Chapter 2

Cian

“I s Myla comin’ over tonight?” my best friend asked. Coincidentally, he was also Myla’s older brother and my landlord. It was a bit of a clusterfuck.

I let out a small huff of laughter. “Doubt it.”

“She’s still pissed?” He leaned against the porch railing and resettled the baby sitting on his forearm. “This has gotta be a record.”

“Not sure what she wanted me to do.” I shook my head. “Your pop was about to tear my head off, I wasn’t gonna lie to him.”

“You probably didn’t need to lay it all out so… eloquently,” Titus replied, smiling. “I wish we woulda been there.”

“He was about to lay me out,” I said defensively. “She’ll get over it.”

“It’s been a few weeks. Have you reached out?”

“After she told me to get the fuck away from her and never talk to her again?” I asked with a sigh. “No.”

“She was just emotional. You know how she gets when she’s hungover.”

“Have you talked to her?”

“No, but Noel has.”

“Figures.”

“Not gonna tell you what to do—”

“Great.”

“—but it’s been pretty quiet around here. You may want to extend the olive branch.”

Titus and Noel’s two little girls came screeching around the corner, waving as they rounded the front of the house and disappeared again.

“Oh, yeah,” I said dryly. “Real quiet.”

“Just sayin’.”

“I saved your sister’s ass, and somehow, she’s twisted it into me bein’ some kind of asshole for doin’ it,” I argued. “She knows where to find me when she gets over her bullshit.”

Titus laughed. “I don’t know which of you is more stubborn.”

“You and Bas still helpin’ me next Saturday?” I asked, changing the subject. “Brody said he’d come over and help.”

“Of course,” Titus replied. “I still can’t believe you’re movin’.”

“You guys need your space.” The little girls made another pass along the front of the house, breathing heavily but still running. “It’s good timin’.”

“Your aunt still insisting on selling that property to you for a steal?” he asked curiously.

I’d been fighting with my aunt Ashley for a month about the sale of her house. I wanted it. I fucking loved that property. I just didn’t want to screw her over by buying it for far less than what it was worth. We’d gone back and forth every day, but she hadn’t budged.

“We came to a compromise,” I grumbled.

“Oh yeah?”

“She’s only movin’ out the shit she wants in the RV and I’ve gotta either keep or get rid of whatever is left,” I replied. “And Saoirse can live there as long as she wants rent-free.”

“So,” Titus said, drawing out the word. “Exactly what would’ve happened no matter how much you paid for it.”

“Pretty much.”

He laughed.

“She’s just ready to hit the road, man,” I said, a small smile tugging at my lips. My aunt was a trip. “Once she decided she didn’t want the place anymore, it was full speed ahead. She wants to spend more time out with the kids. Now that Aoife has Sean, Aunt Ashley wants to be closer.”

“You haven’t been goin’ out there as much lately.”

“I know. Even Richie called to give me shit, and I can count on one hand how many times that guy has busted my balls.”

“Your brother-in-law may be the easiest-goin’ guy I’ve ever met,” Titus joked.

“Seriously,” I agreed. “He and Aoife are complete opposites. She’s texted every day.”

“Not surprised. She loves her baby brother.”

“I’ll go for a visit once I’m settled on the property. Can’t take off a bunch of work right before I start payin’ a fuckin’ mortgage.”

“It’s not so bad,” Titus said, kicking the porch rail. “Worth it.”

“You’re sure I’m not puttin’ you in a tight spot?” I asked for probably the fourth time. I’d been renting a room from Titus for years, and once Noel moved in, I’d waited for them to ask me and Bas to find our own place—but they hadn’t. I’d never been sure if they just didn’t want to kick our asses out or if they actually needed the extra income. Seemed weird to ask.

“Nah, we’re good.” He waved me off. “Though, I’m guessin’ it’s gonna be an adjustment for Ariel and Diana not havin’ you at their disposal.”

“I figure once I tell them I’ll have chickens out at the property, they’ll forgive me for movin’ out.”

“Why the fuck would you get chickens?” Titus asked with a small shudder. “Nasty.”

“The real question is why you’re so afraid of ’em.”

“I’m not afraid of chickens.”

“Keep tellin’ yourself that.”

“You know Ariel’s gonna want a pony,” he said smugly. “Chickens aren’t gonna cut it. She’s gonna see that property and ask for a pony.”

“I’ll get her a goat,” I conceded.

“A goat for who?” Titus’s other half asked as she came out the front door. “Ugh. This weather is miserable.”

“Your daughters are running laps around the house in it,” I told her. “They’re gonna be muddy to their eyebrows.”

“But they’ll sleep great tonight,” she replied, smiling. “Who’s getting a goat?”

“Ariel.”

“Ariel doesn’t need a goat.”

“Ariel’s gonna want a pony,” Titus said, handing her the baby.

“We don’t have room for a pony.”

“But Cian will at the property.”

“Oh, right.” She wrinkled her nose. “So, that’s happening for sure?”

Titus laughed. “I told you it was.”

“I know, but I thought there was some argument about how much Cian was willing to pay—”

“Yeah, I wanted to pay more ,” I said dryly. “I was overruled.”

“I’m happy for you,” Noel said begrudgingly.

Titus laughed again.

“I am,” Noel said, raising her eyebrows at him before looking at me. “We’re just going to miss you around here.”

“I won’t be far.”

“It’s like twenty minutes away.”

“More like fifteen.”

“That’s still a lot further than just down the hall.” She paused. “But at least your bedroom will be clean for once.”

“My room is clean.”

“Oh, Cian,” she said with mock gentleness. “No, no, it’s not.”

“Think of all the extra space you’ll have,” I said, getting to my feet. “Each of the girls can have their own rooms.”

“Yeah, no,” Titus argued as the muddy girls ran up the porch steps. “They’re sharin’ a room until they’re way older.”

“They like being close,” Noel said as I opened the door for her and the baby. Ruthie gave me a gummy smile and held her hands out to me.

“Nothin’ wrong with that,” I replied, taking the baby from her arms. Ruth’s fingers went straight to my beard and dug in. It happened every time. “Me and my brother shared a room until I moved out.”

“Really?”

“Yep. We weren’t as close in age, either. Ronan’s almost four years younger than me.”

“Uncle Cian,” Ariel called as Titus stripped her out of her jacket. “I ran around the house four times.”

“Me too,” Diana said quickly.

“Nice job,” I said, widening my eyes. “You must be tired.”

“I’m not tired,” Diana protested.

“I bet I could run four more,” Ariel said confidently.

“Not tonight, you aren’t,” Titus said with a grunt as he pulled off her tiny rain boot. “You’re soaked, and it’s gettin’ dark.”

“I need a headlamp,” Ariel mused, putting her hand on Titus’s head to brace herself as she lifted her other foot.

“You don’t need a headlamp,” Noel said as she moved toward the kitchen. “You need dinner.”

“I got time to throw them in the bath real quick?” Titus asked.

Noel nodded. “Yeah, just give them a rinse. I washed their hair last night, and you know how Diana’s skin gets if you use soap too often.”

“Quick dunk,” Titus said, standing with both girls in his arms. “Got it.”

“I wanna play,” Diana squealed as he carried them upstairs. “Can I have toys?”

“He’s going to have a heck of a time giving them a quick bath,” Noel said as I followed her to the kitchen. “They’ll need time to wash every single fish, safari animal, and doll in the bath toys.”

“Better him than me,” I joked.

“I’m just glad I don’t have to do it tonight,” she said with a smile as she sat down at the kitchen table. “I’m tired.”

“You good?”

“Yeah, but if you could have a little conversation with Ruthie and convince her to sleep through the night, I’d be better.”

“Are you still wakin’ your mama up at all hours?” I asked Ruth. She slapped my cheek in response.

“It’s totally normal,” Noel added. “That’s what I tell myself at three in the morning when she’s thrashing around.”

“I don’t know how you do it,” I replied, rubbing Ruth’s back. I loved the girls, they were one of the best parts of my day—but I didn’t have to parent them. I could hang out and play with them as long as I wanted and then escape when I was done.

“I actually love it,” Noel confessed with a grin. “But it is a lot of work.”

A loud thump came from upstairs, followed by Titus calling out that everyone was fine.

“There’s four of us kids and I don’t know how the hell Mam—Aoife,” I corrected, “stayed on top of all of it.”

“Your sister raised you guys, right?”

“Pretty much.” I nodded. “From the time I was nine. Aisling was only four.”

“Wasn’t Aoife only like fifteen?”

“Fourteen,” I corrected. “Yeah.”

“I can’t even imagine.”

“You weren’t much older when you had Ariel,” I pointed out.

“Yeah, but that was just one baby. Not four of them at once.”

“Fair point,” I mumbled. I looked up at Noel. “I was actually kind of surprised when she told me she was havin’ Sean. I figured she’d be done with raisin’ kids now that Aisling’s grown.”

Noel shrugged as she got up from the table. “Titus and I want a big family. Even as tired as I am most days, we still talk about adding a couple more.”

“A couple ?” I asked in surprise.

“Yep.” She laughed.

“Jesus,” I mumbled.

“Not anytime soon,” she said dryly as she carried a big pot of something that smelled incredible over to the table. “But once Ruthie’s a little older.”

“You two are nuts.”

“We’ve always wanted a big family,” she replied. “Even when we were kids, we talked about it.”

“I’d be good with two,” I said, letting Ruth bounce on my thighs, her little toes digging in for traction.

“What does Myla want?”

“How the hell would I know?”

“You’ve never talked about it?”

“Uh, no.”

“Interesting.”

“Me and Myla aren’t together.”

“Yet.”

“Say what?”

“You aren’t together, yet . And honestly, I don’t know what you’re waiting for.”

“She’s a friend.”

“She’s a friend who sleeps in your tent at the club parties,” Noel teased.

“That happened once,” I clarified. At least the tent part of it, she’d slept in my bed more times than I could count. Slept being the operative word.

“Sure.”

“She was drunk.”

“Uh-huh.”

“I woulda done the same thing with anyone else,” I argued. “Well, probably not Frankie, ’cause she gets handsy when she’s hammered. But Lou, definitely.”

“You would not.”

“I would.”

“No, you wouldn’t,” Noel said, pausing in the middle of the kitchen to look at me. “And you know you wouldn’t—because you wouldn’t want to give Myla the wrong idea by having one of her best friends spending the night with you.”

My mouth snapped shut.

“Now, ask yourself why that is,” she wheedled.

I just looked at her silently until she burst out laughing.

“I’m no expert at relationships,” Noel said as she went back to setting the table. “But even I know that you and Myla have been circling around each other since before Titus and I got back together. What the heck are you waiting for?”

Thankfully, I didn’t have to answer her because the sound of little feet came pounding down the stairs just as the back door opened and our other roommate, Bas, stepped inside.

“Where are my best friends?” he asked as he toed off his boots.

“Uncle Bas!” Ariel screamed from the living room. She and Diana came racing in, hitting him at a run. He lifted them both up and roared.

Ruth didn’t even stir in my arms. We were all used to the chaos that happened the moment Bas got home.

“Why don’t they do that shit for me?” I asked the room.

“Because Bas is the one that wrestles,” Noel said, grinning at me from across the room. “You’re the one that sits with them for hours doing puzzles.”

I scoffed good-naturedly as Ruth squirmed in my arms.

“Smells like heaven,” Bas said once he’d finished his ritual with the little girls. “Thanks Noel.”

“It’s just stew and biscuits,” Noel replied, pulling a baking sheet out of the oven. “Nothing fancy.”

“Baby, let me grab that,” Titus ordered as he strode into the room. “Gimme those oven mitts.”

“I can carry dinner to the table,” Noel argued as she handed Titus the oven mitt. She reached for a pitcher of what looked like lemonade instead.

It was a common argument. Noel was insistent that she could get dinner on the table herself, and each of us ignored her and helped as much as we could. She loved making big meals and just generally taking care of us, she got off on that shit—but there was a fine line between giving her that and being lazy assholes. The only reason I hadn’t gotten up from the table to help was because I had Ruth, who we all knew from experience would start screaming the moment I put her in her high chair if there wasn’t already food waiting. By unspoken agreement, whoever was holding the baby at dinnertime focused on that until everything was ready.

“Get in your spots,” Noel ordered the big girls as she started pouring the lemonade.

Ariel climbed into the seat beside me while Diana ran to hers. Somehow, without discussing it, we all had designated seats at the table. I put Ruth into her high chair between Titus and Noel, and she immediately started screeching. We ignored it.

I was going to miss this.

“How’d I make it home so much earlier than you?” I asked Bas as I sat back down. We’d both worked at the garage all day. “Didn’t we leave at the same time?”

“Had to stop by the girls’ place,” Bas replied, taking the lid off the soup pot. “One of those big planters out front tipped over the other night when the wind was bad and they couldn’t get it upright.”

“The big black ones?”

“Yeah. Not sure why Myla doesn’t put those trees in the ground,” Bas said, helping Diana put butter on a biscuit. “It’s just gonna keep tippin’ every time the weather gets bad.”

“Who knows.”

“You call her yet?” Bas asked, glancing at me.

“After she told me not to?” I replied. “No.”

“You know you’re gonna have to.”

“Don’t have to do shit.”

Ariel’s finger went immediately to her cheek as she stared at me.

“Sorry, sweetheart,” I mumbled. She did that whenever we said a curse word. It was better than her calling us out verbally, but barely. It still made me feel guilty every fucking time.

“I don’t know why the two of you won’t just—”

“Drop it,” I ordered.

“Auntie Myla will be sad if you don’t call her,” Ariel said, staring at me.

“No, she won’t, Mermaid,” I assured her.

“You’re her best friend,” she argued.

“Auntie Lou and Auntie Frankie are her best friends,” I corrected, reaching over to ruffle her hair.

“No, Auntie Myla said you’re her best friend.”

“She did?” Titus asked, grinning from the end of the table.

“Yep,” Ariel said easily.

“Auntie Myla will call me if she wants to talk to me,” I told Ariel. “Eat your dinner.”

“I don’t like the beans.”

“Ariel,” Titus said warningly, looking at her and then over at Diana, who was watching Ariel closely.

“Sorry,” Ariel grumbled. She took a small bite and sent her sister a smile that looked more like a grimace. “Yum.”

Diana started eating.

“Lou said they’re talking about taking a road trip down to California,” Bas said as we all dug into our food. “I guess Myla’s friends with one of the prospects in Sacramento that just got patched in. They wanna head down for the party.”

“Oh, yeah, that’s a great idea,” Titus muttered sarcastically.

“Not happenin’,” I said, grinding my teeth together.

Bas let out a bark of laughter. “Let me know when you’re gonna tell Myla that,” he said with a scoff. “I wanna watch.”

“Your dad’s gonna let that slide?” I asked Titus.

“I’m guessin’ my dad doesn’t know shit about it,” he replied, ignoring Ariel as her finger flew to her cheek. “And he won’t until they’re already down there and someone calls him.”

“Or when you say somethin’ to him,” I said.

“I’m not gettin’ in the middle of it,” Titus argued. “She’s an adult, and it’s not like she’d be any less safe at the clubhouse down there. We’ve known them since we were born.”

“You’re forgettin’ the shit that happened last time she showed up at a club party?”

“No, I’m not,” he shot back. “That all turned out fine, right?”

“What happened at the party?” Ariel asked curiously.

“Because I was there,” I replied, looking at Titus.

He shrugged. “Then go down to Sacramento with them,” he said easily as he took a bite of food.

They were fucking playing me.

Both Bas and Titus knew that if they told me about the girls taking some bullshit road trip to another chapter’s club for a party, I’d be pissed. By dropping it into the conversation, Bas had killed two birds with one stone. I’d have to talk to Myla, breaking the silence that had stretched out far longer than any of us had expected…and they wouldn’t have to stop the girls because they knew I’d do it.

“Like she’s said over and over, she can take care of herself,” I ground out, going back to my food.

I ignored Bas’s look of surprise and kept eating.

But, three hours later, I was back on my bike in the pouring rain, headed over to Myla’s house to talk some sense into her.