Everything seems to crash down around me. I can’t find words to ponder what the feck is goin’ on. First, I was wrong, then I was right, then wrong again. But now, I’m right, and it was Patrick Bragan.
“When is that feckin’ flight comin’ in from the across the pond?” I bite out as I pull my mobile phone from my pocket. I shouldn’t have it on me in church, but I knew Jameson would be callin’ with an update. As if he can hear me, his name flashes on the screen with a call.
“Mate,” I answer as I press the device to my ear.
“I have news for you, I don’t know if you’re going to like it, though,” he tells me. Jameson who runs the New Orleans chapter of the Royal Bastards is a brother from over the pond. I’ll trust him with my life. “Can you talk?”
“I doubt it can be worse than what I’ve just learned. Aye, I can talk. What do ye have fer me?” I ask him as I pace the room.
I can feel eyes on me. Every man in this room is tense, watchin’ me as if I were a bomb about to go off. I feel like one. If I had to be honest, all I want to do is kill. Red is the only colour I see.
“Sinéad, or Amanda as she’s been known here in the States, has just boarded a private jet. We’ve got the flight schedule from the airstrip. She’s headed to London. It’s a short stop off for only two hours to refuel, then she’s going to New Zealand. From what we can tell, you have eight hours before her plane lands. I’ll send you the details.”
“The furthest feckin’ part of the world she’s headin’ to. I appreciate yer help on this one,” I tell him as I look at Rebel and Tye. Their stares are locked on me. “Thanks, mate,” I tell Jameson. “Next time I’m in the South, I’ll give you a shout.”
“You do that. Drinks are on me,” he says with a chuckle.
“Aye, they better feckin’ be.” Our banter is a bit of fun, and I hang up before looking at my men. “We have to intercept a flight,” I tell them. “She’s landin’ in London. I’ll take Rebel and Tye with me. The rest of ye stay here, watch the feckin’ compound because I have no doubt Patrick will be comin’ for us.”
“We’ll stay.” This comes from Blaze.
Rev nods in agreement. Brute and Banks offer a thumbs up. I know with my brothers here everyone will be safe. Everyone, including Miren. I have a feeling she’s going to want to come with us. But I can’t let her get into the line of fire. If her mother crosses my path, which she no doubt will, I will kill the bitch.
“I want everyone on high alert. Always keep four prospects at the gates. Any of the women need to leave fer any reason, a brother will escort her where she needs to go. The club will be shut fer a few days. I don’t want to put anyone in unnecessary danger.”
“What about me?” I snap my gaze to the open door to find Miren standing on the threshold.
I didn’t realise the door was open, and now she’s overheard what I’ve said. I don’t know how much she’s heard, but the look in her eyes tells me it’s enough to have her wanting to hitch a ride. Not feckin’ happenin’.
“Get things ready,” I shout the order at the brothers before I head straight for my girl. I didn’t want to think of her in that way, but since I’ve feckin’ marked her, there’s no other way to look at this woman now. She’s mine.
I grip her arm and drag her through the bar out into the main clubhouse and up the stairs. She’s cursin’ me as we make our way up to my wing of the house, but I don’t give a shite. I’m goin’ ta talk now, and she’s goin’ ta listen.
When we reach my suite, I push open the door and let her enter first. I’m not fighting about this. She’s goin’ ta have to obey my orders. I want her safe. She may have Bragan’s blood racin’ through her veins, but she’s nothing like him. I can see it now. As much as I wanted to hate her, I can’t. I haven’t since the moment I laid my eyes on her.
“I’m leavin’ tonight,” I tell her while I grab a rucksack and start throwing some clothes into it. “You’ll stay here with the rest of the brothers.”
“I need to see her,” Miren tells me, which stops me in my tracks.
I never thought about the fact that it’s her mother. I did, but I didn’t. When I think about Sinéad, the only thing that comes to mind is that she’s a killer. But she is a mother. And I can’t stop Miren from wanting to say goodbye.
“You do realise I’m goin’ there to kill her.” There’s no doubt in my tone, in my mind, and in my stance. I don’t falter when Miren winces. She must know there’s no stopping me. I don’t give a shite if it’s her ma.
“I understand,” Miren says after a long moment of silence. She makes her way over to me and takes my hand. “My family and yours were at war before we came along. Before we knew about it, they’d already made their choices. But I do want to see her. I want to hear why she did what she did.”
The genuine shimmer of pain in Miren’s eyes makes my chest tighten. Ma always told me one girl, or colleen as she used to call them, would come along and change my views. And it seems Ma was right, as usual. I didn’t doubt her, but I was convinced I would be alone because I didn’twantto fall in love.
I can’t say I feel that for Miren, but seein’ her strength has my feelin’s toward her growin’ in a way I have never felt before. “If ye do come with us,” I tell her. “I can’t promise it’s not goin’ ta break ye heart.”
“I’ve been heartbroken before,” she tells me.
She tips her chin up, the confidence I saw in her since the day we met is unwavering now. If I tell her she can’t join us, I’m goin’ ta have a fight on my hands. And there’s enough violence to go around without another argument.
“Aye,” I finally mutter. “Then ye best be ready to leave soon. I don’t wait around fer stragglers.” I grip her chin between my thumb and forefinger before I lean in and press my lips to hers. “But I will say one thing,” I tell her when I pull away from her perfect lips. “The moment I tell ye to leave, you walk away.”
“You mean when you finally pull a gun on my mother.”
I still don’t know how she’s okay with this. She’s talking about killing her mother. It’s not a walk in the park. I’m a man, a monster who’s goin’ ta end her ma’s life, and she’s here kissin’ me.