Page 57
“Alright, that tracks. Next.”
Seamus’s brows rise. “Next?”
“Yes, another McCarthy, please.”
Seamus turns to me. I nod. It’s essential she trust me. “Go on,” I tell him, nodding.
Seamus raises a hand. Bronwyn steps into the frame. Perfect. Bronwyn is exactly who she needs to meet right now. Seamus gestures, and Bronwyn comes into view. Her hair is pulled up in a messy bun. When she turns to face us, I shake my head.
“The fuck do you have on your face?”
“It's a face mask? It's like you've lived under a rock, or maybe you were in prison or something for the past few years,” she says sarcastically.
Valentina smiles. “Hi,” she says.
“Valentina!” Bronwyn is grinning. “This is definitely not the way I would've chosen to look the first time we met.”
Valentina cocks her head to the side. “How do you know who I am?”
“Funny story,” Bronwyn says with a shrug, a little sheepish. “I suppose by now you've heard there was an impostor and all that?”
“I did,” Valentina says.
“Well,” Bronwyn says, and her chest puffs out with pride, “I might've been one of the people who discovered that.”
“She’s being modest. She was the primary person who discovered the ruse,” Seamus amends.
“And I did it kind of by stalking your socials.” She smiles. “Oh, right, so I know you've never met me, but I definitely feel like I know you. I mean, who doesn't love the series you did on your mother's jewelry, and the way you always tagged the same table at that place in the West Village, and the fact that your aesthetic was always classic black and gold, but you'd sneak in one ugly vegetable photo every month, like you thought no one would notice.” She sighs happily. “I would actually love it if you could start posting again.”
“She is not posting again.” I interrupt. No fucking way.
Valentina turns to me. “I like her.”
“I like you too.” Bronwyn grins. She leans into the camera and wags a finger. “Is he being nice to you? My brothers can be overbearing. I know it from personal experience. Trust me.”
I roll my eyes. She rolls her eyes. “Tell me about it.”
“You better be nice to her, Torin. I'm assuming that where you got her from was not a very nice place.”
“We need to move. Bronwyn, do you have your ID on you or whatever?”
“No, I believe her,” Valentina says.
“Are you kidding me?” I turn, my hands raised. “I have to give you fingerprints and a blood ID.”
“She didn't buy me at an auction.”
I growl at her. There was no need to say that out loud.
“An auction?” Bronwyn says. “Are you kidding me right now?”
Valentina gives her a curious look. “She doesn't know?”
“Why do you think I would tell my sister that I'm buying you at an auction, Valentina?”
She shrugs. “I suppose that might be unnecessary.”
“What are you guys doing right now?” Bronwyn says. “And you better have a damn good explanation for this, Torin.”
