Cathal Chapter 13
Bronagh sat tense on the small loveseat in the sitting room. I was trying not to broadcast my tension. I hated the thought of getting into an actual fight with her dad, but if he tried to drag her out of here, I would.
She and I had had a tiny breakthrough, I thought.
I had to see if it would get bigger. I tried not to hope things would go back to normal for us, but I still did.
I went to the door to wait for Faolán’s arrival.
When there was a knock on my door, I took one more deep breath, then I opened it.
Standing there was a group. Among them were Darragh, Daid, and five of our security guards.
On the Bragan side was a scowling Faolán, along with three other men who were clearly his bodyguards. I stepped back and waved them in.
As soon as Faolán was across the threshold, he began demanding things.
“Where is my daughter? You bring her out right now.”
“Faolán, hang on. I told you. Bronagh wasn’t feeling well today. She had a low blood sugar incident. She was told to rest by the doctor,” Darragh reminded him.
“I know what you told me. I want to see her for myself and verify if it’s true or a bunch of shit you’re trying to sell me,” the Bragan family leader snapped.
“Don’t forget, this is my home. We understand you’re anxious to see Bronagh. But we won’t allow outright disrespect or for her to be upset. If you want to see and speak to her, she’s in the bedroom. You and I will go in so you may visit with her,” I told him firmly.
“I’m not speaking to her with anyone present.
I told Darragh on the phone that I have to talk to her alone.
I’m not convinced she’s suddenly changed her mind about remaining here.
She was extremely upset and hurt by what you did.
What’re you even doing here? I was told you’d left and were staying somewhere else,” he asked gruffly.
The way he said it, without throwing the fact that I had been staying at the club in my face, made me wonder what Bronagh told him. I decided to find out.
“Where did she tell you I was staying?” I asked.
He waved his hand dismissively as he answered. “She said you had some crash pad or something. I know most of you O’Sheeran men have those, or so I’ve heard. It doesn’t matter. You hurt my daughter. You kept things about yourself from her. Things that she needed to know before becoming your wife.”
“What things?” Daid asked.
“She wouldn’t tell me. All she said was she wanted to leave.
That she couldn’t marry you if you were keeping secrets and lying to her.
I was a fool for asking this family to help me keep her and the rest of my family safe through a marriage.
I was desperate, and that caused my daughter to be hurt.
I’m here to rectify my mistake. Bronagh is coming with us.
I’ve arranged a safe house for her. She’ll stay there with Burke and Cain. They’ll keep her safe.”
Faolán gestured to two of the three silent men with him.
Surely he didn’t believe three guys could prevent us from keeping her.
He had to have reinforcements or a trick up his sleeve.
I glanced over at Dar. He gave me the tiniest nod.
If I hadn’t been staring at him, I would’ve missed it.
He knew what I was thinking, and he had someone already checking it out.
Sometimes it was crazy how easily we read each other’s minds in our family.
“Let’s go see Bronagh. But your men have to stay out in the living room,” I restated.
“We’ll stay with them,” Daid offered. I knew I wasn’t about to get rid of any of my side. One of our bodyguards was Troi.
“I told you, I’m not speaking to her with you breathing down our necks, intimidating her.”
“Daidí, stop arguing with Cathal and come to the bedroom. And Cathal comes, too,” Bronagh’s voice said from across the vast space. She stood at the mouth of the short hallway, leaning against the doorframe. Her tiredness and paleness were clear.
“M’aingeal, what did they do to you?” Faolán asked, deep worry in his voice as he rushed over to her.
I let him go. He crushed her in his arms. I moseyed over to them as his guards moved to stand behind him. The O’Sheeran contingent was right behind them.
“They did nothing to me. As explained, I had a low blood sugar episode. I need to rest. You can leave Murdoch, Cain, and Burke out here. If they behave, so will Darragh and his people. Isn’t that right?” She directed the question to my cousin.
“Of course, you have my word, Bronagh,” Dar assured her with a small smile.
“Thank you. Now, let’s go talk.”
Bronagh, now out of her dad’s arms, turned and walked back toward the bedroom. I saw the disgruntled expression on Faolán’s face as he instructed his men.
“Stay here, but keep an eye on them. I’ll be back.”
“Yes, sir,” the older one stated. The other two nodded.
I walked around them and followed Faolán to my bedroom. Briefly, I wondered if he’d realize it was ours and not a guest bedroom. If he did, it would likely make him angrier, not that I cared. I loved the idea of her in the room where we held each other and made love.
I saw him checking out my home. I knew it was impressive, though I felt it wasn’t too stuffy. I didn’t try to flaunt my wealth in anyone’s face. From what Bronagh told me, they lived more simply, but, then again, the Bragans had never been on our level in terms of assets and wealth.
“Have a seat over here. Oh, do you want anything to drink? I should’ve asked while we were out there,” she said, seeming to be annoyed with herself.
“We have coffee and bottled water in the morning bar,” I reminded her, pointing to where the coffeemaker and cups were. Beneath it, disguised as a cabinet, was a small refrigerator.
“I always forget. Daidí?”
“I don’t want anything,” he said.
I sat in one of the two high-back chairs, which matched the loveseat. They formed a U with a small table between the chairs and the loveseat and a slightly larger one in front of the three seats. I chose the chair because he took the other half of the loveseat.
“Bronagh, I came to take you to a safe house. I’ve got everything arranged as I promised.
There’s no need to talk anything over. Let’s get your things, and we can go.
I know you don’t want to be here, no matter what Darragh and Cormac tried to tell me otherwise.
What is this bastard holding over your head to make you hesitate?
If he threatened our family, don’t worry about it.
” Faolán got straight to the point. I admired that.
“You’re right, I did ask you to get me out of here.
However, today, after my fainting spell, Cathal and I started to discuss what caused me to call you in the first place.
He was about to give me more details when you arrived.
I’m sorry that I brought you and the others all this way, but I can’t go.
Not until I hear everything he has to tell me. ”
“Mil, Honey, you can’t trust him. You told me that on the phone. I should’ve never asked them for a marriage or to go to the hospital after the wreck. I thought I was saving you, only to put you in greater danger,” he muttered.
“Faolán, Bronagh will never be in danger from my family. Never. I love your daughter. I admit, I kept something from her that I shouldn’t have.
But we’ve calmed down and are ready to discuss things like adults.
Surely, you don’t want her to throw away a wonderful future due to running away before she knows everything.
“I can assure you, even if she desires to have nothing to do with me after we finish our talk, we’ll provide her with stellar protection until your enemy is identified and eliminated. We gave our word. We keep it.”
“Bronagh, you’re coming with us right now. I don’t care what he has to say. You can’t trust him. Where are your things?”
Faolán rose to his feet, wearing a dark scowl. She stayed seated. “Daidí, I’m not going anywhere before I hear what Cathal has to tell me. Now, you can wait at the main house while we talk, or you can leave, and if I decide I still want to leave, I’ll call you.”
He made a sputtering sound as he stared at her in disbelief. Finally, when she didn’t move, he yelled out. “Murdoch!”
I was on my feet when the thunder of footsteps and arguing voices ended, and the bedroom filled with ten men. The older man led the way. He wore a thunderous expression.
“Get her,” her dad snapped.
Murdoch, I assumed, took two steps forward. I placed myself between him and her.
“If you take one more—” my threat was cut short by my lovely Bronagh.
“Murdoch, I swear to God, if you lay a finger on Cathal or me, I’ll put you on your ass. And you know I can,” she snarled.
She sounded like a mama bear protecting her cub. Even though I could take care of myself, it warmed me and filled me with joy.