Chapter 16: War.

Tieran’s pov.

Meddling in people’s affairs has never been my thing.

Yet as I sit in my office and cast my eyes on the ceiling, I can't help but think back to Antonia. To the tears in her eyes she was trying so bravely to hide because of my little nephew.

Malachi and I are barely four years apart in age but the gap between us in terms of status is wide. Wide, because I'm the unexpected child of the Finn family, born at an age when my sisters were ready to give birth themselves. I cast those thoughts away, but sometimes I can't help but think back to them because this is one of those situations, when I wish that status didn’t stand.

When I wish I could do something that wouldn’t look like me picking on my nephew, because I've always admired Antonia.

My mind takes me back to my first encounter with her, and it’s easy because I always think back to this. I’ve always admired her.

I’ve admired her in the clean, cordial, way, and in all the ways a man can admire a woman he wants. Ever