“My plane.”
“He stayed up all night building it,” Shai says. “You probably need to get some sleep soon.” He wraps an arm around me and kisses my temple.
“You got that for him?” Cillian asks.
“Yes,” Shai answers.
He walks over to us, lifting the model plane from my hand. He studies it, turns it around like he has to inspect every part of it. “It looks great,” Cillian finally says, before his gaze turns to Shai. “Thank you.”
“I love him. You don’t have anything to thank me for.”
“I want to find a place for it down here,” I tell them.
“What about on the piano?” Shai asks.
I turn to Cillian, letting him answer. “I think that’s the perfect spot.”
The three of us walk into the living room, and I take the plane from Cillian and place it atop his piano, part of him andpart of me. Cillian got back something from his childhood, and I did too, because of the men we love.
“Okay, I’m feeling like I hit my emotional quota for like…the next month. Can we get back to normal now? Go kill someone or something?” I say, making them laugh.
“Fuck yes, we can,” Cil answers.
“Let’s get you something to eat,” Shai says, and we join our family in the kitchen, in this perfect little world we’ve created together.
CHAPTER THIRTY
Shai
The past weekhas been a whirlwind. They’ve had a lot of shit to do withthe mob, which is a weird-ass thing to think, so I’ve been home with Ollie a lot. It’s wild to me that these guys balance going to college and selling drugs, arms deals, and murder, and I must admit, I’m jealous. I want to be allowed further into their world, want to be the one who gets to go with Rory when shit goes down, want to learn how to protect him, to be exactly who he needs me to be in every way. I know I should feel lucky I’m here at all, and I do, but as much as I enjoy my time with Ollie, sitting at home and waiting for them isn’t me.
Everyone is going to school this morning, and I’m off work, so not for the first time, I’ll be alone in the house. We’re all up together now, sitting in the kitchen, everyone eating before they leave.
“Do I really have to go?” Rory asks Ollie, fluttering his lashes dramatically.
“Yes. Seriously. You have a quiz.”
“Did you think he’d say something different?” Cillian asks. “If I have to go, so do you.”
“You literally get out of class at noon today. I think you’ll be fine,” I tell Rory, stuck in this weird place between agreeingwith Ollie because Rory has been given an incredible opportunity a lot of people would kill for, and also agreeing with Rory because it’s not like he’ll ever use his degree. We all know what his future holds.
“We need to get Shai enrolled next year,” Rory says.
Ollie and I have been studying for my GED this past week, my skills sharper than I thought they’d be. He says I’m doing well, and Ollie isn’t the type to lie, so I believe him.
“If that’s what he wants, we’ll make it happen,” Tiernan answers. I don’t know the whole story there, but from bits and pieces I’ve heard, he has the dean in his pocket, and there’s not much Tiernan can’t make happen at Ashford if he wants it.
“I already told you, Cherry—I’m not letting you pay for me to go to college. But I appreciate that you would.” That all of them would make that happen for me.
“And I already told you I’m doing it anyway. It’s part of my charm.” He grins, and I can’t help but do the same. Damn him.
“You’re all already in your third year.”
“Not me,” Dean says.
“Or me,” Ollie adds.
“So you’ll transfer to Boston when we all leave.” Cillian shrugs as if it’s that easy.
