Page 80 of Beautiful Scar

“I take it things are going okay between you two.”

“Better than okay,” I admit, then narrow my eyes when Arsen’s smile gets enormous. “Don’t look at me like that.”

“Come on, I’m happy for you. If anyone deserves a win, it’s you.”

“Fuck off.”

“Okay, okay, whatever, I wish you nothing but pain and misery then.” He shrugs, waving his glass in the air. “But your wife, she deserves the world.”

“I fucking know it.” I drink aggressively but lighten up when I glance over at Roman. “It’s kind of a miracle she agreed to come out here, by the way.”

“That’s a good thing, right?”

“I’m proud of her,” I admit, which is goddamn true. When I first floated the possibility of coming to visit my brother, she instantly got pale and started to make excuses. But the next day, without prompting, she brought it up all on her own. She wants to make an effort, wants to get out of her comfort zone, and it makes me care about her more than I ever thought I could.

That’s the passion I knew she had. That’s the fire in her. She successfully held it at bay for all these years, but slowly, inch by inch, it’s beginning to roar back to life.

Arsen looks like he wants to make a comment but thinks better of it. “I got word from the McGraths,” he says, face getting serious as his voice drops softer. “Liam personally sent me a message. They’re not happy about Ciaran.”

“Then they shouldn’t have tried to blow up my wife,” I say, barely restraining my anger. “It’s hard to feel bad for them.”

“That’s what I said. But Liam insists that Seamus is acting out of turn.”

“You believe that shit?”

“I’m not sure, if I’m honest. I got some strange vibes from him.”

I raise the glass to my lips, considering for a moment. “You think Liam’s losing control?”

“I think there’s more going on with the Irish than we realize.” Arsen’s stare could melt steel. “You’d better be on guard. I’m worried Seamus will try again.”

I return his look with a hungry, wolfish grin. “I hope they fucking do.”

Dasha

Dinner is surprisingly normal. We sit down at the big table in their informal dining room while Roman runs around making squealing noises. The house staff serves this amazing pasta dishto the adults and chicken nuggets with gourmet French fries to the small insane child. He eats like a vacuum cleaner.

“Does he sleep?” I ask Lena, honestly afraid that my kid is going to be just as hyper.

“Drops like a stone,” she says, giving me this look I can’t really parse. “If he didn’t, I’m pretty sure I’d be dead right now.”

“That’s good, right?”

“Nannies are good. Babysitters are good. Anyone that can help share the load is good. But when he slept through the night for the first time and never looked back, that was a miracle.” She stares into space for a moment, then perks up. “But don’t worry. Parenthood is great!”

“Seems great,” I say as Roman releases a war cry and rams head-first into Tigran’s thigh.

Eventually, the child is taken away to bed. We head out onto a gorgeous back patio, and I hear the story of how Lena and Arsen got together.

“They’re sanitizing it,” Tigran remarks, patting my knee lightly.

“We’re leaving out the dirty bits,” Arsen agrees, nodding, and Lena punches his arm.

“Don’t be a prick,” she hisses at him, and he wraps an arm around her shoulder, hugging her close. They kiss, and I swear, they stare at each other with so much devotion it’s incredible.

“Here I am, thinking my story was tough, but it sounds like you two went through it all,” I say when Lena’s done and Arsen gives her a quick kiss to seal the story.

“But it gets better, you know? At least, it did with us. I wouldn’t change any of it for the world.” She hesitates for a second. “Well, maybe less, you know?—”

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