Cathal Chapter 3
Amusement filled me as I left Bronagh to speak to Darragh.
I didn’t have far to go. He was standing in the hallway, waiting for me.
I could tell he’d been talking to Troi and Finnegan based on the bemused expressions they wore.
I didn’t blame them. I hadn’t known when we came here that I’d be leaving with a fiancée.
However, I wasn’t upset that I would be.
Bronagh seemed to be having a time catching up, though.
But I couldn’t hold it against her. She’d been in a wreck.
Darragh’s arms were crossed over his chest. He raised an eyebrow at me.
“Mind telling me what that was about in there? Now isn’t the time to play games, Cathal.”
“I’m not playing games. If I were Rory, then you’d need to ask that question, but I’m not.”
“I know you typically don’t, but you’re not marrying her. Why the hell confuse the situation like that? I told Faolán no, but we’d find another way to help him, then you go and say that. What if she tells her dad? She’s been hurt, and you messing around is probably confusing to her.”
“Have you heard from Faolán?”
“What does that matter?” Dar asked.
“Have you?” I pushed.
“Yeah, he called to let me know he ran into a problem and he’s coming, but it won’t be until around dawn. I guess he wasn’t in Las Cruces. What does that matter?”
“Because I have a suggestion and he’ll need to be rerouted,” I informed him.
I knew I was aggravating him, and I couldn’t push him too far, but it was kinda fun to see the confused look on his face. It was hard to do that to Darragh.
“Rerouted to where? Talk to me, Cathal. What the hell are you doing?”
I paused as a nurse approached the door. She gave us a tiny smile.
“You’re the one bringing her the medicine?” I asked.
“Yes, I am. She’ll be feeling better momentarily. This pain medicine will be given through her IV. It’ll take effect within seconds.”
“Good. Thank you,” I told her.
“You’re welcome,” she replied before knocking and then entering the room. As the door closed, I addressed my cousin.
“It looks like she’s probably okay, which means they won’t keep her long—maybe a few hours for observation.
If that is the case, she’ll need to leave.
Going back to her place isn’t a smart move.
Whoever ran her off the road clearly knew who she was.
That means they probably know where she lives.
We have no idea how many might be involved.
Leaving her here in Tallahassee with only three guards might not be enough.
The better move would be to take her somewhere they can’t find her, and even if they did, she’d be untouchable. ”
“Hang on, you don’t mean what I think,” Dar said.
“We take her back to the commune with us. The place is like Fort Knox. It makes perfect sense. We keep her safe, and while she heals, she and I get to know each other better. When she’s well, we'll announce the engagement and hold the wedding at the same time. We’ll make it an intimate affair.
And just like that, we’ve helped Faolán with his situation.
You know someone would have to be crazy to go after the father-in-law of an O’Sheeran. ”
“Are you hearing yourself!? You can’t marry her—not even for a year. We don’t do that. We don’t marry for a joke. We marry for love,” he snapped.
The nurse’s reappearance made Dar change gears.
“Excuse me, is there somewhere we can speak privately?” he asked her.
“Sure, we have a small family room right down here. Follow me.”
“You two stay here. We’ll be back,” Darragh told Troi and Finnigan.
Neither smiled. Luckily, the room was only four doors down, so they could still see it. After the nurse pointed inside, we entered. I closed the door and took a seat at the small table. Dar sat across from me.
“Dar, yes, our family marries for love. We wait and search for an anamchara. You were fortunate to find yours, and so were the others. I have no doubt the remainder who’re waiting will find theirs, but it’s not happening for me.”
“That’s bullshit. Why will it happen for everyone but you?” he asked.
“You know why. I’m not like the rest of you. What I want and need isn’t possible. Or if it is, the chances are so slim the odds are zero.”
“Cathal, you’re not unlovable. Your needs and wants might be different in some ways from ours, but they’re not that different. You find plenty of women at your club who you have a good time with.”
“I do, but they’re nothing more than playthings, like all those other women we’ve fucked over the years.
Not a single one is compatible with me outside of the kink.
I couldn’t see myself living with one of them day in and day out for the rest of my life.
And if I can’t marry for love, then I decided a while back never to marry. ”
Dar’s mouth opened, but I hurried to keep going before he could say anything.
“Walking into that room, I realized that if I could marry to help someone make the world a better place, to help keep people safe, then why not?”
“But why not say that earlier at the office? What changed here? I don’t want you to do this, Cathal. I believe you’re wrong, and you can find your anamchara and live a wonderful life with her, making you both happy. And I know you love kids. You want some of your own, don’t you?”
“I do love kids and would like to have some of my own. But if I don’t, I have all of you to provide me with plenty to spoil. We’ll have to agree to disagree on the anamchara front. As for why not at the office, the answer is I hadn’t known what it would be like to meet her in person.”
Darragh’s dark scowl eased. “Wait. What changed when you met her?”
“I don’t know. When you showed us her picture at the office, I left feeling unsettled.
It’s partially why I came with you. We walked in there, and I saw her cut and bruised, and I knew I had to protect her.
It can’t be anyone but me. And the best way to do that is to marry her, effectively removing the threat to her and her family.
It’s not a big deal to give a year up for this.
You heard her. She’s willing to do it for her family.
With both of us being willing, it shouldn’t be a problem. ”
“What if she won’t marry you? She didn’t sound excited about it when you mentioned being her fiancé,” he reminded me.
Recalling the kiss we shared, I wanted to smile, but I didn’t.
“I think if we present it to her as a done deal and the only way this will work to protect those she wants to protect, she’ll agree,” I replied.
“I’m not coercing her into it. If she doesn’t want to marry you, I won’t force her. Even if it’s short term, I don’t want her miserable. Although if you had a change of heart, maybe one of the others will too, and they could be a better match.”
His speculative tone made me lean toward him.
“I’m the one marrying her, no one else. Don’t even think about it,” I growled.
I expected him to argue and give me more reasons why it wouldn’t work. Or to threaten to bring in the rest of the family to talk me out of it, but to my surprise, he didn’t.
Instead, he gave me a nod and then said, “Alright, if we can get her to agree, then I’ll talk to her dad about setting it up. That means we need to get back in there and see if you can convince her to do it.”
“You mean it? You’ll back me with the rest of the family if she agrees. You know they’ll have shit to say, especially the parents. They’re not going to understand,” I warned.
“They won’t, but when I get done with them, they will. Are you sure you want to do this? If you have any doubt, even an inkling, then we don’t go any further. A year might seem like no time at all, but if you’re miserable, it’ll feel like eternity,” Dar warned.
“I’m sure. And we won’t be together every second of the day. She has her career. I have Wicked Desires.”
“Cathal, even if it is a temporary marriage and in name only, you can’t be fucking other women. It’s not right. You’re making vows before God. No matter how discreet you think you can be, it’ll get out.”
“I know, and I won’t be having sex with anyone. I can survive. I still have a hand.”
“Yeah, but a hand is a poor substitute,” he said.
“It is, but meaningless sex has lost its appeal, Dar,” I confessed.
“Hmm, okay then. If you’re sure, let’s see if we can get you engaged.”
For some reason, he was smiling, and when we rose to our feet, Darragh hugged me and slapped me on the back.
His attitude change mystified me, but I didn’t question him about it.
I didn’t want him to change his mind. I’d need him to help get our family on board after I convinced Bronagh.
As we left the room to talk to Bronagh, I sent out a prayer that she’d say yes.
I wasn’t sure what I’d do if she denied me.