He ran his hand through her hair, massaging her scalp. “I met the two of them at our usual place. Rogan had been arrested by the police, but his father’s lawyer had gotten him out. They had no real evidence and apparently a witness came forward and swore that he’d seen someone else shoot Lucas.”
“A witness? They didn’t mention you and Aedan?”
“No. No doubt they were paid to forget us.”
“By Rogan’s father?”
“Yeah.”
“Why?” She frowned. “Why did he help you?”
“I don’t know. Rogan was free, but he had to lay low. He urged me to leave town. Said he’d already lost one friend, he didn’t want to lose us as well. Aedan’s parents were sending him back to Ireland to stay with his grandfather until he finished school. He was a bit younger than the rest of us. I begged Rogan to come with me. I figured we could make it together. But he refused.
“I got angry with him. I couldn’t understand why he wouldn’t leave. So I took the money and left town. I re
ally went off the deep end, drinking and smoking. I was burning through that cash. One morning I woke up in a doorway. I’d paid some guy to buy me a bottle of vodka because I was underage. I must have just passed out on the street. This man in a suit walked past and actually dropped some money on me. It was a new low. I just stared at the money, my head aching, stinking to the heavens and I wondered what the hell I was doing. I went back to the cheap motel to clean myself up and that’s when I realized that my room key and my wallet were gone.”
He cleared his throat. “I had one photo of Lucas. It was of the four of us when we were a few years younger. My mom took it. I kept it in my wallet. I was so angry at myself. It was the kick in the ass I needed, though. Lucas and my parents were gone, but I wasn’t. I could piss away my life or I could make something of it. Lucas had always talked about joining the service.
“Luckily, I’d left the majority of the money in the motel room. I cleaned myself up. I started working out. When I had myself together, I joined the Marines. I wanted to turn my life around, to be someone my parents and Lucas would be proud of.”
“I’m so sorry about Lucas, Dylan,” she said.
“Me too. I wish we had listened to Rogan. We should never have been there. But I can’t turn back time; the only thing I can do is make sure I live my life to the fullest. For Lucas.”
Dylan brushed his hand through her hair. “You can’t tell anyone about this, Tilly.”
“I know. I won’t, I promise. So you didn’t stay in contact with Aedan and Rogan?”
He shrugged. “We took different paths. Aedan went on to become this movie star and now he’s a rich businessman. Rogan took over the family business.”
She yawned. “Sorry.”
Leaning down, he kissed her forehead. “Why don’t you close your eyes? Just rest them for a little bit.”
“Okay.”
“Good night, a mhuirnín.”
***
Dylan walked back downstairs and into the sitting room where Rogan and Aedan still sat.
“Nice place,” he told Rogan as he sat and picked up his glass of scotch, taking a healthy sip.
“The old house held too many memories. I wanted a fresh start.”
Dylan nodded. He could understand that.
“You’ve landed on your feet, brother,” Aedan said. He still had a faint Irish accent. Both Dylan and Rogan had been born here, but Aedan had moved here with his family when he was twelve and he often returned to Ireland to see his grandfather.
“I’m sorry I haven’t been in contact more,” Dylan said awkwardly.
Rogan narrowed his gaze. “We never expected you to be. Better to cut all ties.”
Dylan sat back in the seat. “Maybe it wasn’t, though. I’ve missed both of you.”
“It’s safer to stay away from me, Dylan,” Rogan told him.