Chapter 14 #3
She notices everything, doesn’t she?
“Your sister had some issues growing up with your parents,” I murmur. “They heavily restricted her food intake because it was clear that she was going to be tall and busty. They wanted a pretty, skinny, willowy daughter.”
“What?” she hisses.
“It’s why Hollis used to run away from home to stay with us,” Caleb adds. “Cian doesn’t want your parents to know you’re in Minneapolis yet because they’re… a lot.”
“Hollis doesn’t speak to them much, though your grandfather is amazing,” I say. “He goes to bat for her, puts Paul and Annabelle in their places when necessary, but Hollis goes out of her way to make sure she doesn’t run into them.”
“The families are old school,” Caleb says, censoring the mafia addendum.
“Cian pushes for more forward thinking practices, and a patrol was one of those things. A newcomer to the city actually runs them. Part of that means that a lot of the families believe in arranged marriages and complete control over their children.”
“Been there, done that. Bought the broken bones,” Nova snorts. “I’ll pass on all of that.”
“I’m not saying that you shouldn’t meet them, but you have choices here. You can be as involved or not as you want,” he says.
“Involved in what exactly? You two have made it very clear that I’m falling short of the whole mafia daughter situation,” she says softly.
“Yeah, we were assholes,” Caleb admits. “Your sister used to fall out of the second story window and had no balance before we took her under our wing. It was a real travesty.”
“The window?” she giggles.
“Oh yeah,” I say, relaxing slightly. “Her squeal was hysterical. She was fine, but definitely limped all the way to our house. I don’t necessarily think you need to go full fledged badass, Nova. Teaching you basic self defense techniques will suffice.”
“And why is that?”
“We turned Hollis into a killer,” I rumble, leaning forward so my voice doesn’t travel. “Our sister had recently disappeared, we knew Hollis wanted to move out on her own, and I was still an enforcer. I didn’t hold back.”
“It saved her,” Nova hisses at me, frowning. “Do you regret it?”
“Not a fucking chance,” I say. “I’m saying that you don’t need to be her. Be yourself.”
“But make smart choices,” Caleb sighs.
“Yes, Daddy,” she snarks before slapping her hand over her mouth.
Caleb laughs too loudly, a wide grin on his face that I don’t often get to see. Neither one of us smiles easily.
Nova is super flushed as the waitress brings us our drinks, and our conversation is easier by the time our food arrives. I’m glad I chose this restaurant because everything is delicious. If I had the time, I’d open a restaurant, but I know I don’t.
The coffee shop has to be enough. I have regulars, people talk up the shop, and I still get to bake. I needed to stop by yesterday to restock the shelves with pastries, even though it pissed off Hollis.
God forbid people don’t get their lemon squares.
Nova gives a breathy moan as she chews her bite of pancake, and Caleb adjusts himself under the table. Me too, brother.
Me fucking too.
I can’t fucking handle the way she eats, because it reminds me too much of how she sucks my cock too.
Nova glances at me as she inhales deeply, and I know she can smell how turned on I am. It’s only because her noises have been edging me all morning. The tip of my cock is weeping precum and pressing against my jeans, and I wonder if it’s time to just suck it up and fuck my palm in the bathroom.
I’m desperate, okay? I’m not proud of it.
Caleb and I polish off our plates, feeling full and happy. I’ll go for a run later, I’m not worried about it now. I believe in enjoying my food. I work out to stay healthy and strong.
“Want a box?” I ask, watching as she gives up with a happy smile.
“Yes, please. It’s like I barely touched it,” she says.
Oh, my cock clocked exactly how many times you lifted the fork to your mouth, Princ?—.
Fuck. I can’t call her that anymore, not even in my head because I’ll slip up.
“I’m going to go to the restroom,” she says, standing up.
“Looks like it’s towards the back,” I tell her, pointing out the signs.
Nodding, she walks in that direction, and I watch as she disappears inside. I’m not surprised she had to pee with the two glasses of water and coffee she drank.
“Can we get a box?” Caleb asks the waitress as she comes up.
I continue to watch the doors as the waitress cleans up the table, boxes the food, and brings the check.
“Should we check on her?” Caleb asks, already beginning to rise.
We’re paranoid for a reason. We’ve both seen and lost too much not to be. Nova walks out of the restroom, and as I check my watch, I see that it hasn’t been more than a few minutes.
Swallowing hard, I smack my brother’s shoulder so he’ll sit back down, and we watch as she comes back.
“All good?” I ask, standing as Caleb throws some cash down on top of the tab. It’s too much, but the food and service spoke for itself.
Neither of us care much about money. Tyde was mistaken in that when he fought with us when we left after her heat. Well, it was more furtive whispers to keep her from waking up, but he was pissed. Caleb and I left both to get space and for the people who count on us to show up for them.
It was an insurmountable amount of guilt on many levels. However, it doesn’t mean we were right.
“Yeah,” she says, nodding. “I got my dress caught on the bathroom stall though, and it took me a second to untangle myself.”
Well that explains that.
Chuckling, I shrug.
“I’m glad you made it back to us unscathed,” I tease her.
Nova is a little breathless, and I suppose it would suck if I’d barged into the bathroom to “save her” from her own dress. She grins as she shrugs on her coat and we begin to walk toward the front door.
It opens as we get closer, and I see a distinguished man that I would know fucking anywhere. His salt and pepper hair, straight spine despite his age, and the woman he ushers in who is his entire heart…With the exception of his granddaughter, of course.
Fuck. Glancing at Nova, I amend that.
Granddaughters.
I told the woman next to me that she had choices, and I meant that. I don’t know if I’m strong enough to pretend that Nova isn’t important to her grandparents.
Why did I choose this place again? Fuck my life.
Caleb audibly gasps as he sees them, pulling their attention toward us.
“If it isn’t the Finnegan brothers,” Kevin Edwards booms out, grinning.
His wife, Aine smiles as she gazes at us, well acquainted with us as well. She falters as she catches Nova’s gaze, and I silently curse how alike her eyes are to Hollis’.
It’s how we found her ourselves, after all.
Aine’s hand grips her cane tightly as she sways, and Kevin pulls her closer to him with worry clear on his face.
“Aine, are you feeling poorly, darling?” he asks, his tone gruff.
“Who is this?” she rasps. “Kevin, her eyes. Do you see what I see?”
Hollis and Nova’s grandfather looks at Nova, his hand reaching out to turn her face toward him as she instinctively looks away.
“You have my granddaughter’s eyes,” he muses. “Boys, is this Maree? Are you keeping secrets?”
Nova’s eyes roll back as she passes out and I catch her easily, blowing out a breath.
“It’s a very long story, and her name is Nova,” I say, fixing her body for comfort in my arms and ensuring her dress is pulled over her, despite her leggings.
Kevin has stayed alive as long as he has because he’s smart as a whip and twice as dangerous. While his son is the weak link, he is not.
“I think you should come home with us, don’t you?” he grunts. “Aine, I’m sorry about breakfast…”
She’s breathing hard as she gazes at Nova, pale and trembling.
“Respectfully, dear, fuck breakfast. I want to know what’s going on.”
Shit, I guess we’re taking a drive to their place. Kevin’s driver follows the Edwards in, appearing pensive, his hand on his gun as he stares at us.
“Sir?”
“We’re going home, and bringing company,” Kevin rasps.
Yeah, that’s about what I thought might happen now.