Chapter 6 #2
“That’s sad. Your house has probably become the haunted house the kids talk about in their scary stories.”
“I’m sure it has and for good reason. I don’t have anything for them and they know it.”
“How do they know it? Don’t tell me you’re so cruel you’d turn away little children.”
“I’m not a child. The town knows better than to bother me.” He shrugs and tries to look back down to his phone. Except I’m not through talking.
Since I’ve been here I’ve said only a few words to him, now that I’m talking though it feels a little less lonely and I don’t want to go back.
“It’s not a bother. It’s fun. Do you ever do that? You know, have fun?” I try my hand at a joke that obviously doesn’t land with him.
“It’s not fun to have people I don’t know in my space. The gate is there for a reason and it will continue to serve its purpose no matter what time of year it is.”
“You’re miserable, absolutely out of your mind miserable.”
“This conversation isn’t making it any better.” His words slam into me. So much for trying to break the ice between us.
He doesn’t want to talk to me. Fine. Silence it is.
I clamp my mouth shut and turn to look back out the window. I’m not sure exactly where we are going but anything is better than being stuck in that house. At least the truck is warm. I revel in the feel of it.
There aren’t enough fireplaces in that house to get the chill out of my bones.
Finally, after driving in silence the rest of the way, the truck pulls up to an unfinished worksite. There is a medium-sized trailer off to the side I’m assuming where the foreman stays. Outside I see three black SUVs and a few men dressed in all black standing around.
That must be the security my father has with him.
I’m eager to get out of the truck but Cormac stops me before I can grab for the handle.
He looks out the window at the scurrying workers around.
I don’t see anything that looks like a threat but Cormac’s eyes widen as if he sees something I don’t. Maybe I’m missing something.
I wait patiently until I hear him take a deep breath. Something is wrong.
“Everything okay?” I question.
“Yeah, come on.” He opens the door and takes a step out first, I follow behind.
The two people who must have been riding up front stand by the hood of the truck and watch as Cormac makes his way to the trailer.
It’s surprising to me that they don’t follow him, as if they know to keep their distance.
It’s not like he’s going to need them inside here anyway.
Cormac knocks once on the door to the trailer and my heartbeat triples when I hear my father’s voice calling for us to come in.
Cormac lets me walk in first and follows behind before closing the door. The space is packed with security and someone in a hard hat. I guess one of the workers.
My father is dressed in a suit. His cufflinks shining in the light streaming through the window.
He looks up at me but there is no relief on his face, instead maybe a little annoyance.
I feel foolish for thinking this would be some kind of happy reunification. He doesn’t want me here.
“Cormac, good to see you, son.” My father stands and puts his hand out for Cormac to shake.
“Likewise.” Cormac looks around the room uneasily. “Do we need this much of an audience?”
“No, of course not. I was just looking over some of the plans.” He gestures to the desk and sure enough there are several blueprints spread out there.
My father raises his hand and with a flick of his fingers dismisses everyone else who is in the trailer with us. Seconds later it’s just the three of us here.
“I’m glad you made the trip. You didn’t have to take time out of your day for me,” my father continues.
“It’s only right that I make sure my father-in-law is being taken care of properly.”
I look between the two of them. It’s like I’m living in some sort of alternate dimension.
“Oy! Hello, Father! Nice to see you!” I step in front of Cormac so my father has no choice but to look at me. Were they really going to stand there and pretend like I wasn’t standing in the room with them?
“Brenna.” My father heaves out a sigh.
“Do you have nothing more to say to your only daughter?” I fold my arms over my chest and hitch out my hip. There’s no mistaking the attitude oozing from my person.
“I see that mouth hasn’t changed. And here I’d hoped being a married woman would’ve rectified that problem.” My father shakes his head and leans against the edge of the desk.
“Shipping me off to marry a stranger isn’t going to change who I am. You raised me this way,” I shoot back.
“I know, not a day goes by that I don’t regret that fact.”
I don’t want his words to hurt but they do. I’ve never been the type of girl my father was proud of. There was a time in life when I thought he would come to appreciate my tenacity and sass, unfortunately that day has yet to come.
“Regret or not, this is me. Are you not even the least bit concerned about me? I mean, I’m your blood. You sent me off to a foreign land with someone who used to be our enemy.” It’s not lost on me that Cormac is standing right behind me but what can he do to me that he hasn’t already done.
Will he find a smaller room in the mansion to banish me to?
“I can see, Brenna. You are in good health, no new bruises or marks. As far as I can tell you are being well provided for.” His eyes jump from mine back to Cormac. “It seems like this debt has been settled.”
A debt settled? That’s all I’m worth. Payment.
I suck in a breath and bite the inside of my lip to keep the tears from streaming down my face. I don’t want to give either of these bastards the satisfaction.
“Yes, I believe all is well with our arrangement.” Cormac grabs hold of my arm and moves me out of the way.
“Truly? Your father is still holding his reservations. It won’t be set in stone for him until your heir is on the way. I’m sure the two of you have been busy working on that stipulation.”
My heart drops to my feet and my eyes slam to my father’s face.
Did he just fucking say heir?
Like I’m supposed to give Cormac a child? Is that really what they are expecting out of me? I chuckle but neither of them pays me any mind.
They are both too busy drinking crazy juice if they think I’ll let something like that happen.
My freedom has already been forfeit for this fucking deal and now they want to add a child into the mix.
If I thought my objections would do anything but bleed away into the air I’d shout the walls down about how I’ll never give him a child. Instead I keep it all bottled up inside of me.
“He’s just going to have to understand those things take time. I’ve got no doubts the O’Sullivan name will live on,” Cormac speaks and smiles slightly.
I don’t want to be here. Not with Cormac and definitely not with my father.
Honestly, right now I find myself longing for the solitude of my room back at the mansion. At least there I won’t have to think about this. I could lose myself in sleep or in a book.
“I’m alone. Scared. I’m breaking.”
I don’t know what prompted me to speak. The words have no context in the conversation my father and Cormac are having but as the words slip from my lips I know I’ve never said anything more true.
This is all too much for me to bear. All I want is for one of them to see what they are doing and care.
They don’t.
“You’ll get over it. You just need a little more time to adjust.” My father nods his head.
Cormac leans in closer to my ear and whispers, “Broken things are my area of expertise. I’ll make sure I put all the pieces back together.”
I close my eyes but not in enough time to stop the tears.
I won’t find any reprieve here. No kind words. I’m nothing to these men. Worthless.
I turn on my heel and run out of the trailer. Workers turn in my direction. If any of them can see I’m in distress none of them make a move to help me.
I race back to the truck and open the door. I slide inside and cry.
Cormac’s words echo in my mind.
He said he was an expert at broken things.
What will I be when he’s finished with me? After years of being nothing more than a prisoner in his care who will I be?
Will there be any part of me that I remember or will I just be another ghost haunting his existence?