Chapter Two
Jakob
I’m running late. Shit, I’m running late. My almost brother-in-law and sister are going to kill me. Today’s their engagement party, and Lelonie is going full bridezilla already. Okay, maybe that’s a little dramatic. All she asked of me was to make sure I’m on time and that I don’t kill Declan.
Anyway, back to Declan. We were best friends growing up until he started sleeping with the woman who now makes my life hell.
We quickly became sworn enemies after I walked in on them.
I mean, one way sworn enemies. I hate him with every ounce of my soul.
He used to match my energy with this, but over the past five years his anger has dissipated, and now it seems he’d much rather goad me than hate me.
Years later we became more like frenemies when his brother started dating my sister.
Hell, Declan even gave one of his kidneys to her.
I can say a lot of negative shit about the Byrne’s, and trust me, I do, but what I can never say is that they don’t love Lelonie like one of their own.
The day of the transplant surgery, I went to thank Declan for saving my sister’s life, and just when I thought we could at the very least become friends again, the tornado that wrecked our friendship in the first place came barreling past me and into his arms. I vowed right then and there that if I ever got the chance, I’d shove a knife directly into his beating heart.
Only now, we have to be at the same places for wedding shit, and my family would never forgive me for killing my sister’s brother-in-law at one of their pre-wedding or wedding events.
It’s why I left him alive in that alley two weeks ago.
Killing him right now would be a mood killer to Mac and Lee’s happy day, and I’ll never intentionally upset any of my siblings.
Finally, after what feels like an eternity, I cruise down the long driveway without stopping at the guard shack.
They don’t even try to stop me anymore. They know who I am, and if Lelonie is here, I can be here too.
The old white brick mansion comes into view.
It seems intimidating if you’ve never been here, but all I see are the memories made here growing up as Dec’s best friend.
I park my bike next to my youngest sister’s car, smiling because she’s home for the summer.
Annie just graduated from Princeton a couple of weeks ago and is living back home with our parents until she starts medical school just over three hours away at Johns Hopkins in the fall.
She’s extremely intelligent and is going to be the top surgeon in her field, I just know it.
Call me a doting big brother all you want, but I know who my siblings are, and I know they’re all destined for great things.
I mean, just look at Lelonie. She has survived through so much.
A lesser person would have broken. She and her fiance, Mac, have an amazing love story.
It was an emotional roller coaster, and I was unsure of how it would end at first. After I got over Mac being Declan’s brother, I realized that he treats my sister like his sole purpose on this Earth is to make her feel loved and safe.
I was able to see the undeniable, once in a lifetime love that they both share.
I thought maybe I could have had that once, but it wasn’t in the cards for me.
I lost my best friend and gained a girl who has me trapped under her thumb in one night.
Now that I’m years older, I can recognize that I was never in love.
I was in lust. We would have never worked out.
I was looking for forever, and they were looking for ‘right now.’
Strutting into the backyard where the engagement party is being held, I hear my name yelled by the sweetest voice I’ve ever heard.
My gorgeous niece, Hannah, comes running full force straight for my legs.
She’s six, but I scoop her up like she’s still that twenty pound one year old toddling to me.
She wraps around me like a koala to a tree and squeezes me tightly.
“Uncle Cub!” She squeals in delight.
“Hannah Banana!” I respond with just as much enthusiasm.
Hannah couldn’t say ‘Jakob’ as a baby– obviously– but she could say cub. I’ve been Cub ever since.
“Papa said you’re late.” She says in a matter-of-fact tone.
“Did he?” I act offended. But really, if it walks like a duck, and it quacks like a duck…
“He did. He also said you’re going to be pissed when you get here.” Her eyes widen in shock. “Please don’t tell Papa I said that.”
The laugh bubbles out of me involuntarily.
She’s a six year old little girl, but she’s surrounded by foul mouthed blue collar workers ninety percent of the time.
If the worst she says is ‘pissed’ then I think we’re doing pretty well.
“Your secret is safe with me. Just don’t rat me out if you get caught.
Why did your Papa say I was going to be mad? ”
“I don’t know. Something about Rhett’s uncle.”
My brow furrows as I try to think of what Dieter could be talking about. I already knew he was going to be here. “Well, the only person that I care about being here is my favorite one. You know who that is, right?”
Her eyes sparkle as she smiles at me. “That’s Oma!”
I mean, she’s not wrong, but that’s not who I was talking about. “Yes, Oma, but also you.”
She giggles as I swing her onto my back and carry her with me to the event tent on the far end of the backyard.
There’s so many people here that it reminds me of my bar on a Friday night.
I mean, if my bar was as sophisticated as this event, which, just to be clear, it is not.
Hannah and I make our way over to my family, and she slides down my back until her feet touch the ground and she runs off to find the other kids.
Everyone here is dressed up, and we’re no exception.
Thankfully, Dieter knows his daughter and gave up the notion of dresses years ago.
Now when she has to dress up, she wears these one piece shirts and pants or shorts things.
I don’t know what they’re called; that’s above my pay grade.
I just know she’s in a pale green pants one as she runs out of my sight.
My black three piece suit still looks pristine as I take a seat between my brother and sister.
My parents are talking to some other couple across the tent and I can see Lelonie standing around the Byrne women smiling and laughing.
“So, you haven’t seen them yet?” Dieter looks at me with a raised brow.
“Of course he hasn’t. Do you think he’d be sitting here calmly if he did?” Annie responds before I have a chance to.
Dieter cuts back in, “Well, maybe he remembers this is our sister’s day and he needs to be on his best behavior.”
“He is right here and has no idea what you’re talking about.” I finally cut in with more attitude than intended.
Both of my siblings look past me and suck in a deep breath through their teeth.
“Don’t look now, but you’re about to find out. Remember it’s Lee’s day.”
I can feel him before I even turn. Hatred and the desire to rip his intestines out through his mouth burn almost as severely as the feel of his stupid emerald eyes burning holes in the back of my head.
Taking a deep breath to center myself, I wait a solid five seconds before turning.
I thought that I was ready, that I had steeled my spine enough, but I was very wrong.
Fuck. Him.
Declan stands tall, a mischievous fucking smirk on his face as he talks to his brothers.
His light brown hair has been styled in that almost messy way.
The longer strands on top are a wavy mess, like he’s been running his fingers through it, and the sides are cut short.
His emerald eyes sparkle with happiness as he talks to his brothers.
That’s not what grabs my attention, though.
It’s the five foot four inch blonde hair spawn of Satan that’s standing beside him.
She wraps herself around his arm, and I can see him go stiff as a board from here.
What’s that about? Why the fuck would he bring Natasha in the first place? She’s obviously his date, but his body language screams something completely different. More importantly, why is my sister acting like this is all good?
I mean, this is her event, and I get that. She isn’t worried about the five year old drama that hangs heavy between the three of us. But still, you’d think she and Mac would respect me enough to warn me.
“Chill. It’s fine, Jake. Who even cares about them?” Annie scoffs.
She’s trying to help and I appreciate that, but she doesn’t understand that they just ripped open a scabbed over wound and dumped a lifetime’s worth of salt onto the exposed nerves and muscles.
I can’t be here right now. Seeing him outside of her apartment was bad enough, but her wrapped around him sets my veins on fire in the worst way.
Shoving up to my feet, my heart hammers in my ears as my legs carry me out of the event tent. I’m not even ten feet from the tent when a hand grabs my arm and spins me around. My fists ball on instinct, but when my brain registers I’m staring down a different Byrne brother my hands relax.
Kieran is Declan’s younger brother, or well one of them.
There’s six of them in total, all boys. Declan’s parents were overachievers, or they just liked having sex with each other.
I loved his parents so much and have missed them every day since their tragic murders by none other than Natasha’s Papa.
Just to add another fucked up layer to this situation.
Apparently Declan doesn’t care about that seeing as he’s strutting her around like his prized pig.
Kieran gives me a kind smile, his hand grips my shoulder one more time before letting it drop to his side.
“For the record? I had no idea the idiot was actually seeing her. Nevertheless, bringing her to such an important event. On his behalf, I’m sorry.”
“Don’t mention it. It just surprised me and I needed to walk off the shock. I’m not leaving or anything.” I force my lips into what is hopefully an easy smirk when all I feel is the desire to drive a knife into his chest.
“Okay, yeah. Well, take a minute, but not too long. Lee is looking for you.”
Tilting my head up, I blow out a lungful of air into the sky. “Yeah, I’m coming.”
Kieran laughs and shakes his head. “It’s not that bad. She’s incredibly low maintenance for a girl planning her wedding.”
A real smile covers my face. “Yeah, she’s pretty cool like that. She gets it from her big brother.”
“Yeah, Dieter’s pretty cool too.”
Little shit.
We both laugh as we walk back into the tent together, which draws curious eyes from both of our families.
It’s no surprise that I’m not the biggest Byrne fan out there, with the exception of Mac.
At the same time, I’m not going to pull a weapon on them at my first given chance, unless of course you’re the second oldest of the brothers.
Lelonie sees me and practically drags Mac over, but there isn’t a hint of annoyance on his face, he happily follows her. He’s such a sap for her, and honestly, what more could I ask for as her big brother? I wrap my arms around her as soon as she’s close enough.
My siblings and I are extremely close, so when Lee and Mac announced three years ago that they were going to travel the world, it about broke my heart.
Especially because it was right after the doctors cleared her from her kidney transplant and right after they got engaged.
We’ve been reduced to texts, face time calls, and the occasional trips home that they take.
Going from shielding your sister –who has health issues– from the world to letting that same sister explore the world with her soon to be husband was a hard thing to adjust to.
“I’ve missed you, Kostbarkeit.” Treasure. It’s what my Papa, Dieter, and I call both of my sisters.
She grunts from me hugging her too tightly, so I ease up.
“I’ve missed you too. No plus one?” She looks around as if I’ve ever brought anyone around her.
I haven’t even gotten the chance to answer her yet when she’s swept out of my arms and into my arch nemesis’s grasp.
Before I can reach back for her, Mac pulls her into his arms and sweeps her away before throwing over his shoulder, “Work your shit out. This isn’t the time or place to have pissing matches.
” He pauses for a beat before adding, “Declan” and walking away with Lelonie plastered to his side.