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Unshackled Cara Dee 14050K 2023-08-28

I clenched rip on the wheel

Maybe he had a point, but he didn’t get it It was my responsibility to make sure Finn and his family were safe I couldn’t afford any e

We’d lost enough, dammit

“I’m sorry I called your looks bitchy, sir,” I said coolly “I’ll randfather’s business two hundred years ago before we can hiive Whitman to his eldest”

Shan opened his mouth to respond, then promptly closed it and shook his head

As soon as I got home, I shut off the alarht for my bedroom

“Kellan”

Aw, man

I made a face before I turned around to face Shan “What,” I said flatly

He sighed and shrugged out of his coat “I s lately?”

What the fuck?

“No” Not in h months where we’d caused destruction all over Europe, no tie Finn, Colm, Patrick—several of us, basically—had done coke to stay awake and alert

Shannon flicked on the light in the living roo over to me He didn’t believe me, did he?

“Your behavior has changed” He stopped right in front of me, and the bastard actually cupped my face in his hands and inspected my eyes My pupils

“Are you serious right now?” I asked quietly I didn’t wanna get pissy again I was too exhausted

He narrowed his eyes and let his hands fall again “I’”

I took a step back, uncomfortable by the close proximity, and folded my arms over my chest “I’m just tired”

Damn him He was suddenly in the ood time for me “I don’t believe that,” he murmured “When Grace was murdered, I lost my wife Patrick and Finn lost their mother But you lost a mother, too And with Patrick—” He sed hard “The focus landed on Finnegan and me because of our relation to Patrick But you lost a brother, too”

“Fuck this” I didn’t know I’d spoken the words out loud until they reachedaround for this shit I spun ontoward my bedroom

“You can’t avoid grief, son,” he said afterI’ve learned, it’s this”