Strutting into the backyard where the engagement party is being held, I hear my name yelled by the sweetest voice I’ve ever heard. My gorgeous niece, Hannah, comes running full force straight for my legs. She’s six, but I scoop her up like she’s still that twenty pound one year old toddling to me. She wraps around me like a koala to a tree and squeezes me tightly.
“Uncle Cub!” She squeals in delight.
“Hannah Banana!” I respond with just as much enthusiasm.
Hannah couldn’t say ‘Jakob’ as a baby– obviously– but she could say cub. I’ve been Cub ever since.
“Papa said you’re late.” She says in a matter-of-fact tone.
“Did he?” I act offended. But really, if it walks like a duck, and it quacks like a duck…
“He did. He also said you’re going to be pissed when you get here.” Her eyes widen in shock. “Please don’t tell Papa I said that.”
The laugh bubbles out of me involuntarily. She’s a six year old little girl, but she’s surrounded by foul mouthed blue collar workers ninety percent of the time. If the worst she says is ‘pissed’ then I think we’re doing pretty well. “Your secret is safe with me. Just don’t rat me out if you get caught. Why did your Papa say I was going to be mad?”
“I don’t know. Something about Rhett’s uncle.”
My brow furrows as I try to think of what Dieter could be talking about. I already knew he was going to be here. “Well, the only person that I care about being here is my favorite one. You know who that is, right?”
Her eyes sparkle as she smiles at me. “That’s Oma!”
I mean, she’s not wrong, but that’s not who I was talking about. “Yes, Oma, but also you.”
She giggles as I swing her onto my back and carry her with me to the event tent on the far end of the backyard. There’s so many people here that it reminds me of my bar on a Friday night. I mean, if my bar was as sophisticated as this event, which, just to be clear, it is not. Hannah and I make our way over to my family, and she slides down my back until her feet touch the ground and she runs off to find the other kids.
Everyone here is dressed up, and we’re no exception. Thankfully, Dieter knows his daughter and gave up the notion of dresses years ago. Now when she has to dress up, shewears these one piece shirts and pants or shorts things. I don’t know what they’re called; that’s above my pay grade. I just know she’s in a pale green pants one as she runs out of my sight. My black three piece suit still looks pristine as I take a seat between my brother and sister. My parents are talking to some other couple across the tent and I can see Lelonie standing around the Byrne women smiling and laughing.
“So, you haven’t seen them yet?” Dieter looks at me with a raised brow.
“Of course he hasn’t. Do you think he’d be sitting here calmly if he did?” Annie responds before I have a chance to.
Dieter cuts back in, “Well, maybe he remembers this is our sister’s day and he needs to be on his best behavior.”
“He is right here and has no idea what you’re talking about.” I finally cut in with more attitude than intended.
Both of my siblings look past me and suck in a deep breath through their teeth.
“Don’t look now, but you’re about to find out. Remember it’s Lee’s day.”
I can feel him before I even turn. Hatred and the desire to rip his intestines out through his mouth burn almost as severely as the feel of his stupid emerald eyes burning holes in the back of my head. Taking a deep breath to center myself, I wait a solid five seconds before turning. I thought that I was ready, that I had steeled my spine enough, but I was very wrong.
Fuck. Him.
Declan stands tall, a mischievous fucking smirk on his face as he talks to his brothers. His light brown hair has been styled in that almost messy way. The longer strands on top are a wavy mess, like he’s been running his fingers through it, and the sides are cut short. His emerald eyes sparkle with happiness as he talks to his brothers. That’s not what grabsmy attention, though. It’s the five foot four inch blonde hair spawn of Satan that’s standing beside him. She wraps herself around his arm, and I can see him go stiff as a board from here.
What’s that about? Why the fuck would he bring Natasha in the first place? She’s obviously his date, but his body language screams something completely different. More importantly, why is my sister acting like this is all good?
I mean, this is her event, and I get that. She isn’t worried about the five year old drama that hangs heavy between the three of us. But still, you’d think she and Mac would respect me enough to warn me.
“Chill. It’s fine, Jake. Who even cares about them?” Annie scoffs.
She’s trying to help and I appreciate that, but she doesn’t understand that they just ripped open a scabbed over wound and dumped a lifetime’s worth of salt onto the exposed nerves and muscles. I can’t be here right now. Seeing him outside of her apartment was bad enough, but her wrapped around him sets my veins on fire in the worst way.
Shoving up to my feet, my heart hammers in my ears as my legs carry me out of the event tent. I’m not even ten feet from the tent when a hand grabs my arm and spins me around. My fists ball on instinct, but when my brain registers I’m staring down a different Byrne brother my hands relax.
Kieran is Declan’s younger brother, or well one of them. There’s six of them in total, all boys. Declan’s parents were overachievers, or they just liked having sex with each other. I loved his parents so much and have missed them every day since their tragic murders by none other than Natasha’s Papa. Just to add another fucked up layer to this situation.Apparently Declan doesn’t care about that seeing as he’s strutting her around like his prized pig. Kieran gives me a kind smile, his hand grips my shoulder one more time before letting it drop to his side.
“For the record? I had no idea the idiot was actually seeing her. Nevertheless, bringing her to such an important event. On his behalf, I’m sorry.”
