The O’sullivan Manor
Ma and Da never fight.
Not in the history of their thirty-year marriage have I heard them argue with each other.
Or maybe they’ve just always fought in the shadows. Swathed in silence.
And I’m finally old enough to see through the bullshit.
Tonight, though, is different.
Their voices seep through the walls. Raised. Tense. Lashing back and forth in fury.
“Master Cillian.”
I turn to find Quinn regarding me with his cool, expressionless gaze.
“What’s going on?” I ask.
“I can’t begin to tell you, Master Cillian,” he says suavely. “I am nothing more than a humble employee.”
I give him a skeptical smirk. “Let’s not play that game, old boy,” I say. “Nothing happens in this place without you knowing about it.”
“I’m flattered that you think so, but—”
“Tell me what’s wrong.”
“Perhaps you should speak to your parents yourself, sir,” Quinn suggests.
Fucker.
He knows I’m not about to barge in there and interrupt their argument.
What does he think I am: an idiot?
I realize a second later that that’s probably exactly what he thinks.
I don’t exactly have a reputation for being the most serious of Ronan’s sons.
“I’ll catch them another time,” I remark, walking around Quinn. “Don’t wanna break up the party, y’know?”
Quinn doesn’t so much as crack a smile.
I scour the mansion before realizing that Sean is nowhere to be found. I’ve just tucked Kian into bed for the night. Little coot had demanded five different bedtime stories before he finally drifted off to sleep.
I go back upstairs and head straight to Sean’s room. It’s the largest and grandest of any of the O’Sullivan children—no doubt another subtle sign about the weight of the expectations on his shoulders.
Light peeks out from underneath the door, so I push it open and walk inside.
I take one step in and stop short.
“What the hell?”
Sean’s standing at the foot of his bed. Directly in front of him is an open suitcase chock full of clothes. I spy his favorite jeans, neatly folded on top of the pile.
“Cillian…” Sean’s tone is soft. Laced with pain.
“Sudden work trip?” I ask innocently.