Page 33 of Kissin Irish by Morgan
“My word. I never… There’s no need for you to stay here anymore, Irish. You don’t have to be an outlaw anymore.”
“You must be blind. Look at me.” I turned to show her the patch on the back of my leather vest. “Under that there’s one tattooed into my flesh. I’m a Royal Bastard now. Come hell or high water.” That’s a phrase my brothers threw around a lot. “I have a match to win tomorrow, too. So, if you’ll excuse me.” I wanted to go to the gym and destroy the bag.
Charlotte took a hold of my arm. “I became Mr. Kipler’s wife so you wouldn’t have to ever worry about money again.”
“It’s not about the money. Or the fame.” Beating Pagan, I’d win Cece.
“I married him for you.”
“Bollocks. I wasn’t good enough for ya. I’ve not spoken to you in years. Five years I wanted you back. You think you can walk back into my life now?”
“That’s all you ever wanted. You told everyone. Don’t think people didn’t tell me.”
“I know. You’re all I wished for. I prayed that the old fella would croak and you’d be free to come back to me.”
“We can finally be together now.” Charlotte sounded hopeful.
Ripping my eyes from her sad face, I saw Cece standing behind the bar. Christ. With the expression on her face, she hadn’t heard the whole fight. Only the last part about Charlotte being all I’d longed for, for so long. Dropping her coffee she bolted into the kitchen.
Tearing away from Charlotte’s grip, I said, “No, we’ll never be together. I was a fool to ever want you.” I wised up. “Cue Ball, Rojo, escort this bitch out. Tell the gate to ban her from Royal Road.”
My brothers jumped at the task. I left to go after Cece. She wasn’t in the kitchen. Bounding out the back door, I ran right into a brick wall named Pagan.
He stroked his messy beard. “You think you can shit in my yard, boy?”
Was that a question? “I’ve not heard that one before.”
Catching me unaware, Pagan seized me around my arms, where I couldn’t fight. He plucked me off the ground like nothing. Carrying me to the kitchen, he held me by the hair of my head over the big sink full of warm suds. I caught my breath, waiting.
He growled in my ear, “I’ll put this in a way you can understand. You think you can take myweesister off the property, and I won’t find out?”
Pagan slammed my head forward, dunking it. He held it under the water. I held my breath for as long as I could before I blew out air.
Pagan drew my head out.
I fought for air.
He screamed in my ear, about busting my ear drum. “You take her to the basement and tie her up. I ought to cut yourweedick off.”
I took a big breath. Pagan dunked me again. When he brought me out, he whispered in my ear. “Kingpin has cameras down there, boy. You didn’t switch it off.”
“Then, ya know, she enjoyed it,” I spit out.
“I couldn’t watch it, dipshit.” Pagan let go of my hair, letting my head hit the edge of the sink.
My head about to explode, I rolled onto the floor.
“I better not catch you around Cece again.” Pagan kicked my ribs.
“Hope you’re ready for Friday night,” I choked out. “A bet is a bet.”
“I don’t win the fight, you can make her your ol’ lady for all I care. That’s never going to happen. You’re going down you foreign piece of shit.”
Chapter 16
Cece
Hearing Irish with Charlotte, I ran out of the club and through the kitchen. I jogged all along my path to my house until I reached my front porch. I sat on the top stair, my face in my hands. My guide dog had been killed. I’d told Irish to leave me alone, and he didn’t even put up a fight. Now he was at the club telling Charlotte how much he wanted to be with her.
