KEENAN
“Where’re you running off to?” I ask my brother, Bran, who I’ve barely seen over the last few weeks. He’s merely been a ghost in the wind. He comes to a stop and turns to look at me.
“I’m headed out for the evening, not that it’s any of your concern,” Bran grumbles in my direction.
“What in the bloody hell is the matter with you?” I rise from my chair, and within a few strides, I’m standing a foot away from him.
“Nothing,” Bran grits, but I’m not an idiot. Something is the matter.
“Save me your bullshite response. What is the matter, and don’t you dare lie to me.” Now I’m the one with attitude, but after all we’ve been through in our family, we can’t be lying to one another.
Bran cackles and shakes his head. “Or what? What’re you going to do to me?”
His response causes me to take a step back, and I widen my eyes at him. “The fuck is that supposed to mean?” He shouldn’t know anything, not a bit of it. Eamon’s the only person who knows. He’s the only person I’ve confided in.
Bran scoffs and licks his lips as he shakes his head more.
“I asked what is that supposed to mean!” I snarl at him.
He parts his lips and looks right at my eyes. “Apologies, sir. All this change is taking a bit for me to get used to. You know, being a mafia underboss and all.”
What the fuck? I’m his brother. He’s not a general, nor is he one of my men. He’s my fucking brother. “Why are you talking to me like this?” Bran has to know what he’s doing. He has to.
The sounds of soles hitting the stairwell cause me to glance up, and sure enough, it’s our other brother, Eamon. By the concerned expression on his face, he knows something’s going on here. “Everything all right? I could hear the both of you from upstairs.”
“Bugger off,” Bran growls in Eamon’s direction before storming out the front door. As soon as it shuts, Eamon and I look at one another. Neither of us knows what’s gotten into Bran, though he’s obviously upset by something.
“What the hell was that about?” Eamon asks the very question I can’t seem to find an answer to.
“No idea, I was hoping you’d know something.” Eamon has always had a better relationship with Bran than I have. I can only attribute it to how much I was working after our mum died. I was there for the rest of my siblings, yet at the same time, I wasn’t. I was in survival mode, making sure we had enough money to pay our utility bills, to keep food on the table. That being said, I worked my bloody arse off. From the moment I woke up until the very second I walked through the door, I was working.
“All I did was ask where he was off to. Was hoping to get into a simple conversation with him.” I shrug, trying to get to the bottom of Bran’s obvious hostility. “I may not’ve handled it the greatest. He threw some attitude and—”
“And you went into dad mode, yeah?” Eamon quickly puts the pieces together.
“Dad mode?” I repeat.
“Yeah, when you puff your chest up and tell us not to lie or shite like that. You’ve been doing it since mum passed.”
I blink and think about how it went down, and sure enough, Eamon is correct. “Yeah, I went into dad mode. But that’s not what’s bothering me. He asked me what I’d do to him if he wasn’t honest with me.”
“You’re fucking with me, right?” Even Eamon doesn’t know what to do with this.
“I’m afraid not. I have a feeling like he’s frustrated with me. He didn’t say he knew, but I think he knows. Any idea how that happened?” I’m not an idiot. There’s one person here with me right now who loves to flap his jaws when he’s two sheets to the wind.
Eamon raises both of his brows for a moment and releases a sigh. “Keenan, I’m sorry. I went out to the pub with Bran and let a few things slip. I understand why Bran’s a bit pissed, but he needs to chill for a minute. We’re all going through this process together, and if I’m being honest, he’s lost his bloody mind if he wants in on everything, especially after you were shot. This is new to all of us. The girls might be handling things a bit better now that we’re in this house and they have a newfound sense of security, but Delaney’s been busy with Delilah and that lovely woman, Cassie.”
“Lovely, huh?” I wiggle my eyebrows, and Eamon cackles.
“I might’ve shagged her in the pantry last week when she came over one evening. She needed to count the outlets in the formal living room. Guess they’re bringing something in. Speaking of, I heard Delilah over here the other night,” Eamon comments with a shit[EK3] -eating grin on his face.
“I’m not even going to comment on it,” I tell Eamon, who’s obviously amused.
“You don’t have to, brother. Anyone in the house could’ve heard her. Shite, the closest neighbor might’ve been able to,” Keeva adds, and Delaney’s cheeks flush with bright pink.
“Aww, Keenan, you really should watch how loud you and Delilah are being at night. After all, Keeva’s bedroom backs right up to yours. It would be such a shame if she lost some beauty rest. If she did, her true form might show,” Eamon says.
Delaney cracks a smile, and Keeva obviously doesn’t notice anything. “Yeah, I need to get good sleep. You all know what a horror I can be if I don’t get good sleep, and wait a second. What the fuck, Eamon!?” Keeva rushes over to Eamon and shoves him. “You’re such a dick sometimes. It’s why you’ll be single for the rest of your bloody life!”
