Page 44 of The Eraser

He gives me a soft smile, and I know we're going to be okay. "So, you're shacking up with Maguire."

I sigh. I should have known he'd bring this up eventually. "Jer," I say, not wanting to get into this.

"Yep," Stephen says as he takes a bite of his hamburger. "What's it to you?"

"Stephen," I hiss as Maverick laughs. "You're not helping matters."

"She's my niece. It matters a lot. Don't think you can just shack up and not marry the girl," Jerry snaps.

I choke on a fry. "What?" I hiss. "Jerry, what is wrong with you?"

He raises a brow. "Are you staying here with him?"

"Of course," I reply. “I'm not going anywhere unless Stephen wants me to.”

"Then you two need to get married."

I can't help the laughter that bubbles up out of me. I turn to Maverick and see he's chuckling away.

"You're crazy," I tell Jer. "Absolutely fucking bonkers. Tell me, how many women have you had sex with that you didn't marry? Hypocrite."

"Firstly," Maverick growls, "I don't want to know about your sex life. Secondly, Jer, you can't be serious?"

I press my lips together as Stephen glances down at me. I hadn't realized my words would sound the way they did, and I can tell Stephen's amused.

"We'll do what we want," Stephen says evenly. "Just because you want something, doesn't mean it'll happen."

"What if I made you?" Jer says with a glare. "If I gave Jess the option of marrying you or leaving here, what would you do, Jessie?"

I blink. What the hell is his problem?

"Then she's marrying me," Stephen growls. He's getting angry and I hate that. "But the point is moot. We're not forcing her to do anything," he snarls. "Now, enough of this fucking conversation."

The front door opens and in walks Freddie, his face filled with anger, his jaw clenched and his eyes narrowed. "We have a problem," he clips. "I've managed to find some intel about Thomas."

I feel both Maverick and Stephen tense beside me. "What?" Stephen bites out. "What's that cunt done now?"

I watch as Freddie glances at Stephen, his eyes filled with anger but also worry. "He's lined up a buyer."

I frown. "A buyer for what?" I ask. What the hell is my dad selling?

"You," Freddie says simply. "He's lined up someone to buy you."

"Not fucking happening," Stephen snarls. "Who? Who's the fucking cunt he's hoping to sell her to?"

My body begins to tremble. What the hell? Why does my dad hate me so much? I don't understand it. I don't know what the hell I did to deserve the hatred he has for me.

"Fintan," Freddie says, his anger still palpable.

"Want to say that again?" Stephen snarls. "Fintan O'Leary?"

My blood runs cold at the name. Oh God.

"That fucking cunt," Jerry growls. "Does he want to die?"

Fintan O'Leary is old. Older than my dad. He's the head of the O'Leary gang. They mainly work out of Northern Ireland, but they also do business here in Dublin. His son, Jarlath, was the man Stephen killed months ago.

"Why?" I whisper. The fear that this may actually happen has me in a chokehold.

---