“Has anyone ever told you that you’re a terrible liar?”
I keep my eyes down as I pick at my food, but Brennan doesn’t seem put off by my silence.
“Want to bet that one of them leaves the office with a black eye?” he eventually says.
“Huh?”
“Ronan and Kieran. There’s no way in hell either one of them is walking away unscathed from whatever conversation they’re having. So, I’m putting my money on Ronan.”
“You think Ronan will be the one to have a black eye?”
“Oh, hell yeah. Kieran’s a bit of a live wire.”
“I’m aware.” I reach for another slice, and Brennan laughs.
“I think he’s gotten worse since he met you.”
I pause. “Is that a bad thing?”
Brennan shrugs. “Not necessarily. If anything, you should be flattered. Kieran’s not one to care about anyone other than Kieran. But you… He would burn the world down for you, Riley. And I think that’s exactly what he’s doing right now.”
“I don’t want to get in between him and Ronan.”
“I wouldn’t worry about it. The dynamics between all of us have changed ever since our father died and Ciara joined the family, but I think it’s been for the better.”
After the conversation I just overheard between the two eldest Sullivan brothers, I’m not so sure about that. But I don’t say that to Brennan.
“Plus, it’s fun when Ciara sides with me against Ronan.”
“Ah, so this is what it’s really about. Safety in numbers.” I laugh.
“I need all the help I can get. I’ve been the punching bag for Ronan and Kieran my whole life, but now that Ciara’s in the picture, she sticks up for me.”
“Poor baby Brennan.”
“It’s a hard life,” he says through a mouthful of pizza.
“So, is this what this is?” I signal to the pizza. “You’re trying to buy my loyalty with food?”
“I mean…yeah.”
“And here I was thinking we were bonding.”
“I’m a Sullivan; I always have an ulterior motive,” he jokes, and I roll my eyes.
“On that note, I should probably try and get some sleep.” I get to my feet. “Thanks for the pizza.”
“Thanks for keeping me company.”
“Anytime,” I say over my shoulder before heading back upstairs.
The lift in my mood from talking with Brennan doesn’t hang around long in the silence of the unfamiliar room. While it’s not as sterile in terms of the decor as Kieran’s place, the lack of personal belongings makes me feel hollow.
Climbing on top of the bed, I curl onto my side and hug my knees to my chest to try and hold myself together.
My body feels heavy with exhaustion, but my mind is racing as if I’d just consumed two triple espressos.
I’m sure all this stress isn’t good for the baby, but there’s not much I can do about that when I’m staring down the barrel of single parenthood if Kieran’s words have any weight to them.
