Chapter 9 #2
His hands gripped my hips, and before I could say a word, he yanked me toward him.
My heart pounded as his face drew close, but at the last minute, he swerved to kiss my cheek, and then he pressed his nose into my hair and inhaled deeply, murmuring, “I’ve missed you, Dubheasa. Knew you’d run home eventually.”
His grip on me tightened, conveying he was pissed, but he kept it casual enough so that Mam, who was ignoring us on purpose while floating around the kitchen clattering pans, wouldn’t notice the tension.
I kept my hands at my sides, refusing to relax into him even though his presence made my belly melt, but he just smirked down at me with an arrogant expression.
“Let me go,” I hissed, keeping my voice low enough so Mam wouldn’t catch it.
“Never,” he muttered. “Did you think you could hide from me forever? I’ve known where you were for days.”
“If you two are going to argue, you can take it out to the garage,” Mam cut in.
“Aiden, you said you’d check to see why my brakes are grinding.
Take Aislynn with you and sort out your bust-up.
And, daughter, next time you get yourself a boyfriend, it would be nice to tell your poor mammy so I can make sure there’s enough food to go around for Sunday roast.”
“Sorry, Maureen,” Pagan told her gently, stooping down to grab my purse and place it on the counter.
“Ash mentioned she was comin’, and I’ve never had a roast before.
My SAA’s a Brit, and he told me I couldn’t miss it, so I thought I’d crash.
My mom never bothered, and I haven’t had a home-cooked meal in years.
Plus, I thought it was time I introduced myself to the family, seein’ as I intend on stickin’ around. ”
I skewered him with a look.
Pagan’s lips twitched.
Mam’s face softened. “Your mammy never cooked for you, love?”
“I had to fend for myself mostly,” he admitted. “And my dad wasn’t around much.”
My mam stared at him briefly, her eyes boring into his, then she glanced at me and bustled back to her chopping. “Well, you’re in for a treat, Aiden love. My Yorkshire puddings are legendary, and I’ve got a sticky toffee pudding ready to go into the oven for afters.”
“You’re making me hungry,” he told her, rubbing his rock-hard abs through his tee.
“Well, get your arse out to the garage and see to my brakes, love, and I’ll make sure you get an extra Yorkie pud. Aislynn will make you a cuppa and bring it out to you with some homemade biscuits. That’ll tide you over until lunch.”
Pagan wandered over to her and landed a kiss on the top of her head, murmuring, “Thanks, Maureen.”
My head reared back, shocked, and then my eyes widened as Mam’s cheeks turned pink. “You’re welcome at my table anytime, son.”
“Means a lot,” he told her gently before his stare slid back to me. “See you in a minute.” He grabbed Mam’s car keys from the counter. “Is it unlocked?” He waited for Mam’s confirmation before throwing me a sexy little wink as he stalked out the back door, closing it softly behind him.
A deathly silence fell over the kitchen, and then Mam turned her body toward me, resting her hip against the counter. “Well, my girl,” she drawled, cocking one eyebrow. “Aren’t you a dark horse?”
I sighed and closed my eyes, praying for God to give me the strength to get through the next conversation.
Mam sniffed haughtily. “I almost had a conniption when I opened the door to him. I thought to myself, Maureen, either the Lord Jesus Christ has seen fit to give you one last hoorah with a big, muscular, sexy biker to tickle your fancy, or one of your boys has been a fecker and the mean-looking bastard’s here to slit your throat.
I can’t believe my only daughter would court a boy—no.
.. a man—and let it get serious enough for him to turn up for Sunday dinner and not introduce him to her poor mammy. ”
“We haven’t been seeing each other long,” I protested.
“Long enough for him to declare he’ll be sticking around.” She did the sign of the holy cross over her chest before lifting her rosary and kissing it. “Sweet baby Jesus, deliver me. Where did I go wrong?”
“I only met him last weekend,” I argued gently.
“Well, you obviously hit it off. I’d say that man has some serious designs on you, my girl. He looked at you like... well—like your daddy used to look at me when we first met.” Mam took a deep breath, and her expression softened slightly. “You’re out of your depth with that one, Aislynn.”
My gaze held hers, and I whispered, “I know.”
“He’s going to chew you up and spit you out when he’s done.”
I nodded and murmured, “Yeah.”
“That man’s got demons living inside him that nobody can fix. Not even you. Hell, my girl, not even him.”
“Aiden had a difficult childhood,” I explained. “His mammy neglected him.”
My mam’s expression turned thoughtful. “It’s more than that. He’s been to hell, and it’s marked him.”
“He was in the Marines,” I confirmed. “He did tours in Iraq and Afghanistan, but I don’t know much more than that.”
She nodded slowly. “That’ll be it then. He’s fecking loo-lah.”
“Mam!” I admonished.
She rolled her eyes. “Trust you to fall for a loony, Aislynn O’ Shea.
You’re just like I was at your age. There’s so much of your father in that man that I almost saw Lorcan’s spirit manifest”—she mapped the sign of the cross over her chest again—“God rest his soul.” Her eyes met mine, and she dipped her chin. “How did it start?”
I paused, wondering how much to tell her, but I knew from years of experience that I couldn’t get anything past my mammy. Lord knew I’d tried and failed countless times.
“My boss at work sexually harassed me,” I blurted out, shivering as the air in the room seemed to cool.
“Oh, love,” Mam whispered, moving toward me to take my hand. “I’ll take a frying pan to his brain, I will.”
“I’m okay, Mam,” I assured her. “Pagan already dealt with him. HR got involved, and they’re supporting me.
Richard’s been benched, and another partner’s taking over his office.
I haven’t got long until I’ve worked all my training hours, so they’re going to sign me off early and give me a lump sum to tide me over until I find a job. ”
“Why didn’t you tell me sooner, love?” she asked gently.
“It only happened last week. I needed time to think through it myself. Callum and Maeve are having problems, so I didn’t want to put more on your shoulders.”
Mam’s mouth tightened. “Some dirty fecking pervert putting his slimy hands on my daughter takes precedence over your eejit brother’s screw-ups, Aislynn O’Shea.”
“Pagan was visiting at the time, and he dealt with everything,” I assured her. “It was over the minute it began.”
Mam’s eyes flicked in the direction of the garage, then back at me, and she sighed. “Sweet baby Jesus. You’re half in love with him already, aren’t ya?”
My eyebrows drew together at the unexpected softness in her tone.
“I’ve lived a lotta years, daughter. Over that time, I witnessed a lot, and I learned along the way.
I know what it means when a man like Pagan sets his sights on a girl like you.
You can’t kid a kidder, love. Mark my words, that’s the look of a man who sees what he wants and stops at nothing to get it. ”
Her ominous words made my belly clench tightly. “Ma—” I began, but she waved me off.
“Don’t bullshit me, Aislynn O’Shea. I know you better than you know yourself. You’ve always had a restlessness within ya, the same way your daddy did. He was always looking for excitement and adventure, and you, my girl, are Lorcan O’Shea with boobs and better hair.”
I smiled because it was the best compliment she could give me.
“Aiden turned up at my house thirty minutes before you did, and I told myself, Maureen, go get your gun. You’ve got one’a those Keystone feckers at your door.
Then he introduced himself as your man, and I almost had a damned heart attack.
It took me ten seconds to work out he wasn’t what he seemed, and ten seconds more to know, without a doubt, he’d burn the world down for you if you asked.
Now, don’t get me wrong, daughter, in a way, I love that for you, but men like Aiden are a lot to handle, and I’m not sure you’re ready yet. ”
My throat tightened. “I’m not sure I’m ready either, Ma, but I don’t think there’s much I can do about it.”
Ma’s fingers tightened around mine. “The way he looks at you, Aislynn. It’s dangerous.”
My throat went dry.
“He’s going to test you in ways you can’t imagine.
” Her eyes took on a distant look, and her gaze slid in the direction of the garage.
“Every person whose job it was to care, let him down, and it started with his mammy. You’re made of the tough stuff, and that’s what intrigues him, but if you want him, you’re going to have to dig in deep and hold on tight because the cliff edge he’ll throw you over will be steep, love, and if you fall, he’ll lose all respect for you. ”
“And what if I don’t fall?” I asked quietly. “What if I hold on and pull myself back up?”
Mam’s mouth slowly curved in a smile. “Then the love he’ll bestow on you will burn bright and hot, and it’ll last for eternity.
If you prove yourself to be the woman he needs, he’ll soften for you.
” She let out a quiet snort. “He’s halfway there now, but he’s been sliced so deeply that he’s scared his instincts about you are off.
That man needs to know you’re strong enough to weather his storm before the clouds part and you get the sunshine.
And you, my beautiful girl, need to decide if you want it. ”
—————
I was still contemplating Mam’s words as I headed to the garage ten minutes later.
Pagan didn’t come across as a tea kind of guy, so I sneaked him a beer from the fridge along with some of my mam’s homemade shortbread.
Adrenaline pumped through my veins so fast I thought I might pass out. The last few days may have been the time for reflection, but now was the time to tell Pagan Sinclair he was a dick.