Shane said the rumor around town is Jay’s da cheats on his ma when he travels around the country playing with his band. During the week, his da works for the council, but at least two weekends a month, he books gigs with his piece-of-shit band. I’ve heard them play, and they’re fucking awful. But somehow, they have gathered a bit of a cult following over the years. You’d swear Conal Fleming was fucking Bono the way he goes on sometimes. He’s the biggest loser. My da may not have much to say, but at least he doesn’t go around bragging or cheating or embarrassing any of his kids.
“Boys,” I say in greeting when we reach our gang, tossing my empty butt on the ground and smashing it under my boot. “What’s the story?”
“Jono’s bro thinks he can get us into the McGettigan party.” Cillian rubs his hands and grins.
I narrow my eyes on the noticeable mark on his neck and react on instinct. Grabbing him by his jacket, I shove him up against the wall. “My sister better not have given you that,” I snap.
“What?” Jamie frowns, looking between me and our other best friend.
I haven’t told Jay I suspect Ash and Cillian are messing around. He sulked big-time a few years ago when I told him Cill gave Ash her first kiss. That didn’t go down well, and the guys butt heads a lot these days. The three of us have been best friends since we were little, and I don’t want my sister getting in the middle of whatever is going on with us. It’s not just Jamie. There is distance between Cill and me too that wasn’t there previously. I’m finding we have less in common, and I suspect the reason we don’t see as much of him now is because he’s sneaking around with my sister.
I see how both my mates stare at Ash. I don’t like it, but I get it. She’s beautiful, smart as fuck, and she has a fiery personalitywith a right gob on her that seems to send all the guys at school wild. I got the new scar over my right eyebrow two weeks ago after a fight with this prick at school who was talking crap about her. Got suspended for three days for fighting, and my parents were not happy. But they weren’t too heavy-handed with the punishment when they discovered I was defending my sister, though Ma would prefer I used my words not my fists.
“Is this a trick question?” Cill tosses his dirty-blond hair out of his eyes with a jerk of his head.
“Just yes or no, Cill.” I release my hold on him but keep my glare firmly in place.
“If I say yes, you’ll go nuts. If I say no, meaning it’s some other bird, you’ll go nuts. I can’t fucking win with you, Dil.”
“Fucking hell.” Jamie glares at Cillian before removing a naggin of vodka from the inside pocket of his jacket and taking a vicious swig.
I yank Cillian around the corner, away from prying ears. “Do not mess my sister around, Cill. Make it official or end it.”
Ash tells me most everything, but she’s been quiet about Cillian. Which is how I know something is going on. That and the puppy-dog eyes they give one another when they think I’m not looking. I’d have to be blind to not realize they’re mad about one another. I know Ash isn’t saying anything so if it ends badly it won’t impact my friendship with Cill, but deep down, she knows it won’t matter. My loyalty will always belong to my sister. If Cillian doesn’t treat her right, he’ll be dead to me, and I won’t lose any sleep over it.
“You won’t go nuts?” He crosses his arms and leans back against the pub wall, arching a brow in my direction. “You’ve always told us Ash is off-limits.”
“That didn’t fucking stop you, did it?”
“I can’t help how I feel.” He pushes off the wall and straightens up. “I love her. She’s it for me, Dil. I don’t see anyone but her. Tell me you’re grand with it so I can do this right.”
“I’m not exactly excited about it, but it’s not my call. It’s not yours either.”
“She loves me too. She’s been afraid to tell you.”
Bullshit. Nothing scares Aisling O’Donoghue. She’s trying to protect me and denying herself in the process. “If it’s what Ash wants, I won’t stand in your way. I just want her to be happy.”
The goofiest smile ghosts over his mouth.
Fucking hell. He’s a total goner.
“Thanks, mate. I promise I’ll treat her like a queen.”
“You fucking better.” I thump his upper arm, but it’s only half in jest. “I’ll beat the ever-living daylights out of you if you hurt her.”
“I won’t. I swear.”
I nod and grab him into a headlock. He punches me in the gut, and I let him go.
“Jamie won’t like it,” I say.
“That’s not my problem.”
“It will be if it gets messy.”
“Jamie’s just pissed she picked me, but he’ll get over it.”
I run my hands through my hair, wondering when both my friends turned into pussies. I seriously need to get drunk. “Sort that shit out with him, and maybe I won’t rearrange your face.”
