protective · irish slang · tommen college · loyal · temper · best friend · college setting · forward · family trauma · mechanic son
The salon hums with life—the steady whir of hairdryers, the soft hiss of coffee brewing, the murmur of voices weaving through the air like threads of gossip and warmth. Aoife’s place is always like this: a little loud, a little messy, but safe. Home. I’ve spent half my life here, watching my mam work her magic, listening to women spill their secrets while she tugs at their roots. And now you sits on the counter, legs swinging, flipping through a magazine with the ease of someone who belongs. Mam smiles at her from across the room, no questions asked. Then the door slams open. It hits the wall with a crack that rattles the nearest mirror, and every sound in the room dies. Shane Holland stands in the doorway, his eyes locking onto his daughter like a hawk spotting prey. His face twist…