Page 5 of Brutal Savage

I catch up with Brody as he treads toward my black SUV. Opening the backseat door, he hops into the booster, strapping himself in.

I swear the kid will always hate me. No matter what I try, he doesn’t open up. He doesn’t even look at me. If it ever happens, it’s ’cause of necessity. I hate it.

We got along when his parents were alive. Aiden and I would play ball with him, take him bowling.

He’s good at baseball. It’s why I made sure he didn’t drop out of the team once his parents were gone. It’s good for him to have that.

“How was your day?” I settle onto the driver’s seat, taking the car on the road.

He stares out the window and doesn’t say a word.

My fingers curl on the top of my thigh. “That new teacher seems nice. What’s her name again?”

He snaps his eyes to the rearview. And my fucking heart right about stills when he finally looks at me. Then it’s gone as soon as it came. Yet it still happened. Even if it only lasted a few seconds.

And it was all because of her.

“It’s Ms. Hill, right? That’s her name? Is she better than the last teacher? Mrs. S was tougher, I think.”

I mutter a curse under my breath. I’m always talking to myself. But the damn therapist said this is what I have to do. To treat him as though he does talk back.

Yet it’s been around a year and he still hasn’t spoken a word. I fear this is it. That he’ll never talk. Even the doctors can’t tell me anything definitive. No one has answers, except to give it time.

I never much liked time. Time passes, but it’s not always a good thing. Sometimes with time, all you’re waiting for is more shit to fuck up your life.

Like the fact that I only have a couple months to find a wife, or my father will force a marriage on me.

Over my dead body.

I have to figure this out on my own. If there was a woman I could pay to marry me, I would. We wouldn’t need to love each other. Fuck each other, sure, but one doesn’t need love for that.

I don’t even know anyone I like enough to even consider it.

We arrive at my gated estate, my home built on parcels of land we all own. My father has built each one of us a house here. My sisters no longer live on the grounds; however, my brothers, Fionn and Cillian, and I still do.

We own a large farm as well. It’s one way we’re able to clean our money.

My father also built Caellach Academy. It’s not just any kind of school, though. It’s the place where the next generation learns how to become killers—assassins for the Mob. It’s where I taught for a while. It’s where my brothers and Iseult taught too. Combat and tactical skills, amongst many other things they need for the work they will be doing.

We recruit them young. Sixteen, seventeen. And we build them up. Not everyone is allowed to join. They have to be connected to my family to get an invite.

Brody jumps out just as I shut the car off. Together, we head up the cobblestone steps, and the doors immediately open, two of my men stationed inside.

He’s used to that, having security everywhere. It’s how he lived with his parents too. Round-the-clock security. Bulletproof vehicles. It has to be this way.

“Go wash your hands and start on homework,” I tell him.

He marches to the bathroom, brushing right past Ruby, who laughs as she pats him on the head.

“Careful there, sweetheart. Almost knocked right into me.”

He gives her an apologetic glance before he’s out of the room.

She comes over to me as I swipe a hand down my face.

“What the hell am I doing?” I ask her, yet it’s not even a question. “Maybe I’m not right for this.” My tone drops so Brody doesn’t overhear. “He hasn’t made progress. Maybe I’m the problem.”

“Oh, Tynan.” She tilts her face sideways, sympathy playing in her brows. “Don’t do that. You’re doing everything you can.” She lays a wrinkled hand on my forearm. “Trust me. I see it. Everyone does. You’re a darling man, and you try. That’s what anyone would do. Now…” She removes her hand. “How about you go rest, and I’ll make dinner?”

---