Page 43 of Starting Over

She was also Darcy’s sister-in-law. Though Darcy took off long before Duane and Maura got married, I know they would have been close. So, for Duncan and Darcy, I took care of Maura and her daughter Colleen.

“Colleen would know.”

Rising from my seat, I glared at my friend. In that moment, I needed to remind myself he was my friend.

“Leave that girl alone. She is Duncan’s fucking family.”

“But—”

“ENOUGH!” I roared. Walking around my desk, I stood toe to toe with Tyran. He might have a few inches and more than a few pounds on me, but he was loyal. And he knew I wouldn’t hesitate to put a bullet in his head if I had to.

“What the fuck are you doing questioning me?”

“I am trying to protect you.”

“I don’t need your fucking protection. I have been doing fine for the last fifty-five fucking years.”

A look passed over Tyran’s face, and I knew he was keeping something from me. I tilted my head and watched him as I asked, “What did you do?”

Surprise marred his face briefly, but was gone in an instant.

“Nothing,” he said, looking me in the eye.

Tyran was hard for people to read. He never smiled. He never frowned. You would think the man had fucking Botox for how much his face remained a stoney silence.

But I knew him well. Had spent almost every single day with him since we turned eighteen, and almost that many before we became adults as well. I knew his tells, his micro expressions.

Turning my back on him, letting him believe I trusted him, I gave him an order.

“Go tell Duncan, Cian, and Mac to pack a bag. And pack warm. We’re going to fucking Nebraska.”

I sat back down at my desk, and when Tyran left, closing the door behind him, I made a phone call.

When the phone connected, I barked, “Why the fuck didn’t you call me when she got there?”

Chapter Eleven

Maureen

Declan O’Rourke.

He hadn’t been back to the clubhouse since Thanksgiving.

When he and King went into church, I decided to go to my room. I was curious how much Declan was going to tell him, but I wasn’t waiting to find out.

I had anticipated King questioning me, but instead it felt like he was avoiding me.

I had managed to avoid Declan for the past few days by hiding out in my new home.

That didn’t mean I hadn’t thought about him.

The truth was, Declan was all I had thought about.

I thought about the crush I had on him when we were kids.

About how he was Duane’s best friend, and then one day, he was just gone.

King must have been born not long after they moved.

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