Page 3 of Sweet Vengeance (Sins of the Father #2)

Ollie

I just arrived for my second year at Ashford University, and I don’t feel any less guilty for leaving my dad behind than I did last year.

As much as he tries to hide it, I know he’s lonely.

How can he not be? We don’t have a big family.

My mom’s parents weren’t great, and my dad’s passed away when he was a teenager.

Then it went from the three of us to the two of us, and now, though he still has me, we’re thousands of miles apart.

But he would feel even worse if I stayed. He would never forgive himself if he thought I didn’t follow my dream because of him—or at least, that’s what I tell myself; that I’m here so my dad doesn’t feel guilty, when really, there might simply be a super selfish part of me I try to deny is there.

I could have gone to school in Michigan, yet I chose Ashford, and…I’m excited to be back.

Which is strange. Sure, I had a decent first year.

I did well in my classes, got a job, but I wouldn’t say my social situation improved.

My hope had been to go away to college and meet more friends, real friends, but turns out, being an overcautious nerd who spends most of his time studying isn’t any cooler than it had been in high school.

My best friend—and I use the term loosely—is Dean, my old dormmate, who is now dating one of the guys from what I call “the mini mob”—sons and family members of one of Boston’s most notorious organized-crime families.

That’s scary shit.

And pisses me off, too, because who do those guys think they are? They can get away with anything, both on campus and in life. They thrive off it, have no shame about the horrible things they do.

I look around my dorm room, then sit on the side of the bed.

Dad left a little while ago. He insisted on driving me, like he did last year. He spent as much time as possible helping me organize before he had to get on the road again.

The room feels quiet. I got a single this year, so no roommate, and while it will be nice not to have to worry about drunk people stumbling into my room or Dean’s boyfriend, Tiernan, kicking me out of my own space, it sucks when it comes to meeting people.

Also…it’s a very nice room. One of the best on campus from what I’ve heard. I have my own bathroom too.

I’m not expecting the sudden knock at the door. Considering no one knows my dorm room, I figure it must be someone looking for someone else.

I straighten out my polo shirt, then walk over and open the door.

“Dean?” I frown at my friend. I still can’t believe I see him that way.

He’s an asshole who probably does illegal things like the rest of them.

If he hasn’t, he still spends time with people who do.

He’s gruff, impulsive, and angry most of the time, but even from the start, I could see the loneliness in him too.

He cares about people, though he doesn’t want to.

There’s good inside him, I know it, and I’m hoping if he gets away from Tiernan, he’ll show it more. “How do you know my dorm?”

He shrugs. “Computer.” Dean walks in without being invited.

“After you,” I say sarcastically, then close the door behind him. “Did you hack my school records?”

“I wanted to see your new room.”

“You could have texted me.”

He gives me a wicked grin. With his buzzed hair and dark gleam in his eyes, I’d probably be afraid of him if I didn’t know him. “This was more fun.”

I cross my arms. “You know that’s illegal, right?” Which is a dumb question because of course he knows it’s illegal.

“How was your summer?” Dean asks, and as ridiculous as it sounds, some of my anger melts away. It’s a big deal for Dean to come over just to see me, for him to ask about my summer. Yeah, we’ve kept in touch, but it’s normally me reaching out.

“Fine. My dad left a little while ago.”

“I know. I saw him. You look like him.”

My back stiffens. “Were you watching us?”

“I was waiting for him to leave.”

“You could have said hello.”

Dean recoils as if horrified. “Why would I do that?”

This is the Dean I’m more familiar with, but still, his response rubs me wrong. “My dad is really nice.” He would be shocked to know I’m friends with someone like Dean, but he would be polite, and he wouldn’t judge Dean. “He’s a good guy.”

He shrugs, shoving his hands into his pockets. “Figured. You had to get it from somewhere. I doubt he would like you talking to someone like me.”

I push my glasses up my nose. “Hey, don’t talk about yourself like that,” I tell him, despite having just had a similar thought.

I’m not proud of that, but it doesn’t change the truth.

I just worry about Dean. I want him to make good choices, want him to have good things in life, because I don’t think he’s had much good.

I worry what will happen to him if he keeps spending time with Tiernan and the other mini-mob members.

Hell, Dean and Cillian got into a physical fight in our dorm room last year.

“Whatever. I’m not here to talk about your dad. Bet it will be nice to have a room to yourself this year. No fuckin’ hooligans disturbing your peace.” He gives a self-deprecating smile.

“I liked being roommates with you. I’ll admit you were tough to get to know, and I have a feeling I’ve barely scratched the surface. It’s your choice in friends I question.”

“Yeah, well, I fit in with them. Plus, Cillian and Rory like you. They want to keep you as a pet.”

My mouth falls open, my temperature spiking, both in anger and maybe…

something else; something I’m less proud of that makes my dick stir.

I’m absolutely not supposed to think about what it would be like to see Cillian O’Shea naked.

He’s a violent, drug-dealing, cocky…person.

I don’t even know what else to call him. But…he’s also very, very cute.

Actually, no. That’s not the word for it.

Cillian O’Shea is hot. I really like how his messy brown hair hangs down into his eyes and he has to shake it off, yet he still manages to look well put together.

Love the way he dresses—often in button-up shirts hugging his nice body.

I wonder what he looks like beneath those clothes…

how it would feel to get on my knees for him…

Rory is nothing to sneeze at either, but—

“Ollie.”

“Hmm?” It takes me a moment to shake off my Cillian stupor.

“I said your name, like, three times.”

The past couple of minutes hit me, and I cross my arms in frustration. “I’m not a pet!” I can’t believe they said that. What a bunch of jerks.

“Yeah, well, be careful. The two of them like to fuck people together, and while it’s only ever been women, I didn’t like the way they were talking about you last year.”

“Wait. What?” I don’t know what to focus on first—the fact that they engage in enough threesomes that Dean is worried about me—which is nice but like, dude, I can take care of myself—or… “They talk about me?”

“Just when we came here to say goodbye.”

Oh. So once. Not that I want them to talk about me more than that. There’s no reason guys like them would be interested in someone like me, and I’m not interested in either of them…even if I might have done a little innocent fantasizing about Cillian. “I hate them,” I tell Dean.

“You’re too good for all of us.”

“Why are you here?” I ask before realizing how that sounds. “I don’t mean it like that. I’m glad you’re here. You just usually aren’t.” Once he started staying with Tiernan last year, he was hardly ever at our dorm.

“I just wanted to check on you, make sure you got the room you were supposed to.”

The room I was… “Did you hack the school system to get me this room? Jesus, Dean. What if you get caught?”

He shrugs. “That’s what Tiernan is for.”

Because if he does get caught, nothing will happen to him because of who Tiernan is. He staked his claim on Dean, and because of that, Dean can get away with anything.

“You shouldn’t have done that. It’s not fair. I don’t deserve this room.”

His brows draw together. “Why not? You deserve it as much as anyone does.”

“Yes, but now I know I only got it because of you.”

“So? It was going to go to someone, and that someone just happens to be you. If you don’t like it…”

“No, I like it,” I rush out. But I shouldn’t like it, shouldn’t keep it, because that’s not right. I didn’t get this room fairly.

“There’s nothing you can do about it now. Just keep the room. Enjoy it. You deserve it after the shit you put up with from us last year.”

So that’s what this is about. Dean feels bad for…

what? His boyfriend kicking me out of my own room numerous times?

Fighting Cillian there? His rampant mood swings when he was with me?

All those things are true, but I like Dean too much to want him to feel bad about them.

“Thank you…for the room…and for being my friend.”

He frowns. “Why are you thanking me for that?”

“Who knows? I get confused when I’m around you.” I can’t figure out what to think half the time. It’s not often your roommate joins the mini mob. Is that how it works? Is Dean a member now? What terrible things has he done?

I shake my head, not wanting to go there. When there’s another knock on my door, I groan and look at the ceiling, knowing that whoever it is isn’t here for me. They’re here for Dean, which means it’s either Tiernan, Cillian, Rory, or all of them.

“Someone is at your door,” Dean says.

“They’re your friends, not mine.”

He chuckles and walks over to open it. Tiernan comes in first, followed by Cillian, Rory, and Aislin. Great. The whole crew is here, acting like they own the place.

“Our brave little bunny is back. Do you like your room?” Cillian wraps his arm around me as if we’re friends, and I can’t help but notice how good he smells—this mixture of citrus and cedar.

My body automatically stiffens. I’m not sure what to do here.

He feels good and smells great, but he’s not a good person, and I have no idea why he’s touching me.

Why I like it so much.

“Brave little bunny?”

It’s Rory who answers. “Because you talk shit to us like you don’t have a fear in the world, but you’re also cute and cuddly like a pet.”

I shove Cillian away from me as if he’s the one who said that. “Hey. Screw you!”

“He doesn’t even appreciate the room we got him. There are benefits to us liking you,” Cillian tells me.

“Like getting a room I don’t deserve?” Great. Now I’m back on that topic.

“Wait. You really don’t like the room?” Rory asks. “I don’t understand.”

Aislin sighs. “I’m sure he likes the room. You guys forget that not everyone is used to just taking what they want.”

“That!” I point to Aislin. “She gets it.”

“Do you want me to fix it?” Dean asks.

“It’s just a room.” Cillian watches me, looks at me with those intense blue eyes of his, as if he’s trying to figure me out.

Say yes. It’s not fair. It’s not playing by the rules. “No. I’ll keep the room. Hacking into the system again will be too suspicious. I don’t want Dean to get caught.”

“Good,” Tiernan says, “because I probably wouldn’t appreciate it if you didn’t like something nice Dean did for you.” Tiernan’s tone, while not exactly threatening, conveys an honest warning.

Fear skitters up my spine, landing at my nape. I don’t want to be afraid of these guys, I don’t want to be afraid of Dean, but I would be an idiot not to consider the rumors about them and the things they’ve likely done.

“Be nice, T,” Cillian says.

“I am being nice. I warned him.”

“He won’t hurt you,” Dean tells me. “He knows he would have me to deal with if he did.”

Tiernan cocks a brow at him. “Little fighter…that’s foreplay for us.”

Everyone else laughs while I stand there gaping. Are they serious? How is this my life? I don’t belong here with them.

“I have to go to work,” I blurt. I was able to get my job back at the Pizza Palace for the school year, which was a relief. While my schooling is covered by scholarships and grants, having a job is a lifesaver when it comes to other things I need.

“We have shit to do anyway,” Tiernan says. “I don’t have to remind you that what Dean did is between us, yes?” Again, that warning note comes through loud and clear.

“He won’t say anything,” Dean defends me, and warmth fills me that he does. I don’t really understand our friendship, but I’m thankful for it, even while feeling guilty for liking him.

“I won’t. He’s right. For him.” I add the last two words because my moral compass won’t allow me to do it for any other reason except Dean, though admitting that could be dangerous.

I should run. I should run as fast and as far from Ashford as I can get, go back home to my small town and my loving father. But I won’t. This is my dream, and Dean is my friend.

“You’re lucky he likes you.” Tiernan nods Dean’s direction, then slips out the door.

“Catch you later,” Dean tells me, following Tiernan. Aislin says goodbye, then Rory, leaving Cillian the last one in the room with me.

“Be careful, okay? Tiernan is more levelheaded than one would think, but he is also very cautious. None of this is a game.”

“I know. You think I don’t know that? But I’m also not going to let that change who I am.”

Cillian grins. “Yeah…yeah, I see that. You’re cute when you’re being all self-righteous. Next time, try not to let your voice shake when you speak, though.”

Without another word, Cillian O’Shea walks out of my room, leaving the door open behind him, while I stand there, trying to figure out what the hell just happened.