Page 96 of Three Irish Kings
She might not be Maggie, but she knows too much. She is a liability.
Or that’s what I keep telling myself, because the thought of her not being here has me twisting up inside for whatever reason. So, I’ll keep her prisoner here. Be the bad guy.
Although, the more I look at her, swinging her feet in the highchair, I think maybe Dare’s right. Maybe she wouldn’t leave us anyway.
She takes a sip of the water in front of her, before using a napkin to pat her plump lips. “What else are you passionate about?”
“Order. Control.”
“Boring,” she sings in a teasing voice. “Don’t you like it when things are a little messy?”
“Are you asking if I like it when you’re a little messy?”
Her eyes drop to her half-eaten plate of food. After a couple of seconds, she nods slowly.
I chuckle low in my throat. “You know I do.”
“Then why are you so mean to me all the time?”
That’s the million-dollar question, isn’t it? WhyamI so mean to her all the time?
I can’t seem to stop my sharp tongue when she’s around, can’t seem to stop picking fights.
Deep down, I know the truth. I know why.
It’s because I want you to myself.
I keep that thought buried deep. Even from myself.
“Not used to keeping company with women, I suppose.”
She snorts. “That’s a lie, with the way you look. There's no way you're not beating women off with a stick.”
“A big stick?” I smile, and she huffs out a breath, blowing her bangs out of her face in a habit that calls more to me than it has any right to.
“You’re seriously trying to tell me you don’t take home women?”
“Of course, I do. Just not often, like Dare.”
She chuckles. “Dare is a wildcard, for sure.”
I don’t like the way she talks about him. “Don’t tell me you’ve caught feelings for him.”
She looks up at me, her expression curious instead of guarded.
“Bet you wouldn’t like that."
Fucking right.
I roll my shoulders around. “Wouldn’t bother me.”
“Liar.”
I don’t respond, shoving the mediocre dinner into my mouth.
She shrugs. “Fine, keep quiet all you want. I know the truth. Let’s change the subject, shall we?”
I nod, getting up to put the dishes in the dishwasher.
