Chapter 101
The shrill ring of my phone interrupted the buzz of c
of conversation around me. I pulled it out of my pocket, already scowling when I saw the name
flashing on the screen, Mother,
My jaw clenched. I could ignore it. Should ignore it. But I knew from experience that she’d keep calling, keep pressing until she got a response. With a sigh. I stepped away from the crowd and answered
“What?” My voter was clipped, laced with impatience.
There was a beat of silence before she spoke. “That’s how you talk to your mother now?”
I exhaled sharply. “We both know that’s a loose term in this case”
She sighed, and I could hear the strain in her voice. “I haven’t seen you since I got out of the hospital, Cillan.”
“Because I don’t want you to see me, I bit out. “You don’t get to throw “mother‘ around like it means something after everything you’ve done.”
She sucked in a sharp breath. “I am your mother. I have always cared for you, loved you. And you don’t even want to see me?”
“Are you expecting an apology?” I asked my voice low, my grip tightening around the phone. “Well here it is. I’m sorry your heart gave out. I’m sorry your past finally caught up with you. But don’t expect me to pretend everything is normal just because you survived it.”
That’s not
“I don’t care,” I cut in coldly. “You didn’t call me to check in. You called because you’re upset I didn’t come running to your bedside like some devoted son
“Cillian. I know I made mistakes-
“Misukes?” Llet out a humorless laugh. “Right. Let’s call it that.
There was silence on the other end. Then, in a quieter voice, she said,
Gather–he-“.
I dont give a horse shit about my father. Hell, I wouldn’t call him that.”
“Don’t talk about your father like that”
I shook my head to myself m sheer disappointment even though she couldn’t see me. That abusive man broke her to the point she had turned to drugs at one point in her life and still she was offended on his behalf. I couldn’t believe this.
She sniffed like she was crying, but I felt nothing. Maybe a year back, I would have caved at the sound. Not anymore.
“I need to go” I said, my patience burned our “Don’t call again”
Before she could reply, I hung up, showing my pl
phone back into my pocket with more force than necessary. My chest felt tight, my hands curled
I hated that slir could still
Aiden had sudered because of her. Because of both of them. And he’d spent years trying to bury that pain, shielding me from the truth like soute goddanın martyr
I didn’t want to think about it. About her / mund.
About any of it. I rolled my shoulders, exhaling sharply as I tried to shove the conversation out of my
I turned back toward the party, forcing my attention elsewhere.
Aiden stood with Furya, his hand resting on the small of her back as he listened to whatever she was saying. His face was as impassive as ever, but I knew him well enough to recognize the softness durere.
1 huffed out a quiet laught
Yeah, right. As it Aiden Kaught had suddenly started enjoying birthdays.
dus wasn’t about him. It was about her
1/3
Chapter 101
vas–hadraved.
Treya had meisted that birthdays should be celebrated with friends and families, And Aiden–stubborn, brooding bastank that he was— Because Aidden could never say no to her, not when she looked at him like he was her whole world.
Freya had done the impossible–she had broken through Aiden’s steel walls, dragged him into something resembling happiness.
And thank fuck for that.
I wouldn’t say it out loud, but Aiden deserved it. He deserved Freya, Someone who gave a damn about him, someone who fought for him Someone who saw all his thigh edges and still chose him anyway.
The bastand got lucky.
Freya laughed, shifting slightly, and my eyes Landed on the woman beside her.
Erica
My body tensed before I could stop it.
She was helping Freya adjust something on the table, her hands moving with ease, her head tilted slightly as she listened to whatever Freya was
1 hadn’t seen her since the annual party
Hadn’t stopped thinking about her, either.
And I hated it.
The memory of that dance still lingered like a splinter under my skin. I could feel the warmth of her body pressed against mine, the deliance in her eves, the way she had challenged me without a single word, still played in my mind when I least expected it.
She had fit against me too well.
And at the end of that song, when there had been nothing between us but heat and something unspoken–fuck
1 had almost kissed her. Almost
And that was not something I did. I wasn’t supposed to want her like that.
Yet here I was, watching her again.
My eyes traced the way her hair slipped over one shoulder, the way her lips curved slightly as she listened to Freya
Se hadn’t pulaced ine yet. And that was good.
Because the last thing I needed was another round of her driving me insane,
Gia suddenly ran past, piggling as she clutched a small, sparkly purse that was definitely got hers.
Aiden turned toward her, raising an eyebrow. “Gua”
She froze mid–step, then spun around and grinned. “Yes, Daddy?”
Aiden crossed his arms, “Where did you get that?
Gia clutched the purse tighter. Tinders Leeper!”
Freya tried to smother a laugh while Aiden sighed. “Gia, return it
With an exaggerated sigh, Gla trudged back toward wherever she had stole it from
I shook my head, amusement flickering despite myself. The kid hand spank
But my gaze slid back to
This time, she looked up. And her eyes met mine.
For a second, neither of us moved. Then, slowly, her broir arched. A silent challengr
I felt something sharp twist in my gut.
2/3
Yeah, I had a problem. It was
