Page 25 of Duncan (Irish Mob of Boston #1)

Freyja

The door slammed behind me as I stomped my way into the cottage. I threw my small bag on the sofa, clenched my hands, and screamed.

“Freyja?”

Athena rushed from her room, her face flushed and her breathing erratic. She clasped her robe around her, and I narrowed my eyes.

“Do you have someone in your room?” I smiled.

“Of course not.” She dismissed the notion with a wave of her hand. However, I didn’t believe her and rushed past her without a word. My disappointment fueled my anger when the room was empty.

“Why not?”

Athena rolled her eyes at me. Ignoring my question, she asked, “What are you doing home? I assumed you would be with Duncan?”

I growled at the mention of his name. “Lucille was wrong.”

“Lucille is never wrong.”

I hated it when my siblings threw my words back in my face.

“Well, this time she was.”

My sister chuckled as she filled a kettle with water and placed it on the stove. She moved around gracefully, pulling cups from the cabinets and setting them on the counter next to the sugar. As if my world wasn’t falling apart around my ears.

“It’s not him,” I snarked.

“It is,” she countered. “Go change and we will talk it out.”

“There is nothing to talk out.” I stalked to my room and removed my dress. It was late in the evening, so I grabbed a T-shirt and yoga pants. I would never get to sleep while I was this agitated, so tea was a given to calm my anger.

When I stepped back into the living area, I plopped onto the couch and grabbed a pillow, holding it against my chest.

“Tell me what happened.”

“Don’t you already know?” I asked. I crossed my legs on the couch, bent over, and held the pillow against my face as I screamed again.

“Have you gotten it all out, sister dear? Because if you continue to scream, the man outside who is watching the house will rush in here believing you are in danger.”

“What man?”

“The man Duncan has assigned to watch over you while he takes care of what he came here for.”

“I thought he came for me.”

“What did I tell you?”

I rolled my eyes at my sister and pouted. Full-on, lip sticking out like a child, pouted.

Athena stood in front of me, a teacup in her hand. Tossing the pillow aside, I took the cup and let it warm my hands. Not that it was cold in Louisiana. There was just something soothing about a hot cup of tea when you were all up in your emotions.

I took a sip and closed my eyes, letting the warm water travel down my throat. When I opened them and looked at my sister, my eyes filled with tears.

“Oh, Freyja. I told you it wouldn’t be that simple.” Athena sat beside me on the couch, and I leaned my head on her shoulder.

“But it should have been. We already met and had a connection. This should have confirmed that we were meant to be.”

“It did.”

Lifting my head, I stared at her. “For me. Not for him.”

“Tell me what happened.”

I told Athena everything. From the moment Duncan pulled me onto the dance floor to when I stormed out, angry and alone.

“I don’t understand why he would be angry you were there, and why would he think you were there to meet someone?”

My eyes dropped to my teacup. I could have used the excuse I was trying to read the leaves, but this was regular people tea that came in a bag all nice and neat with no hidden messages at the bottom of the cup.

“Freyja, what did you do?”

I set my cup on the table in front of us and grabbed the pillow I’d tossed aside. Holding it against my face once again while I screamed.

“Just tell me. You’ll feel better.”

“No, I won’t,” I mumbled against the pillow. With a heavy sigh, I lowered the pillow to my lap. I couldn’t look at my sister, so I stared at the pillow, playing with the fringe around the edge. “It wasn’t my fault. I didn’t know it was Duncan I was supposed to meet at Mardi Gras.”

“Freyja.” Athena pressed me for more, bumping her shoulder against mine.

“When I broke things off with him, I told him there was someone else.”

“Oh, Freyja.” She shook her head at me and I felt worse.

“I didn’t know he was the someone else.” I stood from the couch and moved to the balcony. Hugging my waist, I looked out over the Quarter. “He practically begged me to stay. I thought a clean break would be easier. I’d already fallen for him and my heart was breaking.”

My phone rang, and I couldn’t help but laugh. I knew it would be Phoebe. Athena picked it up and answered, “She’s here.” She pressed the button for the speaker and set it on the table next to my abandoned teacup.

“Freyja, what happened?”

I repeated the story I’d already told Athena and waited for Phoebe to chastise me. She was good at doing that in the most loving way possible. She got that from our dad.

“Do you remember when I was going through all that shit with Shaw and you tried to read the cards for me? Only it was your deck, so the reading was for you?”

“Yea?” I wasn’t sure where she was going with this. It was months ago, and I had read my cards over and over and they always said the same thing.

“The first one was the Wheel of Fortune. A change through unspeakable chance. What are the chances you would run into Duncan on the two rare occasions he was in the city?”

“Three,” I whispered.

“What?”

“Three times. The third was after I broke things off. He wouldn’t speak to me, though.”

“Three times, Freyja. What does that tell you?”

I didn’t answer. I just shook my head at the phone, knowing she couldn’t see me. She didn’t need my response to continue.

“The second was The Fool. New Beginnings. A leap of faith. Take the leap, Freyja. It’s what you’ve been waiting for.”

“He doesn’t want me.”

“You don’t know that,” Athena argued. “He sent someone to follow you home and watch over you to be sure you were safe.”

“The third card, Freyja.”

Phoebe’s voice rang out through the phone. I didn’t want to hear anymore. I didn’t understand how I had screwed up so badly, and I certainly didn’t need her to remind me.

“Judgment. Spiritual Awakening. Rebirth. Freedom from inner conflicts. Freyja, all of that is available to you right now if you just trust in the universe.”

“It’s not that easy!” I snapped.

“No, Freyja, it’s not.” Phoebe’s voice was quiet. And I knew she was thinking about everything she’d gone through last year and the years she and Shaw were apart.

“I’m sorry, Phoebe.”

“Trust your path, Freyja.”

“Pheebs, come back to bed.”

Athena and I looked at each other. Our noses scrunched at the sound of the gravel in Shaw’s voice as he spoke to our sister.

“I have to go, Freyja. Think about what I said. I love you both.”

“Love you, Phoebe,” Athena said.

“I love you too, Phoebe.”

Athena disconnected the call and watched me. She wouldn’t add to what Phoebe said. There was nothing to add. Phoebe was right. I needed to trust the universe and the path I was on.

“It’s time I went home.”

What? I said I needed to trust the universe.

I didn’t say that I would.

Athena just shook her head and walked to her room. Meanwhile, I stepped out onto the balcony and looked out over the remaining partiers that were making a valiant effort to keep things going.

A man stood across the street watching me. He was younger, maybe late twenties. I recognized him from the ball. He still wore his tuxedo, and his eyes moved from me to the people walking along the street, before moving back to me again.

He nodded, and I knew he was the man Duncan had asked to watch over me. I left the doors open and returned to my room. Exhaustion was taking over, but I pushed it aside as I packed my things.

Pulling out my phone, I booked the first flight out in the morning. Athena had made her choice to stay. Lying in bed, I thought about what Phoebe said.

And about what she didn’t say.

She knew I was scared. Hell, I knew I was scared. When I spotted Duncan at the ball, it never occurred to me that he was the man I was destined to meet. But Athena knew.

Wait, when did Athena know?

Scrambling from my bed, I rushed across the main area. I didn’t bother to knock as I barged into her room.

Jumping onto her bed, I shook her shoulder. “Athena. When did you know?”

“Know what?”

“Don’t play dumb. When did you know it was Duncan? You said you didn’t know who it was, only when.”

She sat up on the bed and gave me that smug smile again.

God, I hated that smile.

“I wondered how long it would take you to ask.”

I smacked her arm and growled, “Tell me.”

“When he accosted me.” She gave me her genuine smile then. The one that said all was right in the world.

“He accosted you?”

“On the street. He came up behind me and grabbed my arm to spin me around. He whispered mo bandia . That was when I knew he thought I was you.”

“Athena, what do I do?” I sat beside her against the headboard. My thoughts were a whirlwind in my head. He sought me out when he mistook Athena for me. When he saw me at the ball, he didn’t hesitate to pull me into his arms.

“You know what to do, sister.”

“What if I’m wrong?”

“What if you’re right?” she countered.

“What if I get my heart broken?”

Her smile was sad as she looked into my eyes. “Your heart is already broken. Let him put it back together.”

Duncan’s words from the night we spent together came rushing to my mind.

“I wanna see you fall apart so I can put you back together.”

“I’m scared, Thena.”

“Of what?”

“Of finally getting everything I’ve ever wanted. Only to lose it.”

Athena wrapped me in her arms and held me. She was the nurturer. To most, it might seem that Phoebe had the biggest heart. She was the most forgiving. Dimeter was the protector. I was the leader.

But Athena was the love.

She loved with her whole heart, and nothing could weaken that love. She was a rare gem in a world of stones. I would miss her so much when I went home without her.

“This is your time, Freyja. Your path has opened up. All you have to do is walk it.”

“What if someone blocks my path?” I asked, knowing that someone could just as easily be me.

“Then you bulldoze through them. You’re good at that.” She chuckled, and I laughed along with her. That was true.

“What will Mom and Dad think? About him being in the Mob?”

“They will be happy if you’re happy. Dad will threaten him, of course. Warn him to keep you safe.”

“What about when they find out how old he is? He’s close to Dad’s age,” I said quietly. I hadn’t said it out loud until now.

Athena started laughing. “Mom will be all up in his business, asking him if his dick still works.” She laughed harder and tears slipped from her eyes. “Oh my God. She’ll probably compare your sex life to hers to make sure you are being properly taken care of.”

“Oh God,” I cried, already mortified, thinking about how my mother could embarrass me.

The next morning, I said goodbye to my sister. The ride to the airport was quiet, but it gave me time to think and make a plan. My sisters were right. Duncan was my path, and if anyone tried to stand in my way, I would bulldoze over them.

Including Duncan.