Page 142 of Myla: The Hawthornes

“A deal is a deal,” Myla rasped, tying the belt. “You bet me he would callthat day,and he didn’t.”

“The spirit of the deal—”

“No takebacks,” Myla said quickly.

“What’s this about a bet?” I asked, looking between them.

“Nothing,” Myla replied, coming toward me.

Molly and Heather stood up as Myla wrapped her arms around me. “Is my dad still out there?”

“He’s talkin’ to your girls.”

“Good.”

“Have a feelin’ he won’t be leavin’ for a while,” I murmured. “He might knock out a wall and start buildin’ himself a bedroom.”

Myla smiled sadly. “I’m okay.”

“I know.”

“I told you I could take care of myself.”

I jolted. “Don’t start with that shit again.”

“I mean, I think I proved it pretty dramatically.”

I looked over her head at Heather. “You hearin’ this shit?”

“She’s her mother’s daughter,” Molly said dryly.

Out in the living room, something was happening. I reached behind me and cracked Myla’s door to hear what was going on. My sister was there.

“Come on,” Myla said, obviously hearing her too.

When we got back into the living room, Tommy and Aoife were facing off.

“I’m sorry, but she’s had a shitty night,” Tommy said. “Don’t think she’s up for any company.”

“I’m here for him,” she replied, pointing at me as our eyes met. “You okay, baby brother?”

Myla sent me a soft look before walking toward the table where Lou and Frankie were sitting, their faces swollen and wet.

“I’m all right, E,” I replied to my sister, catching her as she hurried toward me.

“I’m going to kill him,” she said, resting her chin on my shoulder. “I’m so sorry, Cian.”

“Not your fault.”

“This won’t ever end.”

“It’s over now.”

“You don’t know that.”

“I do.” I pulled away so I could look into her eyes. “Gray’s been in touch with ’em. It’s understood that our family is off-limits. Julian Kitz was just a fuckin’ psycho. He wasn’t actin’ on their orders.”

“They’ll keep looking for him,” she argued. “You know they will.”

---