Total pages in book: 29
Estimated words: 27448 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 137(@200wpm)___ 110(@250wpm)___ 91(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 27448 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 137(@200wpm)___ 110(@250wpm)___ 91(@300wpm)
“I know. I’m sorry,” she says again.
“You just always need to be honest with me from now on. I want to know everything possible when it’s not about me and everything if it is. That’s the only way this works, baby.”
She nods. “I promise.”
It feels like no time at all passes before there’s a knock at the door. Ash and I step away from it, and I let her open it. Tiernan is the first one inside, and I’d be lying if I didn’t admit he scares me the most. He’s just so stoic most of the time—cocky and arrogant, but closed off and more serious than the others. Dean is right behind him, followed by Cillian and Rory.
“What happened?” Tiernan asks the second Rory closes the door behind them. Dean crosses his arms. He’s wearing one of his standard hoodies. Rory is bouncing around, Cillian looks serious and concerned, and I don’t know whether to laugh at this whole scene out of a movie, be scared, or appreciate these four men being here for me.
“Can I tell him?” Ash asks, which I appreciate.
“Go for it,” I tell her.
She gives them the rundown of the flyers, the messages, and the note under the door. Tiernan takes it from her, the four of them huddling close to read it.
“Sounds like a disgusting, loser, incel, red-pill motherfucker,” Cillian says.
“When we find him, can I kill him? I really want to kill him for messing with our Ash and Zuri,” Rory says, bouncing on his toes. “I like Z. We became best friends today.”
“Rory!” Ash snaps, before looking at me, waiting for my response.
“Does she not know we’ve killed people?” Dean asks. “I would think that’s pretty obvious.”
“Jesus, Dean.” Ash runs a hand through her hair while I try to realize this is real life…and these guys are talking about killing people in front of me.
I know they do. Ash told me everything just last night, but this is real now. And this is about me.
“I like you, too,” I admit, remembering what Rory said just a moment ago. That’s a whole lot easier to focus on than the rest of it.
“We’ll talk about it later,” Tiernan says, then looks at me. “Ash trusts you, and I trust her more than anyone in this world. But she’s my family. My heart. Everyone in this room is, and there is nothing I won’t do to protect them. Don’t let us down, Zuri.”
“What the fuck, T?” Ash pushes her brother, who doesn’t seem surprised or annoyed by her.
“I’m sorry, Ash, but it has to be said. I did the same thing with Ollie and Shai. There’s nothing more important than keeping us safe. The question is, can she accept who we are? If she can, and if we can trust Zuri, then that includes her. She’ll be family because you’re family, but anyone who is a risk to us isn’t family anymore.”
I take that for the threat it is, and as uncomfortable as it sounds, even though it makes my neck prickle and my stomach twist, I appreciate Tiernan for putting it out there, for being honest and upfront. And it’s impossible not to respect him for the way he loves his family, and especially the way he loves and trusts his sister.
“You can trust me,” I promise him. “I would never do anything to hurt Ash, and hurting any of you would be hurting her. I love her,” I admit, earning a gasp from the woman beside me. We haven’t said those words to each other yet, even though I’ve felt them for a while. How could I tell her when she hadn’t let me in on all the parts of her? When she started to avoid me and put distance between us?
“I love you, too,” Ash replies, tears in her eyes, before pulling me in for a hug.
“Oh, I want to hug. This is so sweet. Can I get in on that?” Rory asks.
“Shut the fuck up, Ror.” Cillian laughs, wrapping an arm around Rory and kissing his cheek.
“I don’t want to hug you. I want to hug them,” I hear him say in the background.
“You’re going to have to accept me for now,” Cillian replies.
“Would you two shut up?” Ash says, then leans forward, pressing her forehead to mine. “We’re in love.”
“We are.” And that means something to me. Right or wrong, it means more than anything else.
I press my lips to Ash’s once, twice, three times, before forcing myself to pull away. “We’ll pick this up when we’re alone.”
“I’m counting on it,” she chuckles.
“Jesus Christ,” Tiernan groans. “Pack some things. The two of you are coming home with us.”
Both Ash and I freeze, and I have a feeling she’s giving him the same “excuse me?” look that I am.
“You did call me for help, right?” he asks.