"What's Tom going to do to Ezra? Is he going to kill him?" He asks scared and I hug him. I think we both know the answer to this question. "It's my fault Hope, I told Tom what I heard Ezra say about you."
"What are you talking about?"
"Ezra said some things about you, he was going to hurt you and I told Tom. He was very upset and now-" Paddy is cut off by a shotgun. We both jump in our spot with the sound. "He killed him Hope, he killed him."
"Stay here." I tell him before running outside to the back and seeing that Tom, in fact, shot and killed Ezra. Tom looks at me and I get a wave of guilt. I turn around and run back to the room to be with Paddy.
"Is he dead?" He asks as soon as I step into the room. I don't know what to say so I rush to hug him. "It's my fault Hope I shouldn't have said anything."
"Hey hey hey," I say making him look at me. "You spoke up because you wanted to protect me," He nods. "And so did Tom that why this happened. It's not your fault."
"But why did he have to kill him? Why is Tom evil like this?"
"Your brother is not evil Paddy. He is a good person." I say not even believing my own words myself.
"A good person doesn't hurt others like Tom does, a good person is not involved in the mafia." He argues.
"Look, there's 2 types of people in this business. People like Harrison and Jacob who joined voluntarily, and people like your brothers who were born into it with no option. I used to think like you, I used to believe that everyone had other choices and if they were here was because they wanted, but that's not always the case. My dad is a mafia leader, I am an only daughter meaning one day maybe, just like Tom did, I will have to take over my dad's business, yet you don't think I'm a bad person do you? I ask and shakes his head no. "Your brother is not bad, he just does what he has to, even if he doesn't want to. He's good and he cares for you. Keeping you away from all of this is his way of showing it." I say and I can see a few tears forming in his eyes. I hug him one more time. I remember being his age and being confused about things happening around me. I remember needing a hug from my mom and she not being here for me making me feel lonely. I know that is what Paddy needs too and I might not be his mom but I will not let him feel alone anymore.
Two knocks on my door make me open my eyes and I realize Paddy and I fell asleep. The room is dark indicating it is night time so I turn my night lamp and get up to open the door. I open it just a little where only my face is showing, and I see Tom standing on the other side.
"Hey." He says.
"Shhh don't talk so loud, you are going to wake up the man sleeping on my bed." I say and Tom's eyes open widely and he rapidly pushes the door open to enter my room. I laugh a little when I see the relieve on his face when he sees it's Paddy.
"Thank you for being with him today." He says.
"You should talk to him, he was pretty scared." I say.
"Yeah I will." He says and gives me a half smile while he looks at me. And there they are, the butterflies he makes me feel are back.
"Thank you Tom, for defending me. I feel like I'm always causing trouble." I chuckle.
"No Hope, im sorry for not doing something about it before. Im sorry I put you at risk. I won't let that happen again." He says looking at me with guilty eyes. Before my mind and heart come on agreement on if is should give in to my desire of giving him a kiss, a voice breaks our eye contact.
"Tom?" Paddy says and we both turn.
"Hey Pads, let's go to your room, come on." He says and Paddy gets up from my bed and walks next to his brother. "We need to talk about moving you upstairs." Tom adds.
"There's no room available upstairs." I say.
"You can have Bella's. I'll send her down here."
"No." I say firmly.
"Hope.."
"No Tom I am not moving to Bella's room. I will not have her room." I say and he shakes his head.
"You can have my room." Paddy volunteers.
"Thank you paddy but that's your room."
"Yes but I will leave eventually, you can have it."
"We'll talk about it when it's time for you to leave ok?" I say and he nods. "For now I will stay here." Tom shoots me a 'really' look. "After today nobody will dare to come close to me." I add. He sighs in defeat knowing this argument could last all night.
"Ok then, let's go Paddy." He says as he guides Paddy out the room.
"Goodnight boys." I say holding on to my door.
"Goodnight Hope." Paddy says smiling.
"Goodnight." Tom says. "Lock your door." He orders.
"Yes boss." I say making paddy laugh. When the boys are out of the hallway, i lock my door and head back to bed. What a roller coaster my life has become. When I think nothing else can happen, something always does.
Chapter 21
Start from the beginning
