Total pages in book: 101
Estimated words: 98000 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 490(@200wpm)___ 392(@250wpm)___ 327(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 98000 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 490(@200wpm)___ 392(@250wpm)___ 327(@300wpm)
It’s so wild, all the freedom she thinks I have. Yeah, I can do a lot of things she can’t, but in other ways, I’m even more under our father’s thumb than she is. There are things she’ll have choices about that I never will. Still, I understand what she’s saying. He doesn’t look at my sister or my mom and see the strength I know is there.
“I get it, Ash. Just…be careful. If anything happens to you, if you’re hurt in any way—”
“I know, I know. It’ll bring down the wrath of Dad on you.”
“I was going to say I couldn’t fuckin’ handle it.”
She threads her arm through mine, cuddling close. “Aww, best big brother ever. You’re secretly sweet, do you know that?”
“Take it back, or I’ll kill your new friend.”
Aislin laughs, but then says, “You are, though.”
“I literally put a bullet in someone’s head a few days ago.”
“Ugh. I knew Dad had you doing something like that.”
“It’s who we are.” Who we’ve always been, and who we’ll always be. I take another hit, then put it out.
“I don’t care. That’s our life, and it’ll never change, but you’re still a good man.”
I roll my eyes. “I’m having a party this weekend. Bring New Kid.”
She pulls away from me. “Now you’ll make me regret what I just said to you.”
“What?” I smirk. “I’m just trying to be nice. He needs to learn the way things work here before he gets into trouble.”
“I hung out with him once, for like thirty seconds. I don’t even know if we’ll stay friends.”
I playfully flutter my lashes at her. “Bring him for me. Best big brother ever, remember?”
“What do you want with him?” Aislin gets off the bed.
“Maybe nothing. I don’t know yet. He does have a nice mouth, though, so possibly just that. Or…maybe I want to be his friend.”
“I hate you.” My sister grabs one of the pillows from my bed and hits me with it.
“He’ll enjoy it, little sister. I promise you. It’ll be a much better use of said mouth than how he used it today.” Because that shit isn’t going to fucking fly. But I’d be lying if I said I don’t want a taste of him, if I don’t want to turn him into someone who’s dying for my cock instead of looking at me with disdain.
“If I bring him, I’m telling him you’re trying to fuck him.”
I shrug, not caring.
She picks up my book. “Crime and Punishment? You read the weirdest shit.”
Everyone around me seems to think that, so I just shrug again. “Murder, Mafia, and college by day, books by night. What can I say? I’m well rounded.” She gives me a shake of her head and a sad smile, but before she has the chance to say anything else, I tell her, “I’ll walk you to your dorm.”
“I don’t need you to protect me.”
“I’ll have Cil or Rory do it, then.”
“Jesus. You never fucking learn, do you? We just talked about me not needing someone to take care of me, and you basically agreed to give me some freedom while I’m here.”
She doesn’t get that I really do love her and don’t know how I would survive if anything ever happened to her. “College is dangerous. Frat boys all around who should probably have their dicks cut off.”
“And if they try something I don’t want, I’ll be the one to cut it off. Love you, brother.” Aislin kisses my forehead and leaves my room.
As soon as she’s gone, I pick up my cell and call Cil. It’s after dark, and she’s walking. Campus is close enough that she can do that, but that doesn’t mean it’s safe.
“Yeah.”
“You home?”
“Yep.”
“Follow Aislin back to her dorm. Don’t let her see you, though.”
He curses. “She’s gonna have my fuckin’ balls for this.”
“Not if you don’t get caught.” I end the call, pick up my book, and get back to reading.
*
Friday night, the house is full just like I want it to be. I enjoy time to myself, always have and always will, but I can’t deny loving a good party from time to time. I’ve been drinking beer since I was eight, my father saying it would put hair on my chest, make me a man, and Mom…well, he snuffs out the fire in her, and she doesn’t go against anything he says.
Conan says she didn’t use to be like that. I’ve seen it at times with my own eyes when it comes to anyone but my father, but somehow he’s extinguished the light in her…just like he’s trying to do with Aislin…and maybe I’m doing that to her too… Fuck.
It’s hard to find the lines sometimes. Most of the time, I don’t give a fuck, but when it comes to my mom or my sister, I do.
Speaking of Aislin, I haven’t seen her tonight. She said she would try to bring Dean, but when she asked him on Thursday in class, he said maybe. What the fuck is with the maybe? He got invited to a party at Tiernan fucking O’Shea’s house. When that happens, you come.