“When you’re at the top, people will always want you to fail so they can take your place. It’s just the nature of the business.”
“Doyouwant me to fail?” The words spill from my lips before I can stop them.
There’s a beat of silence before Kieran offers me an answer. “You really think I’d want that?”
“I don’t know what to think anymore. Lorcan’s been in my ear, and you’re questioning my decisions, and now Ciara’s?—”
“Stop right there. Don’t you dare lump me in with Lorcan. I may not agree with every choice you make, but I’m still with you. You’re my brother, Ronan. This family... it's all we’ve got.”
“Then why does it feel like everyone is waiting for me to fuck up?”
“Because you’re not acting like yourself. You’re tense and paranoid, and you’re blowing up at people who haven’t done a damn thing to deserve it, me included.”
For once, Kieran might actually be right.
“I know.”
Kieran doesn’t say anything. He knows me well enough to let the silence speak, so I sink down onto the leather couch and sit for a moment, letting the weight of everything settle on my shoulders.
“I hit Stephen.” I sigh. “Punched him in the face like some jealous boyfriend.”
“Please tell me you’re joking.”
“Not even a little bit.”
“What the hell could Stephen have done to warrant you taking a swing at him? Shit, unless… Did he hurt Ciara? Because if he did, I’ll kill him myself.”
“No, it was nothing like that.”
“Then what was it?”
“He was... sitting next to her and laughing, acting like?—”
“Like he was doing his job? The jobyouassigned him?”
I grit my teeth. “It wasn’twhathe did but rather what itfeltlike.”
“Since when do you care about feelings?”
Since the moment Ciara agreed to marry me.
“I can’t help it. It’s like I see red the moment someone gets too close to her and…”
“And what? You need to go all alpha male on everyone’s ass?”
“You don’t understand; you’re not married.”
“Don’t give me that crap, Ronan.”
“Have you always spoken to me like this?”
“You mean, telling you the truth? Yeah, because someone has to.”
“It’s a good thing you’re not here right now.”
“Or what? You’d hit me too? Because you and I both know I have the stronger right hook.”
“Who says I’d use my fist?”
