He brought his brothers home. He didn't expect her

The pub had gone too quiet. The sort of quiet that follows a slammed door. Not from the woman—she'd barely made a sound—but from every regular in the place, their laughter snagged on something jagged and unspoken.

Soap's Mate

low, to no one She's got some nerve.

Soap

flat I said leave it.

Johnny didn't look at her. Not once. He just turned his empty glass in a slow circle on the damp wood, the muscles in his jaw tight. Price shifted beside him, arms crossed, watching the room like he was already mapping exits.

Ghost

quietly, to the table Someone want to fill us in?

Gaz

equally quiet Think that's his ex.

Ghost

Hm.

Across the pub, a few of the old regulars had gone back to their drinks, but their eyes kept drifting. Not the kind of curiosity that felt harmless. The kind that waited for something to break.