Adam stood in the corner and made no noise. He kept his eyes down, listening but making no comment, offering no expression.
Until Ronan said that.
He liked men? Adam hadn't known. Hadn't ever guessed. Ronan hadn't ever shown much interest in men, but he hadn't really shown much interest in anybody. Not that they'd had the chance. They'd been kids.
After that, his eyes flicked between the two brothers, curious and attentive to what was going on. His fists clenched at the blow, nails biting into his hands and every muscle in his body tensing.
He followed Ronan out into the hallway, glad to have him out of there and safe, glad that Ronan had restrained himself from fighting.
And yet, something tugged at him. This wasn't resolved, and if he left it up to the two brothers, it never would be.
Catching Ronan's elbow, he met his eyes, quiet and determined. "Do you trust me?" he asked, soft but certain. "I'll meet you back at the Barns."
Holding Ronan's eyes a moment longer, Adam turned and walked back into Declan's office. He carried himself upright and proud, as though he was an equal to the lord of the house.
Without being invited, he came in and sat down in the chair that Ronan had just vacated.
While Ronan had been gone, Adam had never crossed Declan's path. They'd had no business with each other.
"He's never going to be able to be reasonable," Adam said, as though the conversation had never stopped, as though he'd been a part of it all along. "But I can."
no subject
Until Ronan said that.
He liked men? Adam hadn't known. Hadn't ever guessed. Ronan hadn't ever shown much interest in men, but he hadn't really shown much interest in anybody. Not that they'd had the chance. They'd been kids.
After that, his eyes flicked between the two brothers, curious and attentive to what was going on. His fists clenched at the blow, nails biting into his hands and every muscle in his body tensing.
He followed Ronan out into the hallway, glad to have him out of there and safe, glad that Ronan had restrained himself from fighting.
And yet, something tugged at him. This wasn't resolved, and if he left it up to the two brothers, it never would be.
Catching Ronan's elbow, he met his eyes, quiet and determined. "Do you trust me?" he asked, soft but certain. "I'll meet you back at the Barns."
Holding Ronan's eyes a moment longer, Adam turned and walked back into Declan's office. He carried himself upright and proud, as though he was an equal to the lord of the house.
Without being invited, he came in and sat down in the chair that Ronan had just vacated.
While Ronan had been gone, Adam had never crossed Declan's path. They'd had no business with each other.
"He's never going to be able to be reasonable," Adam said, as though the conversation had never stopped, as though he'd been a part of it all along. "But I can."