Page 51 of Faithless Vows

My grandmam had shaken her head without looking up from her knitting. “Leave it be, love,” she said, her voice gentle but certain. “If they want to make things right, let them be the ones to come to you.”

So I left it alone. Some days, that’s harder than others. I understand why my grandmam said it. I do. Reaching out, smoothing things over, making it easier for everyone—that isn’t my work to do. What happened wasn’t my fault, and I don’t owe anyone the comfort of pretending otherwise. But they’re still my parents, and this is my first Christmas without them.

The cushion dips beside me, pulling me from my thoughts. “There you are, Lannie,” Finn says. “Do you remember when we were ten and Declan convinced us the Christmas tree was haunted?”

I look at him. He’s smiling, waiting for me to answer. It takes me a second to realize what he’s talking about, then I laugh. “Yeah. He moved the angel when no one was looking and pretended to be terrified.”

“And you believed him.”

“I was ten.”

“I didn’t believe him,” Finn says very seriously.

“You absolutely did. You wouldn’t go near the tree for two days.”

He opens his mouth. Closes it again. “I was being cautious,” he says finally.

That does it. I break into a fit of giggles. He’s so full of it. I can still see the terrified look on his face, the way he hid behind me and made me walk past the tree first.

Finn glances sideways at me, something softening in his expression. “There it is,” he says quietly.

“What?”

“That laugh. Haven’t heard that one in a while.” He looks away and clears his throat. “Catríona’s been stealing all your time lately. I was thinking maybe I could borrow you for a bit tomorrow. We could go for a walk down by the cliffs or something.”

I can’t remember the last time it was just the two of us. The thought makes me smile. I bump my shoulder against his. “A freezing Christmas walk by the shore? How could I turn that down?”

A corner of his mouth lifts. “Knew you wouldn’t.”

“What else do you remember?” I ask.

He doesn’t even have to think about it. “You still owe me a tanner from that football match when we were eleven.”

My head snaps toward him. “I absolutely do not.”

“You lost the bet.”

“You cheated.”

“I was strategic.”

“You moved the goalposts.”

“Creative problem solving,” Finn says calmly.

I shake my head, but I can’t stop grinning.

My grandda’s deep laugh has me looking over. Declan must have come in while I wasn’t paying attention. He’s pulled a chair up beside Grandda, and whatever he’s saying has him laughing while Eamon and Uncle Conor sit nearby, talking between themselves. From the kitchen, I hear my grandmam humming “The Rose of Tralee” while Aunt Maeve tells her she might at least pretend to sing a Christmas tune. Around me, the room is warm, full of voices, laughter, and the familiar chaos of family.

I didn’t plan for this to be my life. I’d had plans. But then, everyone does.

Chapter Twenty-One

Ronin

I’m going over the week’s numbers when my office door flies open and slams against the wall. My hand goes straight to the drawer where I keep my gun, my fingers closing around the grip by the time Sully O’Malley storms in, his face red with fury. Kathleen follows a step behind him. I let go of the gun but leave the drawer open, leaning back in my chair as I look from one to the other. I haven’t seen the bitch since my wedding day. What the fuck is she doing in my office now? I don’t have to wait long to find out.

“You’ve got some nerve!” Sully shouts, jabbing a thick finger at me, spit flying from his mouth.