Page 196 of Tangled in Knots

I found this dress at a store downtown, buried in a corner. It’s as if someone planned to come back for it, but never did. It’s not particularly revealing and a beautiful sage green. The theme is spring for the event, so the spaghetti-strapped corset dress with full skirt definitely embodies it.

Now that my wrist is healed, I have my gun strapped to my thigh and my knife strapped just above where the leg slit ends. I would say that the weapons are overkill, however due to how many times I’ve been attacked lately, I can’t anymore.

The hairdresser cut my hair to just below my shoulders, and I love it. My hair’s natural curls bounce better at this length, and I hadn’t had a haircut in years.

I read once that trauma is retained in your hair. I don’t know if that’s true, but anything that relieves the heaviness in my soul is welcome.

My birthday is in three months, I should not feel as old as I do at twenty-two.

“I’m not sure,” I reply to Jed. “It was never stated in the email, and I don’t know who to ask. Maybe Cian would know, since this event is something they do every year apparently. I’m already wearing a ton of weapons.”

My now shoulder-length hair is twisted into a knot at the base of my neck, and Kane got the idea to find pearled hair pins that are sharp as knives.

He spent twenty minutes just now putting them into my hair with his tongue caught between his teeth as he worked.

I have to admit that I like his addition. I won’t be able to throw them, but they’ll work in a pinch to stab someone in the neck. Again, I doubt it’ll be necessary, but the boys have me prepared for the worst possible scenarios.

“Please ask,” Jed says. His features are pulled into a scowl, his fingers twitching. He’s worried, not being overbearing. I’m beginning to see the difference.

My clutch holds my phone, and I pull it out to call Cian.

“Adira,”his smooth voice says, making me smile. My trust is slow to come, but he’s the closest to having it. “How are you?”

“Good. Ah, I'm just kind of nervous. I’m headed out to the Whalen Society Spring Fling and while I’m armed, I’m unsure if I should bring anyone else with me.”

“Like a bodyguard?”Cian asks. I can hear him shift in his seat, and I wonder if I caught him at home. I don’t know very much about him outside of ‘work’ stuff.“I’ve heard of these parties and they’re not typically something to worry about. However, you’ve had too many close calls not to bring someone with you. Wren and Aisling went to tea with them the first time they met, and they both brought someone to watch their backs. The women mean well, but they’re aware of the dangers of our world because they live in it. They won’t be offended if you bring someone.”

“Good,” I say, the breath leaving my lungs with the word. I was worried about that. “Thank you, Cian. I think I’m more nervous about this, than the meeting with the senior heads of the mafia families.”

“That’s because while the men will growl and complain, they were always going to give in to you,”Cian says.“You’ll be fine. What weapons are you wearing exactly?”

I go through what I have access to on my person, and Cian grunts in approval.

“Hair accessories. That’s ingenious,”he says. “Good bye, Adira. Don’t be late.”

“I won’t. Bye,” I say, hearing him hang up a moment later. “He says I should bring one person.”

Jed is already heading to the bathroom, pulling off his clothes as he walks. “I’ll be out in ten!” he calls out.

“I feel better now,” Kane mutters. “If I could put you in my pocket, I would, little rabbit. If you don’t have to go anywhere alone, please don’t.”

“Dad just texted me,” Damon says, looking surprised as he gazes at his phone. “I don’t think I’ve gotten a text from him ever.”

Kane pulls out his phone to check and grunts, “This is overkill. Dad just texted me too. Ay, Jed! Are you getting texts from the sperm donor?”

There’s no response, but I can hear the water running.

“He’s in the shower,” I murmur. “Please don’t keep me in suspense, Kane.”

“Dad says he has a job that needs to be done in three weeks. He said it has to be a clean break in at the Kelly’s home to secure the package,” Kane grunts. “Fuck a duck, little rabbit.”

“I’d rather you didn’t fuck a duck,” I say mildly as the water turns off in the bathroom. “Three weeks…”

“Hey,” Morris barks, moving into my line of vision as it starts to get hazy. “This isn’t going to be the same. We’ll make sure there’s no drugs, you’ll have a weapon with you at all times.”

“Even if I have to press it into your hands after I tie you up,” Damon rasps. “This is going to suck, but we’ll be walking away free.”

“Together,” Kane says. “Jed will get details out of Dad. Without them, we won’t do the job, and he knows that. Jed has such a high level of success, because he and Morris are able to view all the angles.”

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