Page 2 of Home Free

What had made it impossible to turn away from her was the combination of strength and vulnerability that made him want to both protect her and stand by her side in battle.

She was the best thing to come out of his return home. It had been nice to spend time with his dad and brothers again, to heal the fissures caused by their mother’s death and their sister Erin’s overdose.

But Elise had become the thing he lived for.

He looked up as Declan entered the kitchen. There was a question in his eyes as he looked at Finn, something he didn’t want to say. Funny how quickly Finn had slid back into knowing his family after so many years apart.

“What’s up?” Finn asked, his hands still in the ice water.

“I was thinking I’d stay a few days,” Declan said. “Give you a break.”

He was almost as big as Ronan, both of them with dark hair and the blue eyes they all shared — except for Nick, who had their mother’s green eyes, and Erin, who’d had them too.

“Don’t need a break,” Finn said.

Declan peered into the sink, taking in the bloody water. “I disagree.”

“Doesn’t matter what you think,” Finn said through gritted teeth. “I’m fine.”

Declan sat on one of the chairs at the kitchen island. “I’m worried about you, man.”

“Don’t.” Finn removed his hands from the water and grabbed the towel on the counter. He wrapped it around his right hand, forcing himself not to wince in Declan’s company.

“It’d be a nice surprise for Elise,” Declan said.

Low blow.

“She’s coming up this weekend,” Finn said. He walked to the fridge, removed two beers, and handed one to Declan.

“I know, but maybe you should go to her this time. Might be nice for you guys to hang out at the beach for a bit. It’s getting warmer,” Declan said.

Finn studied him. “I know what you’re doing.”

“What am I doing?” Declan asked.

“Using Elise to get me to leave the house,” Finn said.

Declan studied him. “You’ve gotten a bit rougher lately. The goal isn’t to kill him. Not yet. It’s to get information out of him.”

“I’m aware,” Finn said coldly. “He doesn’t seem amenable.”

“He’s a tough case, I’ll give you that. I’m just saying, a break might do you good, give you some perspective,” Declan said.

“I have all the perspective I need.” Fedir and Iryna dead. Petro living with another family in the village in Ukraine, forever scarred by the memory of hiding with Finn in the woods outside the house while his parents were gunned down inside.

Declan stood. “If you say so.”

“I do.”

Declan nodded. “This kind of work can get under your skin. You need to be honest with yourself — and with us — if you’re struggling.”

“I’m fine.” Finn choked out the words. Since when had Declan, the Murphy brother most likely to put someone in the hospital during a bar fight, turned into Mr. Touchy-Feely?

“Then I’m heading back to the city,” Declan said. “Griff’s got a piano recital.”

Declan’s wife Kate was expecting their second child. Griffin, their son, was the apple of Dec’s eye.

“Tell them hello,” Finn said.

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