Page 109 of Of Grief And Gratitude

I nearly fell over in shock. I looked at my brothers, who appeared just as caught off guard.

“I hate the idea of more Irish in the family,” my father said begrudgingly. He cleared his throat like he was trying to get the words out. “But I approve. You did well. Your mother would approve, too.”

I shouldn’t want to hear those words. They shouldn’t affect me. For so many years, he dismissed me and disapproved. But somewhere inside, there was a little boy who still wanted his father’s approval.

And he was the only parent I had left, as little as he had to offer.

I nodded and turned away, wordlessly stripping out of my suit and bagging it for disposal, then grabbed a sweatsuit in the lockers by the door before leaving the others to deal with the mess.

I had a future to walk toward.

Chapter Thirty-Two

Sloane side-eyed me as I tried to steady myself in heels. “Are you sure you should go out tonight?”

“It’s been a week,” I said, rolling my eyes. “My arm isn’t throbbing, and my head hardly hurts anymore. I’ll be fine.”

“Still. Maybe Romeo should bring food here so you can rest if you feel tired.”

“Sloane, I’m not an invalid,” I chastised.

She shot me a stern look. “You were fucking shot. Forgive me for worrying about my best friend when she recklessly tries to sacrifice herself for a man.”

“Your brothers were in there, too,” I reminded her, finally getting used to my shoes.

“I know. I’m grateful, I promise,” Sloane said, hugging me carefully. “I was so scared. Don’t do that to me again.”

“I’ll try,” I said drily. “Next time a masked degenerate accosts me in the woods, I’ll kindly request he toss his gun into the underbrush and set me free. I’m sure it will work.”

“There’d better not be a next time,” she said threateningly, hands on her hips. “I could have my Da lock you away at his house. He’d do it.”

Sloane wasn’t exactly an imposing figure in her black leggings and oversized red sweatshirt, but her threat was valid. Seamus O’Connor could hide me from the world, and nobody would be able to find me. Except maybe Romeo. I envisioned him storming the front door of the O’Connor house like a knight storming a castle. Talk about fairy tale dreams.

“How do I look?” I asked, changing the subject. When Romeo told me to dress up nice, I spent hours looking through my closet, trying to decide whether I wanted to show my fresh scar with short sleeves. I settled on a sleeveless pink floral dress that flared out from the waist and ended just above the knee. To assuage my vanity, I added a white cropped cardigan that would be perfect for the evening air.

Sloane stepped back and pursed her lips, making a twirling motion with her finger. I twirled. “Perfect, as always. If he doesn’t think so, I’d be happy to have a little chat with him.”

She flipped a telescoping baton out from her pocket, and I shook my head. “Where did you get that?”

“Shane gave it to me after what happened at the cabin,” she explained, showing me a few moves. “Said it can’t hurt to be overly prepared, especially when I’m a headstrong female with no sense of self-preservation.”

I scoffed. “That asshole.”

“Mhm,” she agreed, putting the baton away. “That’s what I told him… right after using the baton to make him double over from a nut shot.”

We burst into laughter, and I could only imagine what that had looked like, Shane writhing on the floor. I dabbed at my eyes, trying not to ruin my mascara when I laughed so hard I teared up a bit.

There was a knock on the door, and I startled, whirling and taking one last look at my styled waves and natural makeup. Since I didn’t know what Romeo had in store, I’d erred on the side of caution with a classy look.

“Stop worrying,” Sloane said, pushing me out of the way to get the door. “You look amazing, and you’ll have him on his knees.”

I didn’t bother telling her I’d already had him there… numerous times.

“Neretti,” she greeted him when she opened the door. “Planning to let my friend get shot tonight?”

“Sloane!” She was going to embarrass me. I hurried to get my phone and purse.

Romeo patted the gun under his suit. “Not if I can help it. Security is downstairs.”

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