In Too Deep

“Yeah.” He wondered if that meant Declan didn’t have a place to live again. He moved apartments almost as often as he switched jobs. The man never signed a lease. He crashed with friends or did monthly rentals. Always said he didn’t want to be tied down. He’d laughed when he helped Ronan move in here.

Ronan shoved his keys, wallet, and phone in his pockets. “Let’s go.”

Brendan blocked his path. “We need a game plan.”

“For Chloe?”

“Yeah, for Chloe. You keep telling me to stay away from her, but based on what’s been happening, she seems intent on sticking her nose where it doesn’t belong. She sure as hell isn’t doing it for me.”

“We need to convince her to keep her nose out of it.”

Brendan pursed his lips. “You think she’ll listen?”

“We’ll make her.”

“You’re awful protective toward some girl who doesn’t mean anything to you. Unless, of course, you’re doing a body shot off her.” Brendan pushed off the frame and stepped back.

“How the hell do you know about that?”

“Some things never change. People in that neighborhood talk. It’s why I won’t live there. You can’t escape who you once were.”

“Ain’t that the truth.” They headed out to Brendan’s car. “As far as Chloe goes, she’s toying with me. Like I can be her walk on the wild side.”

Brendan turned and pointed up at Ronan’s house. “Yeah, real wild here. Homeowner, project manager at work.”

Ronan laughed. “Like you said, can’t escape the past.”

It felt weird joking with Brendan like they had when they were young.

“Believe me, I tried. That’s what the Army was about. And when that didn’t work, I went to the FBI.”

Ronan settled into the passenger seat. “And yet, we’re both back here. For as far as we ran, we ended up where we started.”

“This is home. I decided to stop running and face the shit that made me who I am.” He started the engine but didn’t put the car in drive. “I’m glad you reached out. I’ve wanted to but figured you didn’t want to hear from me. Listen up, because I’m only going to say this once.”

Ronan looked at his big brother.

“You were right. I should’ve stayed to find answers a long time ago.”

Ronan hadn’t seen that coming. A knot formed in the middle of his chest. This was all he’d wanted. He nodded. “We’ll find them now.”

Brendan pulled into the street.

“And Chloe?” Ronan said.

“What about her?”

“Stay away from her.”

“Dude. She has no interest in me.” Brendan shot him a look as he made a left onto Addison. “You can’t be that dense.”

“What?”

“Even when we dated, I was the runner-up. She’d come over to the house and stare at you even though she was my girlfriend.”

“What the fuck are you talking about? She was head over heels in love with you. The Doyle who was going places. Had a plan. Wasn’t a shit ton of trouble.”

Brendan chuckled. “You don’t know Chloe at all. She went out with me because I’m safe. She could bring me home to the family. But it was you she wanted. The girl had a wild streak of her own. You were what she wanted but was afraid to go after.”

Ronan flashed back to the night of the party where she’d gotten drunk and crawled all over him. He’d felt dirty for being turned on by his brother’s ex-girlfriend, thinking she was using him as a substitute. Now, though, Brendan’s words painted a different picture.

“Why tell me this now?”

“Because you seem concerned that I’m going to make a move on her or some shit. I’m only interested in Chloe McCarthy for the information she can provide. I’m not about to step in your way.”

“That’s not a path I’m on.”

“Maybe it should be.”

Ronan laughed. “I’ve never been parent-approved. So that’s a non-starter. Chloe is still very much a mama’s girl.” The night of the block party when they had been a breath away from making out, her mother’s voice had her running away. “Turn right up here. Last Shot is down the street from the Rose.”

“Just sayin’ if you both want each other, you’re adults.”

If only it were that easy.