Total pages in book: 108
Estimated words: 104802 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 524(@200wpm)___ 419(@250wpm)___ 349(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 104802 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 524(@200wpm)___ 419(@250wpm)___ 349(@300wpm)
Rory’s head shoots up, blue eyes wide in surprise. “Are you shitting me?”
“No. It felt good.” Better than good.
“It used to calm me down. You remember that? I’d be doing something wild, tearing up shit or whatever the fuck, and you’d play and it would help.”
I do remember. It always made me feel like I was something, giving Rory that. “I’ll play for you. I want to play for you. I’m not ready for everyone else to know yet, but when it’s just us…or me, you, and Ollie…let me play for you.”
“You better fucking play for me.”
Before I can reply, a couple of guys come stumbling over. They’re loud, one of them tripping, beer sloshing all over the place. His friend laughs, shoves him playfully, and the guy hits my piano.
Before I know what I’m doing, I’m on my feet, forearm pressed onto the drunk asshole’s neck, his body against the wall. “Watch. What the fuck. You’re doing,” I warn.
“It wasn’t my fault! He pushed me.” He claws at my arm, but I don’t let go.
“Did you push him into my brother’s piano?” I hear Rory ask, his voice even and cold.
“I didn’t…it was an accident.”
“Not what I asked.” I glance over my shoulder to see Rory stand. “I asked if you pushed him into my brother’s piano.”
“I’m sorry,” the guy says.
I look at the one beneath my arm, who’s trying to pull free. “I’m sorry too,” he says.
“I can’t hear you.”
“I’m sorry too!” He does his best to yell with pressure against his throat.
I pull back, straighten his shirt. “Good. That’s all we want to hear. Now get the fuck out of my house.”
They scramble away, tripping over their feet as they go.
Rory laughs, and I wrap an arm around his shoulder, joining in the pleasure of this moment with my best friend. When I look up, Ollie is standing there with Aislin, watching.
“Bunny! We missed you!” Rory shouts, breaking the ice. He slips out from under my arm, walks over to Ollie, and hugs him. “I thought you were gonna stay in your room all night. It’s not a party without you.”
He rolls his eyes. “It is absolutely a party without me.”
Honestly, I thought he would stay in our room all night too. Parties aren’t really his thing, and no one is allowed upstairs, so he had as much peace and quiet as possible up there.
“I thought I would see what you’re up to.” He finally looks at me.
“He was miserable,” Rory tells him, “talking about how much he missed you the whole time. Do you drink?”
“No,” Ollie answers.
“I meant water.”
“Everyone drinks water,” Ollie counters.
“Bet. Let’s go get it. I’m kidnapping your boy. We’ll be back, Cil.”
I chuckle, and Ollie gives me a smile that soothes something inside me before slipping away. It was meant to reassure me we’re okay, but also because he likes Rory. As wild as Rory is, and even though he drives Ollie crazy, Ollie likes him.
“Where’s your girl?” I ask Ash.
“In the bathroom. And she’s not mine…yet. Oh my God. Trying to date a girl is so hard!”
“Trying to date anyone is hard.”
“You and Ollie are doing a good job of it.”
“That’s because I told him I want him. Did you tell Zuri that?”
“Tell me what?”
I look up to see a beautiful Black woman with light-brown eyes. She’s got braids that start at her scalp, mixed in with loose, curly strands, purple twisted in with her black. There’s a name for it, I’m sure, I just don’t know what it is.
“That we’re glad you could come,” I tell her. “Also, purple is Aislin’s favorite color.”
Zuri cocks a brow, then crosses her arms. “You tell me that like I don’t know.”
Ooh, shit. Ash has definitely met her match in Zuri. “I like you. What are your intentions with—”
Ash’s hand covers my mouth. “Oh my God, Cillian. Don’t make me kick your ass.”
I laugh and glance over at Zuri, who is smiling too.
“Go find your boyfriend and your person and leave us alone.” She threads her arm through Zuri’s, the two of them walking away.
Good for her. I hope it works out.
I grab a random guy. “What’s your name?”
“Brian.”
“Brian who?”
“Jacobs.”
“Sit here, Brian Jacobs. Don’t let anyone near this piano. If they touch it, I’m taking it out on you.”
“I…what?”
“You heard me!” I answer as I weave through the crowd. Ollie is with Rory, so I know he’s good. I’m going to find Tiernan, sell some drugs, then find my man.
CHAPTER THIRTY
Ollie
“How did you do on your test?” I ask Rory as we sit on the back porch. We’d gone into the kitchen, where I got a bottle of water, and he’d surprised me by getting one for himself too. Somehow, we ended up out here, where Cillian and sometimes Rory give me self-defense lessons. Despite knowing what happened to the guys who hurt me, I still want to keep up the lessons. I’m determined to be able to take care of myself.