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PROLOGUE

Renner

Five Years Ago

This is ing out with an, I'm ready to head home I miss my mom and dad Hell, I even miss my pain in the ass brother, Flynn, and my cousins, Nix and Linc, but I'd never admit that to them in a hundred years I've lived my whole life in the shadow of the Caldwell boys and it's been nice just hanging with girls for a change

I've been here all su with my mom's family She was born and raised in Dublin but has been in the States since her college days This trip is raduation present to hteen-year-old should be having Cady and Teagan have gone overboard showingready to head out for another evening of flirting with and gawking at cute Irish boys

Unfortunately, Teagan has headed off for a short holiday with her parents in London, so it's up to ht They are both wilder than I am, but since I only have Cady to watch over, it shouldn't be too difficult tonight

Putting on the finishing touches to mydown on my bed She looks hot in a pair of skinny jeans and an off-the-shoulder t-shirt that is knotted at her stolance down at my outfit and feel al a pair of khaki pants, a white silk blouse, and a pale green cardigan with reen eyes go a shade lighter, and that's soht?

Turning to Cady, I slip on ht?"

Cady turns on her back and blows a large bubble froum in her mouth When it pops, she draws it back into her mouth and says, "The question is, dear Renner, what aren't we going to do tonight? I'et into some trouble"

I roll my eyes at Cady but smile as I listen to her musical lilt She's a mischievous devil She wears her dark--alth bob but the bottorouches to her that he's going to sneak in her rooain He's only teasing though He pretty much lets Cady do whatever she wants, and she's fond of rerades in school and has not been arrested even once in her young life Besides, Cady's idea of getting into trouble is sneaking beers to ht and flirting outrageously with any guy that will accept such attention

Standing up from the chair that sits in front of my vanity table, I walk over to the antique h I look fifteen years old in ht is to do a bunch of sha to look twice at me dressed this way

"Want me to lend you solance overth mirror

For just a split second, I think about taking her up on her offer For just one night, go a little crazy Maybe show a little cleavage or so and I just shake my head at her When it boils down to it, I don't have the sae that Cady does I don't feel natural in row some confidence, but for now, I'll be content to stay in her shadow tonight

Cady pops off the bed and grabs oodbye to Mam and Da, and be on our way"

"Are you sure this is the right place?" I ask as we step inside the dingy pub I grimace asit's just spilled beer and not some type of bodily fluid

"Yes," Cady acknowledges with a grin "This is the place"

Ordinarily, this isn't the type of pub that Cady would bring me to, but she said a friend of hers that's in a band is playing here tonight and she wants to see hie to elbow our way to the bar and Cady orders two Beamish Stouts for us The bartender doesn't look twice at ives Cady an appreciative once over

"Here ye are, darlin'," he says as he hands over the pints glasses C

ady gives the bartender a wink and then leads e It says "Reserved--Cady" on a piece of paper sitting on it

"What's the band's name?" I ask

"Over The Edge," she replies as she glances around, checking out the scenery

"You have a reserved table Are you like a groupie or so?"

Cady laughs and then takes a sip of her beer "No But my parents took Cillian in for few years when his parents were having some issues and I'm like a baby sister to him He told me he'd have a table set aside for us"

"Hey! Isn't Killian a beer?"

Cady just looks at me like I'm an idiot "Silly, Yank It's Cillian with a 'C' Killian with a 'K' is the Anglicized version of the Irish naht ye Yanks do have a beer by that name"

I flash her a saucy grin and take a seat at the table beside her Glancing around, I can see the pub is quite packed with an eclectic mix of people I have no clue what sort of uess, the sheer number of tattooed and pierced Irish in the bar leads me to believe rock or punk

We chat for a bit but before too long, all of the lights in the pub di in front of into total darkness A hush falls over the crowd, and then the silence is broken by a shrill whistle from someone in the back I hear the clack, clack, clack as the unseen drue explodes with noise as the band rips into its first number

As suspected, the opening guitar riffs are harsh, wild, and edgy, refrom his room back home

Several floor lights on the stage are glowing, illuueness I can't see any of their features, just the outlines of their bodies shadowed by the soft light I have no clue which one is Cady's friend, Cillian, but I'm positive it's not the bassist That is clearly a feth hair swinging back and forth in the dimness

Then, a lone spotlight coin He stops playing the guitar, swinging it to his hip, and grabs a hold of the microphone in front of him The ing

He's tall and leanalmaybe just a few years older than I am He's Black Irishwhat Americans like to term Irishmen that have dark hair, olive skin, and dark eyes His hair is long and shaggy, falling forward over his eyes as he sings and just brushing the tips of his shoulders I take in the fact that he is dressed in faded, black jeans that are tucked into black combat boots, a white t-shirt, and a faded, red-plaid shirt As he holds the microphone with both hands, I notice he has several leather bracelets around each wrist and just a peek of tattoos shining through

He is, quite siuy I've ever seen into do with the fact he's on a stage singing in the most sexy, caramel rich voice I've ever heard in my life

She goes down, down, down

I push her down, down, down

Hot breath, moist lips