Page 33 of Dublin Debacle

She nodded. “And for the record, I care about Finn. I don’t like that he’s in with Rory, even if it’s just to find out what’s happening. I’d happily help you douse this fire that seems to be growing throughout Dublin. Our people cannot live like they are for long. We’re a nomadic people. I understand Rory’s anger. Being boxed in is never good for a Traveller.”

Jack stuck out his hand. “Thank you for trusting us enough to share your secret. We won’t pass it on to anyone else.”

Ciara placed her hand in his and stared at them together. “Thank you for lending me this hand and pulling me to safety.” She let go of his hand and hugged Emily. “And thank you for risking your life to come to my aid.”

Emily hugged her back, her brow dipping. “I’m glad Finn has someone he trusts and can talk to and a place to stay.”

They left Ciara in the pub and stepped out into the street.

Jack glanced both ways, studying the people on the sidewalks or standing nearby. Seeing an entire community holed up in an underground shelter made it even more imperative to find the source of the propaganda and make it stop.

Having heard the anger in Rory’s voice and witnessing his desire to meet violence with violence, Jack wondered if it was even possible to stop a movement that was taking on a life of its own.

CHAPTER8

Emily’s pulsehadn’t slowed since Ciara had told her Finn was hanging out with Rory and his bloodthirsty gang. She walked fast, eager to get back to her car and over to the wharf. She couldn’t get the thought of her little brother being in a gang war, surrounded by people intent on killing or maiming him.

“Finn’s just a kid,” she murmured. “What does he know about fighting?”

“He never got into a fight at school?” Jack asked.

“No,” she said. “He was a rule-follower.”

Jack cocked an eyebrow. “Bullies didn’t pick on him for that?”

“Never.” Emily chewed on her lower lip. “His peers liked him.”

“He has no fighting skills whatsoever?”

Emily shrugged. “Our father insisted we learn self-defense as soon as we landed on Irish soil. Having grown up a Traveller, he’d had to fight his way out of a number of circumstances. He didn’t expect me or Finn to live the life of a Traveller, but he knew we could run into the same prejudices if people learned of our association with them. He didn’t want us to be defenseless and made certain we could hold our own long enough to get out of a bad situation.”

“Hopefully, Finn remembers those lessons.” Jack walked beside her, matching her pace. “Hasn’t he ever had to use those lessons working at the pub?”

She snorted. “He hasn’t, but I have.”

Jack chuckled. “How so?”

“Let’s just say they came in handy when certain customers disrespected my personal space.”

He grinned down at her. “What did you do?”

Her brow wrinkled. She wasn’t proud of what she’d done. She’d been pissed she’d had to do it. “I broke one man’s nose and another’s thumb when I had to remind them of their manners. Their mothers must not have taught them ladies did not appreciate being pinched on the ass, breasts or anywhere else. And ladies don’t like being cornered coming out of the ladies room and groped by drunk asshats.”

The smile slipped off Jack’s face. “They deserved more than a broken nose and thumb.”

“Yeah, well, I made my point,” she said, a smile tilting the corners of her lips. “Each one of them came back to the pub and apologized. They’ve been model customers since. They even look out for me when other guys try stupid shit.”

“I imagine running a pub isn’t easy. Especially for a woman.”

Emily glared at Jack.

Before she could call him sexist, he held up his hands. “I don’t mean that you’re not fully capable, but men can be bastards. Too many of them have little respect for women. It has to be an uphill battle every day for you.”

The spark of anger faded. Emily sighed. “It was better when my father was there to help. We made a good team. He liked people, and they liked him. Finn’s a lot like him. Da made sure Finn learned self-defense, but what Rory and his gang have in mind is different. If they attack someone, they’ll likely be using weapons that could cause a lot of damage and even death. Finn could end up on the other end of a knife, in a hospital, in jail or dead. Oh, why did I come back to Ireland and bring Finn?”

By that time, they’d arrived at her Mercedes. Jack pulled the keys from his pocket, unlocked the doors and opened the passenger side for Emily.

As she settled into her seat, Jack asked, “Why did you come back to Ireland?” Without waiting for her answer, he closed her door, rounded the car and slipped into the driver’s seat. “You never got to that part in your story.”

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