Chapter 11

“Sofia, try not to panic. Maybe Mateo and Killian just need to throw down.”

I glanced over my shoulder to where my sister-in-law, Evelyn, sat in Killian’s chair, nursing her newborn son. Maybe I would have believed her if she didn’t sound so on edge. In the Octagon, Teo lifted Killian and body-slammed him to the mat. I jumped out of my skin when his body bounced off the mat with Teo still on top of him.

Evie’s thick blond hair fell like a curtain over her face when she smacked her hand over her eyes. “Was that Mateo?”

“Uh-uh.”

A crowd of young trainees had gathered to watch them, hooting like it was Christmas and yelling things like “Get him,” “Beat his ass,” “Make him bleed,” and “Ground and pound,” which did nothing to soothe my mounting hysteria. “Oh!” they yelled when Killian shot Teo across the ring and into the metal fencing.

“Th-that was Teo,” I said, feeling sick.

I staggered toward my chair, practically missing it when Teo nailed Killian across the jaw. They had on full head and face gear. They wore mouth guards. This was a friendly bout—or so they’d claimed. My growing worry called them liars. My growing worry had a tendency to be right.

I covered my eyes when Killian’s leg left the mat and became acquainted with Teo’s face.

Something bounced off the mat. I really hoped it wasn’t my brother’s head leaving his shoulders. “Oh, Jesus,” Evie moaned. “Who was that?”

Although I dropped my hands away from my face, I kept my head down as the sounds of smacking skin, yelling, and thundering rolls across the Octagon echoed like a growing twister. “I don’t know. Don’t really want to know right now.”

Evie’s pale face met mine. “I shouldn’t go out there, should I? I shouldn’t demand he get out of the Octagon, right? I shouldn’t embarrass him in front of those men—tell me I shouldn’t, Sofia. It would be wrong, right?”

I didn’t respond, mostly because I wanted her to stop this blatant show of testosterone. Evie was a little thing, even after giving birth to a nine-pound baby. She was incapable of being mean or aggressive. But she didn’t like Teo fighting, and the idea of him getting hurt physically pained her.

The other piece of it was that my brother loved Evie. And even though he was clearly trying to make a point, he wouldn’t want her upset. He’d stop if she asked him to. But a part of her, like a part of me, knew Killian and Mateo had to do this, whatever this was.

“Sofia?” Evie was begging me to answer.

“I don’t like this” was all I managed.

It was more than that. I hated them sparring so brutally. But when Teo challenged Killian into the Octagon to “show him how it was done,” Teo appeared to be trying to reconnect with him. Well, at least that’s what it seemed liked at the time. I hoped I was right and prayed that their reconnection didn’t come at the expense of someone’s teeth.

“Oh!” the crowd yelled.

“Fuck ’im up!”

“Kill himmmmmmmm!”

I was two seconds from puking, which meant I was only one second behind Evie. The swings, the kicks, the throw-downs proved our men were out for blood. Which was why Evie and I were hiding out in Killian’s office. Call us wimps. Call us cowards. Call us faint at the sight of bleeding corpses.

Another body slam. More arms swinging. Followed by—thank you, Jesus, Mary, and Joseph—the bell ending the match. The crowd hooted and applauded. Awesomesauce. At least they’d had fun watching.

Mateo left the ring. Killian followed at his heels. “Is it over?” Evie asked.

“For now.”

“Is Mateo walking out—is he okay?”

She probably expected one or both of them to be sprawled out and unconscious. I couldn’t blame her, seeing how I’d expected the same outcome. Mateo and Killian removed their gear. Both had red, swelling faces. Both were dripping with sweat. Both were…laughing. “You’ve gotten slow, Kill,” Teo said over the bark of the crowd.

“And you’ve gotten old,” Killian added, shoving him affectionately in the shoulder.

I knew then that I would never understand men.

Evie groaned and shook her head. But when she adjusted Mateo Jr. within her stretchy shirt, tucking his curled body against her like a baby kangaroo in a pouch, the stress from the match eased from her face.

She smiled, taking in her infant son. As tired as she seemed, her obvious happiness made me think the sleep deprivation was well worth it.

Someday, I hoped I could experience that kind of love.

I stood and edged my way around the desk and to her side, stroking the top of Mattie’s dark hair. I’d spent the first few weeks following his birth helping Evie and Mateo adjust to parenthood. I loved every moment of it. But once they established a routine, I realized that they no longer needed me and I could allow my commitment to Killian to lure me away.

It wasn’t until I saw the little man that I realized how much I’d missed him. “Is he sleeping through the night yet?”

“No, he’s still eating a ton.” As if on cue, Mattie searched for another snack. Evie chuckled and switched sides. “If he wasn’t gaining as much weight as he is, I’d swear he was starving.” She kissed his head. “You’re going to grow up to be big and strong, like your daddy, aren’t you, little one?”

I laughed a little. Yes, little Mattie was on his way to becoming a very big boy. “When I talked to Lety the other day she was already asking when you and Teo planned to give Mattie a sister—she insists every boy needs at least two sisters.”

Teo stalked into the room with Killian prowling behind him. “Easy for Lety to say,” Teo said. “Her ass is getting enough sleep.”

Despite the protective gear, Teo’s and Killian’s faces were significantly bruised. Evie averted her gaze when Teo bent to kiss their son’s head. When he noticed her withdraw from him, Teo cupped her face, sweeping his lips tenderly across her jaw. “Babe, I’m okay,” his deep voice murmured. “Just needed to blow off some steam.”

She watched him through lowered lashes. “I hope that was all, Mateo,” she said quietly.

She wasn’t happy and neither was I. I crossed my arms when Killian pulled me to him, forcing some distance between us. He bowed his head, recognizing that I was upset.

At first I thought he’d give me space. Instead he took my hand in his and led me around the desk. My face reddened as deep as his when he plopped me onto his lap and his arms circled my waist. He’d never been this affectionate in front of my family and was making it clear that we were together.

Teo straightened, frowning before slowly easing into the folding chair beside Evie. He took a sip from his bottle of water, but it did nothing to soothe his temper. “Ma comes home tonight,” he growled.

I tried to find someplace to position my hands. I’d grown accustomed to showing Killian affection…at his house…with no one else around. In front of my family was a different story. Someone else may not have cared if her brother was watching her sit on her boyfriend’s lap. But that same someone hadn’t grown up in my household. Teo had been more father than brother to me. I recognized his scrutiny for what it was—his need to protect me from harm, just like he always had.

The thing was, although I hadn’t appreciated their throw-down, I wanted to show Killian some love. At his place, I would have wrapped my arms around his neck for the start of a long kiss. The best I could manage then was to place my arms over his. “Yes. She had fun in Boston,” I finally spat out.

Teo rolled the water bottle between his palms. “You staying with her tonight?”

Evie frowned. “Teo, Sofia can stay wherever she wants.”

Teo shrugged. “I’m just sayin’ Ma’s old…”

“Mateo,” Evie said more sternly.

“If she breaks a hip and no one’s there to save her—”

“Jesus, Mateo.” Evie rolled her eyes. “Your mother’s barely fifty.”

Teo took another pull of his water. “Doesn’t mean she can’t break a hip.”

Killian nodded. “True. Maybe she should move in with you so you can keep a closer eye on her, Teo. That’s what any good son would do.”

Evie’s small body shook when she laughed, stirring Mattie. Teo met Killian’s grin with a glare that eased into a smirk. “Says the son who shipped his mother off to Florida.”

Killian’s grin widened. “It’s warm there—lots of sun.”

“She’s Irish. Sun’s the last thing she needs.”

“She also likes mangoes—thanks to your ma always shoving them down her throat.”

“She was just trying to be nice.” Teo’s grin turned sly. “Kind of like your dad giving us whiskey.”

Killian chuckled. “Yeah, we didn’t need it anymore once Finn stopped teething.”

I shook my head when they started laughing. Maybe they had bonded after all.

I tucked my hair behind my ear. “Anything else new?”

Evie’s and Teo’s smiles faded. “Have you heard from Uncle Lino?” Evie asked me.

“No, why? He okay?”

“He is,” Teo said slowly.

I tensed beneath Killian’s hold. “What about Aunt Flor, and Sol?”

Teo finished his water before speaking. “Sol’s fine—safe, I mean. But Flor’s not doing so hot. Lino said she’s hearing voices again.”

Oh, no. My poor Aunt Flor was diagnosed with schizophrenia a few years ago. Growing up, we always thought she was simply quirky. It took her attempting to kill herself following Sol’s quinceañera for us to realize she was really sick. “Is Lino sure?”

“He sees her nodding as if she’s talking to someone. This time, though, she’s answering back.”

“How’s Sol handling everything?”

Teo shrugged. “In denial, like always. She adores her mother—doesn’t want to believe anything is wrong or that she could hurt herself.”

Lino had cleaned up the mess years ago when Flor had slashed her wrists—trying to protect Sol from the violence and horror behind her attempt. In a way, it had worked against them. Sol tried to brush off the incident as solely depression despite all the time it took the doctors to medicate her appropriately.

For the most part, Sol carried on like nothing was wrong—cheery and smiley as always. I understood her reasoning. Life was simply too hard to deal with sometimes.

“Could you try to reach out to her?” Teo asked. “If she talks to anyone, it’ll be you.”

My hands smoothed over Killian’s arms. I’d been the closest to Sol out of everyone. As the youngest cousins, we were only two years apart. “I’ll see if she can meet me here at the gym. Maybe we can go to lunch and talk then.”

Evie smiled. “I’m sure she’ll like that. She’s got a lot on her plate.”

“Sol’s an EMT and taking premed requisites at County,” I explained to Killian.

His hand skimmed along my hip. As unfazed as he was with showing me affection, my timidity remained. But I couldn’t tame my girly smile. “Is she still planning to be a doctor?” he asked me.

“Yes, in the ED of all places. I hope she can make it. The curriculum is brutal.”

“If she’s as smart as you, she’ll be fine.” Killian winked. “Though I doubt she’s as beautiful.”

He kissed my cheek, making the already scorching temperature of my skin rise.

Teo rolled his eyes. “For Christ’s sake, Kill, she’s my baby sister.”

Evie rose, holding Mattie close. “Teo, you can barely keep your hands off me. Don’t judge Killian for showing your sister a little affection.”

“That’s different—we’re married.” He smirked. “I was a perfect gentleman while we were dating.”

Evie’s fair skin flushed yet she couldn’t squelch her lovely laugh. “Sure you were, mi amor.” She motioned to the sweet bundle in her arms. “It’s a wonder Mattie or someone else didn’t come along sooner.”

Teo stood and kissed her. “Yeah. Kind of surprised me, too.”

Evie smiled against his lips, but she returned her attention to us when Teo gathered her against him. “We should go. Mattie needs to nap, and I need to join him.”

I slipped off Killian’s lap to say goodbye, surprised when he met Teo with a wide and knowing grin. Something was up.

“See you tomorrow?” Killian asked.

“Someone’s got to knock your pathetic ass into shape,” Teo answered.

Evie and I exchanged confused glances before my eyes widened with understanding. Killian laughed. “Yeah, that’s right. Meet my new trainer.”