He chuckles and passes her the shaker, his fingertips brushing hers.
It takes everything in me not to grab her hand and pull it away.
She’s wearing red tonight. A long-sleeved dress that drapes around her like spilled wine. I know it’s intentional. She doesn’t do anything without purpose anymore. The dress says,I’m not afraid of blood. But her hands shake when she cuts her meat. Barely, but I notice.
My foot nudges hers beneath the table. She flinches, just for a second, and then presses back. There’s still someone in there, behind the mask.
She clears her throat, straightens, and lifts her glass. “I want to make a toast. The path here has been bumpy, but I wouldn’t trade it for the world. Being here has reunited my sons with their father. To family,” she says, even-keeled, her eyes shining with resolve. “I wanted to learn it in Irish, but I couldn’t quite get it…Sláinte…”
She looks around and with a flat voice, Declan finishes, “Sláinte chuig an teaghlach.”
Health to family.
Kellan raises his glass in sync and repeats it, “Sláinte chuig an teaghlach.” I do the same.
But our father doesn’t. He stabs a carrot noisily, chewing with disdain. “Enjoy this,” he says. “Life is long, but the days arelonger. Who knows how many more dinners like this we’ll have?”
On the surface, it’s just an idiom. But with his lecherous smile, it feels like a warning. Alarm bells ring under my skin.
“We’re hoping many,” I say, careful, watching him. “Like we said, we’re a family now.”
His eyes flick between us, calculating. He lingers on Caroline like he’s trying to peel her open with just his gaze. “All this talk about family…” he says, and his voice turns cold. “Where are your sons?”
Even hearingyour sonsfrom his mouth makes my stomach turn.
Caroline smiles calmly. “Our sons are with a family friend.”
“Why?”
“I thought that would be better for our first meeting.”
“Better for who?”
“For all of us,” she answers. “Children can be unpredictable.”
“Aye, I know that well. My sons come to family dinner like they’re attending a wake,” our father says sullenly, stabbing a fork into a potato. “A man works hard to build a dynasty, and when he tries to share a meal with his sons, he gets a room full of sulking children.”
“We’re not children,” Declan says evenly.
“Then stop acting like them,” he barks, too quickly. “You think I need the silent treatment to know you’re pissed? That the girl’smood means your loyalty’s gone soft? I don’t need theatrics. Just tell me.”
Caroline’s hand stills mid-cut. The tension spikes, fast and quiet.
“Tell you what?” Kellan asks, tone cautious.
“Whatever it is you’re building toward with this sham of a dinner,” he says, shoving another bite into his mouth. “You think I don’t see it?”
“It’s like we said,” I reply, pulse kicking up. “We just wanted to bring her here. Formally. Caroline’s part of this family now.”
The statement hangs in the air as its meaning slowly takes form in my father’s mind. He sets down his fork and wipes his hands on a cloth napkin. “What do you meana part of this family?”
Caroline reaches for my hand. Then Kellan’s. Her fingers are warm and sure. She smiles gently at Declan, whose eyes are set on my father, daring him. “We’re in love.”
He stares like we’re a sideshow. “We?”
The confession sits like a loaded gun. It’s exactly what we’d hoped for. If he’d thought this dinner was orchestrated to kill him, now the thought is long gone, derailed by something far more offensive to his twisted pride.
His laugh starts low, rumbling. It builds into something ugly and sharp, cutting through the room. “So this is what you meant byoursons?” He looks at Caroline sharply before looking at all of us, one by one. “You’re all three the daddy then? You’re all gonna marry her? That’d make a cake topper, wouldn’t it?Jaysus.No, she’ll never be a part of this family. She’s a fucking hostage. You’re supposed to take her out.” He points his finger at her likea gun, and a shiver travels down my spine. “She’s pretending. Look at her. Playing you like a fiddle.”
