CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
Sky ached for him.
It’d been a difficult time since George passed on, she knew that. But what she wasn’t prepared for was silence. It was the very opposite of what had happened when she needed his support, over Nan’s health scare.
The day it happened Rory sent her a text saying he couldn’t make their meeting. George had died. Then, nothing. She’d gone to the house he shared with Kristaps, but all he could tell her was Rory’d taken off on his bike with some of his stuff. She’d even gone to the workshop. A notice on the door announced temporary closure due to the owner’s death. A woman at a nearby tea bar saw her hanging around and filled her in on what had happened to George. The violence and horror of it shocked her. It filled her with dread for Rory too. Was that why he’d taken off, to avoid kicking off the way he had with Jackson?
Thankfully Draco called her a couple of times, and it helped immensely to hear from him.
Eventually, she heard back from Rory.
He gave her the funeral details, but only after she’d asked.
When she pressed for more information, he revealed only a little more. It made her ache that he wouldn’t say more over the phone.
George’s daughter was flying in from Australia. Rory was kept busy with arrangements and running a minimal service at the workshop. The events were a horrible strain, she could tell, but his distance and silence unnerved her. They’d got so close. They’d made it through Nan’s collapse and the Jackson shenanigans. Then this.
There was no other option for her but to be there when he was ready to let her in. She only prayed it would happen, and he wouldn’t pull away from her for good.
* * * *
Rory stood in line in the corridor outside the prison visiting room. He hated this part the most, the waiting, trying not to fret about what state he might find Sean in when he got in there. Prison was changing his brother, and it unnerved Rory to witness it.
Several of the other visitors chatted to each other, having met in this situation before. Their loved ones were in for much longer than Sean though. His release was within months now. Rory just hoped to God Sean could hold it together and stay out of trouble until the end of his sentence.
The prison guard had his hand on the door handle. A face appeared at the window, indicating visiting time could begin. “Okay people, single file. Keep your hands in plain sight.”
The visitors filed in.
Rory quickly scoped the room for Sean. He didn’t have to look far. Sean waved his hand and rose to his feet. Rory quickly made his way over to his brother. They embraced, then sat down either side of the low table.
A prison guard hovered nearby watching intently as everybody took their places. Rory made sure his hands were visible and locked together. To do anything else would bring them sniffing around. Even though the visitors had already been searched, they watched every move. Everything about it made Rory’s gut turn ice cold.
“How you doing?” Sean asked, before Rory had a chance to speak.
“Okay. How about you?”
Sean nodded, indicating he was okay. Rory knew better. His brother looked as if he had an axe to grind. And he was changing physically too. He’d taken to the gym, but it was more than that.
“Every time I come you’re more ripped,” Rory commented.
Sean shrugged his massive shoulders. “Lifting weights keeps me out of trouble.” He gave a side-eye glance around the room and a warning glance.
Rory didn’t like it, but he knew best not to comment. “Not long to go now. Hang in there, bro.”
Sean nodded but again scanned the room with narrowed eyes, as if he wanted to watch the other prisoners even closer than the guards did. He shifted, crossed his arms but kept his hands on his knees. He really was ripped, his shoulder muscles and biceps making his prison regulation shirt a tight fit.
“There’s something important I need to tell you,” Rory began. Time would be short so he had to press on.
“What?”
“I may not be able to uphold the promise I made to you.”
Sean stiffened, his eyes locked on Rory’s. “Please tell me you’re not hacking again?”
Rory shook his head quickly. “No, it’s not that. I’m steering well clear, believe me. I told you I’d get you a job when you came out. My boss listened and he was willing to give you a try out. You’ll be staying with me but I wanted to find you work too, that’s in doubt now.”
Sean scarcely moved but his expression changed. It was almost imperceptible, but Rory could see the disappointment in his brother’s eyes.
“My boss, he was attacked. He died in hospital just last week.”
Sean looked genuinely shocked. “Jesus, I’m sorry to hear that. I know you really liked the guy.”
“Yeah, he was good to me, and he would’ve been good to you as well.” Rory quashed down the emotions threatening to fight their way to the surface. “Thing is, I don’t know what’s going to happen, who’s going to buy the place and whether I’ll even have a job. I hope I’ll be kept on and there’ll be work for you as well, but I couldn’t let you cruise along thinking it was all set up.”
Sean nodded. “Don’t give yourself a hard time. Put yourself first, try and stay in there. Look, I might need some time off grid anyway.” He wrapped one large hand around the back of his neck rubbing at the base of his skull. “Some of the guys here have latched onto my skill set. Now they are dropping heavy hints they want me on side for jobs.”
“Shit. How did that happen?”
“I trusted someone I shouldn’t have, simple as that. It was stupid of me. You can’t trust anyone in here. Thing is, I think I should lay low once I get out, just for a while.”
Rory nodded. “Any plans I can help you with?”
“A bike with a full tank?” Sean gave a lopsided grin.
Rory smiled instantly, relieved to feel the tension break.
“You got it.”
“Figured I’d go back to Wales. All they know is I’m London based with Irish connections. Never told them about our time in the land of the dragons. It’s going to be the safest place for me to go off grid right now.”
“Any other reason you want to go back to Wales?”
Sean shook his head and lowered his eyelids but not before Rory saw something there, something that made him think Sean might be going back to see Rowan. He thought about telling his brother he’d seen Rowan, that she’d had been left high and dry by her boyfriend and had a baby to look after, but he didn’t want to complicate things. Sean had a plan and that was good enough. Sky’s family would give him a bed if he needed it.
“I’ve seen Draco,” Rory offered, by way of news. “He’s got himself some highflying job in the city.”
Sean frowned. “Seriously?”
“Yeah I’m not sure it’s above board, but he swears it is. Wait until you see him—he’s turned into a suit.”
“No shit!” Sean laughed gruffly.
Rory nodded. It felt good to see his brother laugh. “Sky’s in London too.”
He tried to mention it as nonchalantly as possible. He wanted to know how his brother would react. Sean was his only family, since their dad had gone walkabout, his only real family. Now that George had gone too, there was no one really close he could talk to. The guys he shared lodgings with were good guys but more often than not they spoke to each other in their own language. Rory was the outsider. “She’s working as a barista. Makes good coffee.” He smiled. “And she hopes to go to Art College.”
Sean studied him for a long time before he reacted. “Are you seeing her?”
It was tentatively asked. Rory knew his brother understood.
“Yes, we’ve spent time together and it’s been good, really good. Draco wasn’t happy about it though.”
Again Sean laughed. “No surprise there.”
“He’s accepted it, reluctantly.”
“Wow.”
“It’s different. We always got on, all of us, but we’re not forced together now. It’s more natural.”
“No escaping the Brady Bunch, huh?” Sean smiled, genuinely amused.
Rory pointed at him, acknowledging the shared joke. “It wasn’t so very bad though, was it?”
Sean inhaled audibly. “No, it wasn’t.” They studied each other silently and eventually Sean voiced the unspoken question hanging between them. “And Rowan?”
“She’s good, she’s still in Wales.”
A spark lit in Sean’s eyes.
Rory was about to say more, mention he’d seen her at Cadogan hospital and why, when a loud buzzer sounded. The guard announced visiting time was over.
Sean rose to his feet, put out his hand.
Rory took it and drew his brother in for a quick hug. “I’ll be at the gate with your bike and a full tank,” he whispered, close against his brother’s ear. “Focus on that.”
“I will. Thanks, bro.”
A guard hovered nearby.
“I’ll bring you some new kit,” Rory added, nodding at Sean’s ripped body.
Sean saluted and turned away.
Rory stared at his brother’s broad back, noted the way Sean kept his head up and flexed his shoulders as if readying for a fight.
He counted the days until he could keep his promise and give him a set of bike keys and a ride he could rely on. It cut him deep to have to bring the news about George and the doubtful job potential. Even if he had to hand over his own bike and clear out his bank account, he wouldn’t let Sean down.