Perplexed to say the least, I replied, “I’m a good driver. When I was younger, I took a defensive driving course.”
“You did? Why?”
“Because Father got tired of me being sick in his cars. Some smells you just can’t wash out of upholstery.” My smile was tight. “I even learned how to drive if I was in a situation where I was being held at gunpoint or being taken hostage.”
Bagpipes grunted. “Your father was a weird fuck.”
“You won’t hear me argue,” I muttered.
“Hasn’t he ever heard of Dramamine?”
“Oh yeah, but it got embarrassing when I kept falling asleep everywhere.”
Bagpipes chuckled. “Made you sleepy?”
“Like I had narcolepsy,” I confirmed wryly, my hands pleating the skirt of my dress. “I wonder if there’ll be time to go shopping after the nail place—”
Bagpipes shook his head. “Brennan wants you back by seven.”
“Why? Will he be there?”
“Doubt it.” He snorted. “But you’ll figure out soon enough, he might look mild, but he’s fucking particular.”
“In what way?”
He shrugged. “Likes what he likes, loathes what he loathes. Ain’t afraid to point it out, either.”
Hadn’t I had a trial by fire ofthatthis morning?
Warily,cautiously, because this man was Brennan’s and owed me no loyalty, I queried, “Is he—well, do you think I need to watch myself around him, Bagpipes?”
“I think a smart woman like yourself would always watch herself around a stranger. This marriage is going to cause trouble within the family, Camille. There’s no hiding from it. But ride it out and everything will be okay eventually. Brennan inherited a lot more from his da than he realizes. He won’t take shit from them.”
Words to inspire a flock.
Jeez. Everyone knew how insane Aidan O’Donnelly Sr. was. My father had been wary of him too.
“What did he inherit?” I asked gruffly.
“He’s temperamental. Volatile. But he ain’t fickle. You get on his good side, he’ll be loyal to you until the day you die.” He shot me a look. “I know what you’re asking, Camille. Will he beat you? Will he mistreat you?” He shook his head. “Never seen him with a woman longer than a couple of months so I can’t tell you what he’s like after a while.
“Everyone who’s married knows that what goes on behind closed doors is a whole other ballgame to what that couple shows the world, but I’ve known Brennan all my life. He’s a prick at times, capable of cruelty and spite, just like his da, but for women, he’s a sucker.”
“What do you mean? He’s a manwhore?” I asked quietly, wanting to know, but not wanting to discourage Bagpipes from being so candid either. I hadn’t expected such honesty, so I was grateful for it.
“Nah, I mean he’s a sucker. It’s to do with his ma. He ain’t a Momma’s boy, not really. Not more than any of those boys are. He just... he’s protective. That’s what all this is about, ain’t it? Him protecting you?”
Surprise filled me. “He told you?”
Bagpipes shrugged. “Not a lot he don’t share with his crew.”
“That’s unusual, isn’t it?”
He grinned. “Brennan’s unusual. You’ll see. I won’t talk shit about him, won’t tell you secrets. He’s my friend. More like a brother to me than anything else, but I just wanted you to know that with a good woman, he’ll be a good man. And...” His mouth tightened. “If you betray us, if you betray the O’Donnellys, I’ll slice you from throat to belly before he even gets a chance to.”
The threat meant nothing, not when I’d faced worse over the years. “I’d expect nothing less, Bagpipes.”
“Baggy, Camille. I’d like to think if I gotta sit bitch while you drive me around the city, we can be a little less formal.”