Page 27 of Twisted Thorns

"Think, brother." Liam's tone is a cool balm to my heated rage. "We don’t know what he's planning, or who else is involved."

"Since when are you the voice of reason?" Despite the sarcasm, I know he speaks sense. Our past confrontations have taught us both the price of impulsiveness—bruises that run far deeper than skin, wounds that never quite heal.

"Since I started listening to Sloane's advice, and not just admiring her... other qualities." A wry smile plays across his lips, a fleeting distraction from our grim setting.

I allow myself a moment, a brief chuckle at his expense, before refocusing on the task at hand. "Fine," I concede, though the words taste like ash on my tongue.

"Good. Let's backtrack, find a better vantage point. We gather intel, understand the full scope. Then, when we're ready..." Liam trails off, his gaze hardening, the blue of his eyes turning to steel.

"Then we burn it all down," I finish for him, the promise hanging heavy in the night air.

We retreat into the shadows, moving with the silent precision of predators. In the quiet that follows, my thoughts wander to Avalina again—her fierce spirit, the curve of her body beneath my hands. Desire flares, a welcome heat amidst the cold calculation of our mission. It is a craving as raw and undeniable as the thirst for vengeance.

"Patience," Liam murmurs again, picking up on my nerves but not understanding their source.

"Patience," I agree, the word a vow, a whispered caress, a smoldering ember awaiting the spark to ignite an inferno.

Chapter 15

Avalina

I find Kieran leaning by the wall to my apartment after work. His dark gaze pierces my soul, ripping away the carefully constructed lies I wrap around myself in order to sleep in peace. He turns, eyes flashing as they meet mine. I approach slowly, heart pounding.

"I brought your favorite, egg rolls with honey," he says as he holds up a bag filled with takeout containers.

I lift my chin. "What if it's changed?" I challenge, despite the knowledge that he is right.

He just shrugs. "Then I'll get something else."

Kieran follows me into the apartment, immediately going to pull out plates and silverwear. It takes me back for a moment until I realize that he's been here before. Lots of times. I have the photos and video to prove it.

I cross the small space to the kitchen, slipping off my shoes and setting my bag down on the counter before sitting on one of the stools by the counter. I'm mesmerized as I watch Kieran move effortlessly around my space, setting up the containers and plates in front of me and then moving to get my favorite tea from the fridge.

Conan waltzes into the kitchen, weaving through Kieran’s legs as he moves about the space. I’m about to call Conan away when Kieran reaches down and gives my tabby cat scratches behind his ear, his favorite spot.

“Don’t worry, Conan, I didn’t forget about you,” Kieran says as he pulls some grilled chicken from a box, tearing it into pieces before putting it into Conan’s bowl.

I try to shift away from the discomfort of watching someone know me so obviously well when I don't know them at all. Kieran finishes setting things up and then comes to sit beside me, piling his plate high with chow mein. I grab some egg rolls and we simply eat in silence as my mind tries to catch up with what is happening.

This differs from how it is with Claire or any of my friends. There's no pretense here, no need to force a conversation or adhere to a predetermined set of topics. Here I can just be me.

I finally give in. "I don't know what to do."

At first Kieran is silent, assessing. Then he tilts his head, looking over at me before saying, "Honestly, I don't either."

"What do you mean?"

"I thought I should stay away. Your memory loss offered a clean break. Sure, I remembered everything, but you didn't. You could move on, have a life free of my darkness."

"But how do you know I didn't want a life with you?" I question.

"We kept our relationship a secret for a reason." Kieran sighs, running a hand through his hair. "My life. It's not completely safe. I didn't want to bring you into that."

"But you wanted to make it safer, right? That's what you're doing with Liam and Finn?" I ask.

"That's the hope. But who knows when that will happen."

"What's stopping you?"

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