Cathal #2
He didn’t respond, but I heard his footsteps coming nearer. I blew out a frustrated breath. I guess I’d have to debate with him first. Maybe it would help Bronagh cool down. I turned away from the bathroom door to face where he’d enter.
A couple of moments later, Dar popped around the corner. He hesitated, looking left then right. He spotted me and came right to me.
“Dar, I know Fallon told you what happened, but I can’t discuss it right now. I need to explain it to Bronagh,” I said.
“Fallon didn’t tell me anything,” he said.
“Then how did you know?” I asked, perplexed.
“Because your fiancée called me, begging that I come here. She said she needed my help. What the hell is going on? Why am I getting frantic calls from her in the middle of the night, pleading for help? What the hell happened?”
I heard the wariness in his tone.
“She called you? Why would she do that?” I asked.
I heard the click, then light spilled out of the bathroom into the hallway. Bronagh stood there. Her eyes were wet with tears, and she looked emotionally battered. She wouldn’t meet my gaze. Instead, she looked at my cousin.
“Thank you for coming. I’m sorry for waking you, but I knew he wouldn’t allow it.”
“Allow what?” Dar and I said it at the same time.
“For me to move to the main house until morning.”
“And what happens in the morning?” Dar asked.
“I leave. I’ll have my alternate plans in place by then.”
Pure terror sliced through me. I lunged toward her but was brought up short by the iron grip Dar placed on my upper arm. I tried to shake him off.
“Stand still,” Darragh ordered.
“I’m not letting her fucking leave! Not over something stupid. I’m sorry I didn’t tell her. I was going to,” I babbled.
“I don’t believe you,” Bronagh snapped.
“Whoa, hang on, will one of you tell me what’s going on here? I can’t do anything if I don’t know,” Darragh said calmly.
My heart was thundering in my chest at Bronagh’s threat to leave.
She stood there now, wrapped in the robe she kept in the bathroom.
It hid most of her body, not that Dar would’ve looked at her that way.
Her arms were crossed over her chest. She was frowning.
Darragh flicked his gaze from me to her and back. He was waiting for me to speak.
“I couldn’t sleep. I went outside to sit on the lanai.
Fallon was out for a stroll. I guess he wasn’t sleeping either.
He sat down, and we got to talking. He asked me why I wasn’t asleep.
I told him. I didn’t know Bronagh had gotten up and come outside.
She heard what I said, though I don’t know how much of it she heard.
She’s upset. I’m trying to explain it to her.
She locked herself in the bathroom and wouldn’t come out.
I had no idea she’d called anyone until you said so. ”
I hoped my condensed restatement was enough to get him to leave so I could fix this myself.
“What did you say?” Dar asked.
“That he runs sex clubs for the family, and not only that, he plays in them, and how he needs what he gets there in his life,” Bronagh said in a whisper.
I looked back at her and saw that her face was ravaged with pain. Her arms were now hugging her.
Dar’s hand had let go of my arm. I reached out and took a couple of steps toward her.
I had to comfort her and take that expression off her face.
It made my chest hurt. Except when I moved, Bronagh stepped back and partially closed the door.
She was prepared to close it on me if I came too close. I froze.
“I can’t fucking believe this. You didn’t tell her?” Dar muttered as he rubbed his forehead.
“No, I didn’t. I was trying to figure out how,” I confessed.
“Darragh, you told me that I would be safe here. And you told him that I had to agree to marry him without coercion. Did you mean it?”
I watched my cousin grimace before he answered her. “Yes, I meant it.”
“Good, then you won’t stop me from leaving. The engagement is off. My dad will find another way to protect our family—no need to worry about my safety. I’ll do what I should’ve done from the beginning. I’ll go to France. I have people there who’ll help me.”
Instantly, an image of Antoine Beaufort flashed across my mind.
“Over my dead body are you leaving and going to fucking Beaufort! You’re my fiancée. We’re getting married in ten days. Just let me explain,” I started out ordering and ended up pleading.
“What is there to explain? You own and run sex clubs, you fuck women there, and get your needs met by them. There’s no hidden meaning.
I’m glad I found out. There’s no need for you to ignore your needs to marry me.
Or maybe you weren’t going to ignore them.
After all, when you work, how would I know what you’re doing, or who? ”
My biggest fear in telling her about Wicked stared me in the face.
Bronagh looked sick, and I felt myself crumbling inside.
I knew it was too good to be true. I’d told my family I’d never find someone who would love all aspects of me.
I let myself hope when I met Bronagh. I thought she would, but it was clear she felt sickened by the thought, and she thought I’d cheat on her.
I let my hand drop. A war erupted inside of me.
On one hand, I wanted to battle for her heart until she saw and accepted all of me and became my wife.
On the other hand, I knew I should give up and let her go.
I knew I couldn’t see her daily and not want her so that I couldn’t stay here.
But I had to make sure that, wherever she was, she would be protected.
“Cathal, aren’t you going to say something?” Darragh asked.
A suitable compromise popped into my head. “She doesn’t need to leave. This is the safest place for her. We can’t ensure her safety outside of here.”
“It’s not your problem anymore,” Bronagh hissed.
“Yes, it is. Even if you’re not mine, we gave our word. O’Sheerans don’t go back on our promises. She’ll stay here. I’ll leave. That way she won’t have to be exposed to me,” I said.
With that said, I turned and walked toward the closet. I’d grab a bag and be out of here in fifteen minutes. I could go to the beach house. Or maybe I should go further. Being in the same state as her would be too close.
I heard Darragh and Bronagh speaking, but their voices were too low to make out what they said.
I yanked out a suitcase and opened it on the dresser built in the middle of my closet.
I began tossing in random things that my hands landed on.
I wasn’t paying attention. All I knew was I had to get out of here before I lost it and started begging her.
“What the fuck are you thinking? You can’t leave. You need to sit down and work this out with her,” my cousin said as he barreled into my closet. He was scowling.
“There’s nothing to work out. You heard her. She wants nothing to do with me, my job, or my disgusting proclivities. It’s just like I told all of you. No woman that I want will stay with me if they know all of me. The whole anamchara thing isn’t meant for me.”
Saying it made my eyes burn and my throat start to close up.
“You won’t know that unless you sit down and tell her everything.
She clearly doesn’t know what you like sexually.
I would’ve thought over the past few weeks, she would’ve been exposed to those.
That you told her, but I see you haven’t.
She’s in shock, Cathal. And by the looks of her, she’s in pain.
You’re clearly in pain. You love each other. Don’t walk away.”
I half-listened, but when I closed my suitcase after grabbing a personal care kit I kept packed with my clothes at all times, I zipped my case shut.
“Take care of her, Dar. Don’t let her leave, no matter what she says. Get her dad to tell her to stay. I’ll stay away. She won’t have to worry about me coming near her. Get her through this.”
“You’re being an idiot. Where will you go?”
“I’m not sure. I thought about the beach house, but I need to work. I’ve skated long enough. There’s my crash pad at Wicked Desires. I can stay there.”
“I don’t think staying at the sex club is what will win her back,” Dar warned.
“You heard and saw her. There’s nothing I can do to win her back, so it doesn’t matter. I’ll stay where I know I’m accepted and wanted.”
I went to pass him. He grabbed my arm, halting me.
“You’re making a mistake,” he growled.
“No, I’m not.”
I jerked my arm free. As I went into the tiny hallway, I glanced at the bathroom.
The door was closed. She must be waiting for me to leave before she comes out.
I didn’t bother to knock or say anything.
I went to the bedroom and grabbed up my keys, cell phone, and wallet. I’d get my laptop bag from the study.
In less than five minutes, I was in the garage, climbing into my DB 12 Volante Aston Martin.
I could hardly wait for the garage door to open before pulling out and racing toward the gate.
However, I should’ve known that Darragh wouldn’t allow me to leave alone.
I don’t know how he got someone there so fast, but as I signaled for the gate to be opened, a car slid in behind me.
I couldn’t make out who was behind the wheel, but I knew it was either Troi, one of the other bodyguards, or a soldier.
I revved the engine and tore out when the way was clear.
The car stayed on my ass as I tried to outrun my heartache.