I glare back at her as she shoves at my chest. It doesn’t move me an inch.
“Get away from me,” she hisses. Not happening. I lean in closer, going to kiss her. “Don’t.”
The pain in her voice has me hesitating, my mouth inches from hers. This is more than the thing with the lad. This is something else.
“What’s wrong?” I ask her softly, tamping down on my anger and annoyance. Tig closes her eyes. When she speaks, still with her eyes closed, her voice is small.
“I don’t want you to kiss me. Not after you’ve been withhertoday.”
I watch her face for a beat, completely confused. Who the fuck isher? What is she on about? Silence swirls around us as I study Tig, sitting on my desk. Then realization dawns. Fuck.
She thinks I fucked Tahlie earlier. It shouldn’t bother me that the idea hurts her. After all, if it were any other woman, I would have told her to get the fuck out if she couldn’t handle the idea of me being with someone else.
But she’s not any other woman. She’s Tig. And fuck me, the idea of her being hurt because of something she thinks I have donedoesbother me.
Capturing her chin in my hands, I hold her face steady. “Look at me, Tig.”
Her eyes flutter open. I suck in a breath when I see the pain there.
“I want you to listen very carefully to me,” my voice is low, and she’s staring into my eyes. “I haven’t touched another woman since we were married. I’ve not even looked at one.”
Some of the pain in her eyes lessens, but she is still skeptical. Sighing, I capture her mouth, holding her tightly against me as I trace her lips with my tongue.
Finally, she tangles her fingers in my hair, responding to my kiss, and opens her mouth. Reluctantly I lift my head, breaking the kiss and staring into her eyes.
“Now, what do you need help with?”
“Tristan and Mya’s mother,” she sighs, her shoulders slumping. “She has a boyfriend. I need to find him. He’s been abusing Mya.”
Motherfucker. I’m going to find the cunt, and I will end him.
TIGGY
Seamus presses a kiss to my forehead, his voice scarily low and lethal.
“I will sort it for ye, Tig. Ye have my word.”
I nod, looking up to thank him, but he’s striding out of the room, slamming the door behind him before I even get my mouth open.
I wonder if I should find the iPad I left at the bar earlier and do some bookkeeping when the door swings open. I look over expectantly, but it’s not Seamus returning.
Paddy and Connor walk in, their eyes finding me.
“Come on, lass,” Connor jerks his head at the door. “We’ll take you home.”
Paddy glowers like he wishes he was anywhere else. After our moment on the highway with my broken hands, I thought Paddy might have turned a corner with his resenting me, but that was clearly wishful thinking.
Connor has a new car, a shiny dark SUV. It’s not as sleek as his BMW, and I can see a flash of regret in his eyes as he opens the back door for me.
It’s a silent drive back to West Roxbury. Paddy and Connor speak to each other in low voices, but I can’t hear what they are saying over the smooth jazz Connor has piping through the sound system.
Paddy stalks into the house without a backward glance when we arrive. Connor ushers me inside with a half-smile, but as soon as the front door is closed, he peels off, sitting with Paddy in the living room.
I don’t want to sit in there, being ignored by everyone, so I walk right past the door and up the staircase. I have one goal in mind, sinking into that giant tub. I’ve earned it.
Pausing, I alter my course into the kitchen to snag a bottle of fancy red wine and a glass. Now my bath will be perfect and relaxing.
Chapter Fifteen