Aven yawned and stretched, giving up on going back to sleep. Whatever ruckus was coming from the front room of the apartment was enough to rouse her from bed.
In the few weeks since the mishap with the Russians, life seemed to flow must smoother. After a couple of night sleeping with their limbs draped over the furniture in the front room, the brothers and Rocco had found a new loft apartment. It was plain but roomy and just around the corner from the pub. When the three of them weren't carrying out God's will, they were helping out at the pub.
Torrin had ended her relationship with Gavan shortly after she and Aven came clean about their lives. Connor had yet to win her over, but he sure was giving it his all. At least once a week he brought her flowers, frequently made her dinner, and always walked her home after coffee – even as close as the apartment was located. Aven thought maybe Torrin was close to giving in to him, but for now seemed content to work and run the pub.
With Gavan out of Torrin's life, Aven had taken another step back from her work. She was now serving orders to monitor activity on the Irish mafia in Boston, but had no orders that gave her an actual objective. With the help of Rocco and the boys, who heard everything, and her own reconnaissance runs, she did her job with the leisure of helping to run the pub and just enjoy her life. It hadn't been that way for a while. For the first time ever, she was afforded the luxury of a dating relationship, something she and Murphy began the same night she and Torrin told all.
She smiled to herself, thinking how great life was, now that she was really living it. Her smile grew as she padded to the living room.
"Uncle Peter!" Aven exclaimed, throwing her arms around the older man. "I didn't know you were coming!"
"Just wanted to surprise you two gals," he replied, releasing her from their hug. "I'm hearing a lot of things back home of what you two are up to here in Boston."
Aven's eyes met Torrin's, confirming what Peter Hannigan knew. "Well, it's been adventurous, to say the least."
"Torrin's got a pot of coffee on. Come on, and we'll talk."
Aven followed instructions, but she didn't want to. Her uncle had, of course, protested most out of anyone when the family found out how she was making her living. Although she had been able to make it through her first year of work under the cover of her pub job back home, when the truth came out, most of their concerns had been for her safety. Her uncle, however, had been most concerned with how her job was going to affect his business. She assured him that the agency held nothing her family did against her. She would just be monitored that much more closely.
"It's been brought to my attention that several Russians are dead, and that it may tie back to us," Peter began.
Aven sipped at the black liquid in her cup. "No, that won't be tied back to you. If anything it would be tied back to my organization."
Peter frowned, then understanding flooded his features. "You mean to tell me that you killed them, Aven?"
"Never said I was proud of it," she mumbled. "I went to see Murphy, and the Russians were there. They had Connor at gunpoint –"
"Who are Connor and Murphy?" Peter interrupted her.
"Just some friends, Da," Torrin replied when Aven stumbled over that one. "They were good friends of Doc McGinty, who sold me the pub. Well, they're friends of mine, Murphy and Aven …"
"We're dating," Aven finished, glaring at her cousin. "I'm twenty-seven and I'm dating someone. Let's deal with it. It's not like Connor and Torrin aren't –"
"Ciúin!" Torrin bid her cousin to be quiet.
Aven laughed, but Peter ignored her hinting. "How well do you know these boys?"
In one secret glance exchanged between the two of them, Torrin and Aven agreed not to disclose the nature of the brothers' work. "They've been working at the pub, Da. They're good men."
"I'll have my say on it when I meet them, I suppose."
Both girls held their tongues. There was no use in arguing with him; when Aven's own father wasn't around, her uncle was his proxy. What he said went, and her father generally stood behind his brother-in-law's word.
"So you killed all three of them yourself?" Peter continued.
Aven nodded. "I did."
"How?"
She swallowed. "I shot them."
Aven rolled her eyes, her anger flaring. "I was struggling with some things – you know like coming here to watch out for Torrin when she started dating Gavan and he turned out to be the lead mafia guy over here? Something you knew about and neglected to even tell her. I went to talk to Murphy because, unlike the majority of my family, he doesn't care about what I've done or who I work for. I went to talk to him and the Russians were there, asking after us. I killed them to protect Connor and Murphy, and Rocco – he's an Italian, by the way – and I killed them to protect Torrin and to protect myself. Any other questions, Uncle, or can I get in the shower now?"
Peter just stared at her. Torrin's eyes were glazing over with tears; Aven knew she had taken things a step too far, but she was tired of getting the third degree from her uncle.
"Try not to kick his ass like you did mine when you found out," Aven cautioned her as she disappeared from the room.
.&.
Torrin looked at her father in disbelief. "I can't believe you knew."
"Torrin, you're a big girl. It's not my job anymore to make sure that you know who you're dating," Peter defended.
"You're my father!" she returned. "You're supposed to protect me!"
"There was nothing to protect you from! Gavan is just like me – he wasn't going to hurt you."
"Until he just didn't come home or disappeared or found out that you were my father and used me to go further up the chain."
Aven came out of the shower and slammed her bedroom door behind her. Peter pointed in her direction. "She is the reason why you think this way. That cousin of yours has gotten into you head!"
"No, Da, I got into my head," Torrin shot back. "Why'd you think I stayed after high school instead of going back to Ireland with ya? I wanted out of that life. I wanted some sense of normal."
Peter rolled his eyes. "You've never wanted for anythin'. You had a good life."
"When I wasn't being hidden in the crawlspace or shipped off to Grandma's, right?"
He shook his head. "I've had enough. It was a long flight, so I'm going to get some rest. Wake me up for dinner, would ya?"
Torrin stared blankly ahead, waiting for him to disappear into her room. Aven came out from her shower after she was dressed and her hair braided down her back, and sat across from her cousin.
"I shouldn't have let you find out that way," Aven apologized. "He promised me he would tell you. He didn't know why I came here – still doesn't, as far as I know. When I first found out, I confronted him. Asked him if he had set it up that –"
"Stop," Torrin interrupted calmly. "I don't want to know."
Aven nodded. "I'll open the pub today. Take a rest in my bed, if you want."
"We've got that pub crawl coming in tonight we've got to be ready for. I should –"
"You should get some rest and deal with everything your father's spontaneous presence has brought on you."
"Thank you," Torrin whispered, wiping her face.
Aven headed for the door but turned before leaving. "He didn't set it up. He didn't know who you were dating until after you told me you had met someone."
Torrin didn't say anything; the tears just came faster. Although it shouldn't have, knowing that only made her feel more betrayed. Maybe her father hadn't set up the relationship with Gavan, but he had done nothing to let her make the choice for herself once he was aware of Torrin's choice in suitor.
Deciding it was best to take Aven's offer, she went to her cousin's room, locked the door behind her, and curled up into the bed. She let sleep overcome everything else she was feeling, praying that when she woke, everything would be different.
.&.
Aven checked off another food item from the list Torrin had prepared the day before. At the rate she and Tiger were going, everything would be prepared for the pub crawl coming in later before Torrin even came downstairs.
"We're quite the team, you and me," she smiled at the burly man. "I'll pop these in the fridge then check on how Alanna's doing."
"Have to say, I'm glad Torrin decided to go with all the finger foods for this thing tonight. How many people are coming in?" Tiger asked.
"Well, the party event people said there's three groups of at least twenty."
"The regulars will love that," Tiger snorted. "S'long as I can be out of here before then. Have they ever had a pub crawl here before?"
"I don't think so – but Doc wasn't much for that kind of thing. Two Cousins is doing just fine, and we love the regulars of course, but we are going a little to the left of where McGinty's was, s'pose you could say."
"Nothing wrong with that. And Alanna's staying on to help serve?"
"She is, which'll be good. Torrin's father arrived this morning, without warning."
Tiger raised his brow, but didn't say anything. He knew enough about Torrin and Aven at that point to not ask questions. He was happy to have a job, and would do anything for his employers, but he eagerly accepted that they didn't need him to look out for them.
The next couple of hours passed with only small talk. Aven's mind was trying to focus on the food she was preparing and the orders she was filling, but thoughts of her uncle kept pushing through. Growing up, Peter had treated Aven as his own – just as Aven's father had done for Torrin. But, since she had found her career, Peter had all but disowned her. Aven tried to be understanding, but in the years she had done her job, she had never once turned on her uncle. Not one of her colleagues expected it of her. Still, the distance between her and her beloved uncle continued to grow.
"A woman pretty as you shouldn't have that worry and frown on her face."
Aven smiled as she turned to find Murphy leaning against the wall next to her. "When did you sneak in?"
"Just about a minute ago. I do love watching you work." He pulled her away from her task and closer to him.
"You've not even begun to see me work," Aven teased.
"You worked those Russians over pretty good."
She dropped his hand and went back to the food, sighing. "You know how much I love talking about that in the first place, but as it were, that wasn't anywhere near what I'm truly capable of."
Murphy wrapped his arms around her from behind, lacing his fingers through hers and again taking her from her task. "You're right, I shouldn't have brought it up. I think you'll forgive me after the surprise I have for you tonight though."
Aven chuckled and leaned against him. "I don't know if I'll be able to get away. The pub crawl's tonight, and my Uncle Peter's just arrived."
"You've let him get to you already," Murphy surmised.
Aven pulled away from him again and pulled off a sheet plastic wrap, putting it over the tray of food before storing the tray. Once that was done, she plucked the pack of cigarettes from Murphy's back pocket along with his lighter. She stepped out into the alley just outside the kitchen; Murphy followed her.
Aven had just lit the cigarette when Peter came down the stairs. Murphy was taking the pack from her hands, trying to figure out what he'd said or done this time, but Peter got in her face first.
"Who the hell are you?" Murphy demanded, pushing between the two of them.
"Give it a rest, Murphy," Aven sighed, pulling him out of the way. "This is Peter Hannigan, Torrin's father. My uncle. This is Murphy MacManus."
"Yes. I've just met your brother upstairs."
Murphy pulled out his own cigarette and lit it. "I'll be around front then."
Aven waited for him to be out of earshot. "You're leaving?"
"Don't sound so hopeful, dear niece," Peter snorted. "I'm simply meeting with some people."
"Good luck, then."
"I'd like to speak with you about what was said earlier. My daughter won't speak to me because of you."
"No," Aven argued. "She won't speak to you because of you. You hid things from her, you always have. That, Uncle Peter, is why Torrin stayed here. She wanted away from all the secrets and when you bring them back round and rub it in her face –"
"No, you rubbed it in her face, Aven. I may have brought the secrets with me, but you exposed them. Secrets, I might add, which you would not have known if you had just stuck with bartending," Peter added sharply. "There's my car. I'll be back around."
Aven finished off her cigarette and snubbed it out with her toe. She wanted another one, so she turned to go in search of Murphy. He was already coming back down the alleyway towards her. He handed her a cigarette; she gave him a watery, grateful smile.
"It's been this way since I joined in, you know?" Aven started. "Used to be like I had two dads, almost. He keeps waiting for me to turn my back on him, but I would never do it, Murphy, I wouldn't!"
"I know," Murphy said softly, taking the cigarette from her hand and tossing it away with his. He held her face in his hands. "He's like that to you because he doesn't know you like we do. Doesn't know how loyal you are. Not like I do."
Aven's heart was bursting. She backed up against the brick wall of the pub, pulling Murphy along with her.
"Still want to kiss me? Because I could really use it right now," Aven sniffled.
Murphy smiled. He kissed her forehead, her nose, and each cheek. He hovered over her mouth, but didn't deliver. "You've no idea how bad I want to kiss you, but not like this. Wait for it."
Aven whined. "Wait for it? You know the day I'm having and you want me to wait for it?"
"I do. And I promise you, it'll be worth the wait."
The ornery sparkle in his eye finally drew a smile from her. "It had better be."
A/N: As you can probably tell from how this chapter drags, my muse seems to be slacking. I did want to introduce Torrin's father, as he will play an important part throughout the rest of the story, and present more that tension between Peter and Aven. Hope this chapter hasn't turned anyone off to the whole story. Stick with me! Thanks for reading.