Page 77 of Arranged Control

He pulls over but doesn’t unlock the door. “Do me a favor. Don’t give up on Seamus just yet, okay?”

I sit with that a second. “I haven’t really been given a good reason to stick around.”

“He’s doing his best. That’s all I can say. Things aren’t simple for him right now, but he’s trying.”

“Would you just tell me what’s going on?”

“I really can’t. Ask him though. I think he should tell you, but it’s not my call.”

Anger simmers in my chest. I finally unlock the door myself and push it open. “Here’s the thing. Whatever’s going on with Seamus, that’s my problem too, and I really hate it when people treat me like I’m some little kid who can’t be trusted.”

“I know the feeling,” he mutters, looking annoyed. “Talk to your husband. This is what I get for trying to do a good deed.”

“Good deed? Vehicular manslaughter is a good deed?”

“I was checking up on you!”

“Sure looked like checking up when you nearly squashed me!”

“I don’t know what the hell my brother sees in you!”

I slam the door in Finn’s face. He pulls out abruptly and drives off, leaving me alone on the sidewalk, fuming.

Typical mafia asshole. He thinks because I’m a woman, my brain’s smaller and I can’t handle too much thinking. Probably worried I’ll hear about his big scary problems, get all emotional, and start bleeding all over the place.

I want to curse and break something, but what Finn said before storming off clicks into place.

I don’t know what the hell my brother sees in you.

That’s a curious thing to say.

Considering Seamus has been acting like I don’t exist.

But it means I was right. Before my husband abruptly pulled away, we had something going. A real relationship was starting to form, but whatever went down during his meeting killed all that.

I hate that it gives me hope. I hate that I want to fix this stupid broken marriage.

Mostly I hate that I have to force my grumpy husband to start talking before we can’t salvage whatever is left between us.

Chapter 25

Seamus

One good thing about moving into Alina’s place is that she’s got a really nice guest bedroom.

Comfortable mattress. Clean sheets. Decent pillows. I get the feeling she spent a fortune furnishing it, but nobody ever stays over.

At least until me.

Everything else is a downside.

This apartment is a constant reminder of our relationship and how it’s not progressing anymore.

I keep thinking about Molchanie, my family, the danger we’re all in.

And how even though there’s a clear and simple solution to my problem, I don’t want to go that way yet.

It would mean losing Alina, and that’s not an outcome I want to accept.