Page 9 of Vengeful Guard

His voice is low and gentle, but my hackles still rise.

“Lara should’ve kept her damned mouth shut.”

Gray lets out a long sigh. “Paige, you know that if you’re struggling, all you have to do is talk to us.”

“I’m not struggling.”

“You look like shit,” he says flatly, and I snort.

“Thanks a lot.”

“You know that’s not what I mean. You’re too skinny, you’re not sleeping... You’ve got circles under your eyes, and you’re always ghost-pale...”

“Go on, keep complimenting me,” I drawl, smiling and hoping it makes him laugh, but Gray remains serious as a heart attack.

I can usually talk him out of a bad mood or change the subject easily, but to be honest, he’s right. I haven’t been my usual bubbly self.

But so what? Isn’t everyone entitled to have a bad few days? Weeks? Months?

“I’m being serious, Paige.”

“I am, too.” I pop another berry to my mouth. My stomach can’t handle much at one time. “I’m fine. Nothing even happened. I got a couple of scraped knees, a black eye, and everyone’s acting like I’m on death’s door. Hell, Jimmy almost died. And before that, Declan was shot not long ago, and no one is treating him like spun glass.”

“That’s different.”

“How’s that different?”

Gray groans. “It just is, Paige. Declan and I know what we signed up for. You’re just a kid.”

“I’m not a kid. I’m a full-grown adult, just like you are.”

“Life’s different for you, mo stóirín. That’s all I’m saying.”

I sit up straight, my shoulders stiffening. “Well, maybe it shouldn’t be. Maybe I should start taking some responsibility around here.”

Gray scoffs. “Like what? You’re not going to start making the rounds and collecting money.”

“I could,” I grumble, and Gray’s eye twitches.

“We don’t want you in that type of danger.”

“You and Declan do it every day.”

“It’s different.”

“Why, because I’m a girl?” I demand to know, feeling slightly offended.

I’ve never really wanted to be a part of my family’s “business,” but at the same time, it makes me mad that Gray is suggesting that I can’t do it just because I’m female and the youngest.

“Not because you’re a girl. Because you’re different, Paige. You’re not like me and Declan. You’re not even like Lara.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“It’s not an insult, mo stóirín. It’s just... you’ve been kept a lot more out of this life than the rest of us.”

“That’s not my fault.”

“You’re right. It’s ours. And Da’s. We tried to protect you from the dark, mean side of the business. But still, you went through something scary. It’s okay to be upset about it.”

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