Chapter 16 #2
I need to get to the gym to hit something. Ciara didn’t have to say a word. Her body language said it all. I’m going to kill that son of a bitch if he ever tries to come around her again.
In fact, I’ve considered going to find him to end his life anyway. Ciara may be counting on me for answers, but I now have a million questions of my own. According to Felix, Ciara’s mom died a year after her dad and that was only a few months after they left.
Why didn’t she come back to Ireland? What made her marry someone else so quickly? Neither obit gave a cause of death.
Something stinks and I’m starting to think I might know where the stench is coming from. The one thing I know for sure is that I need to cover my girl.
“This car is so cool. I want one like this when I can drive,” Ciarán croons from the back seat.
“You want it? In four years, it’s yours. Or I’ll trade up to the newer model and give you that,” I say with a smile.
“Dylan, no. Please don’t make promises you can’t keep,” Ciara gasps.
“I never break a promise. The car is his.”
“This is the best birthday ever. Oh my God. I can’t wait until I’m sixteen.”
Ciara groans and shakes her head. I reach to place a hand on her thigh. She peeks over at me as I glance out the corner of my eye.
“Don’t believe me? You can start driving it to keep it safe for him.”
“Ugh, please no. It’s mine,” Ciarán whines.
Ciara bursts out laughing. I love the way it lights up her face. For the millionth time, I want to lean in and take her lips.
“Don’t worry. Once I find a job, I plan to get my own car, brat.”
“Speaking of which, why not come and work for me or my family? What are you good at other than fighting?”
She sits with a frown on her lips for a moment. I focus back on the road as a driver tries to cut me off. Manhattan traffic is ass.
I hate coming up here, especially this time of day. I wonder if I could get her and Ciarán to come live in Brooklyn with me. If not at my place, I could put them up somewhere just as nice as the place Vega has them in.
“She’s an artist. When I was little, she talked about becoming a tattoo artist until Dad talked her out of it. Fighters use their hands to fight, not draw shit on people,” Ciarán says in a mocking voice.
“Ciarán,” Ciara says warningly.
“Sorry, that’s just how he said it. I hated when he would put down the things we wanted to do because it wasn’t in a ring,” he murmurs.
“I remember you always drawing. Your da had your drawings pinned up all over his training gym. Do you still draw?”
“Yeah, but it’s been so long since I’ve thought about becoming an ink artist. Theo made me work at the gym, training for him. I’ve been training fighters for as long as I can remember.”
“Yeah, which is why I never understood why you couldn’t train me. You would have been so much better at it than Theo and he knew it,” Ciarán mutters from his seat as he slumps down into it.
“Come to think of it …” I cut my words off and I think of what I’m about to say.
Ciarán has called this Theo guy Dad. I don’t know if Ciara has told him that’s not his father. She may not want him to know.
However, I can’t help thinking about how much he reminds me of his real father in the ring. This guy may have feared Ciarán triggering Ciara’s memories while in the ring.
Probably sensing my hesitation, Ciara changes the subject.
She brings up a computer system Ciarán clearly wants.
I make a note to give Felix and Wyatt a call.
Felix will know all the best and newest shit to get, and Wyatt will have the connections to get all the things that haven’t hit the market yet.
“God, that took a long time. I’m starving,” Ciarán croons as I pull in front of the gym.
“Taegan has menus in the office. Why don’t you head in to find her and I’ll treat you to whatever you want,” I say as I park.
“Cool.”
As soon as I have the car in the spot, he jumps out, leaving me and Ciara in the car alone. Ciara turns to me and glares. I unfasten my seat belt and turn to face her.
She sighs. “Dylan, listen. I’m grateful for how you’re helping me, but you can’t keep spoiling and promising that kid everything he asks for. I don’t want him getting used to things that I can’t continue to give him.”
I reach to cup her face. “If you and your family would have returned to Ireland, this would be his life. I would have been around to look out for him and spoil him just like I would have done you.
“I promised you I’d marry you someday when we grew up. I’ve been waiting for you since you left and didn’t send me one of your postcards to tell me how you were doing in the States. Then my da had to come here for work and I vowed I’d go back and find you.
“Now you’re here. I’m not going to allow anything to happen to you and I plan to make sure anything you and that kid want is all yours. I’m not hurting for anything. Neither will you,” I say.
“Dylan, I …”
I lean in to kiss her as her words trail off. I’m a breath away when my phone rings. I bite out a curse because it’s the family business ringtone. I can’t ignore it.
I pull away and let out a long breath. It probably isn’t the right time for me to kiss her. I want our first kiss to be special.
“I need to take this. Go on inside, I have a friend who’s coming in to meet you. Taegan will get you settled until she arrives,” I say.
Disappointment covers her face. I know the feeling. It’s the same one I have. She climbs out of the car, and I answer the call.
“Hello, Cole. What’s up?”
“I need ya to handle something for me. Head to Hell’s Kitchen. Go see our friend over there and find out why they’re late with our money,” he growls.
“How late?”
“Late enough for him to be considered the late. Ya understand me. If ya don’t like his answer, ya already know how I feel. Make an example.”
“Got it.”
He hangs up before I can say another word. I look at the gym, longing to head inside after Ciara. I purse my lips and shoot off a text to Taegan. Then I text Aidan and Booker to let them know to be ready when I get to them.
“Ach, and this is the life of a true O’Brien. We still have a city to run.”