, following Tiernan. Aislin says goodbye, then Rory, leaving Cillian the last one in the room with me.
“Be careful, okay? Tiernan is more levelheaded than one would think, but he is also very cautious. None of this is agame.”
