Page 113 of Mob Saint

“Alejo! Did you hear that? My girlfriend thinks you’re too pretty.” Tiera swats at me. “I didn’t even tell her I’ve been saying that since we were ten, and you cried because I bruised your cheek when I punched you. You thought Emily Melvick wouldn’t think you were cute enough to have a crush on. Turns out, you weren’t. She had a crush on me.”

“I might be pretty, but my woman doesn’t fight better than me.”

“You don’t have a woman.”

I watch Alejandro shrug. “I’d still pick Tiernan over you in a fight. You’re the one who punches like a girl.”

I furrow my brow, and Tiera blushes until her cheeks are fuchsia.

“What did you do?”

“Your girlfriend’s head is as hard as yours. She broke my nose.” Cormac steps into sight, and he has cotton orange wedges up each nostril. His eyes are already blackening.

“Cormac! I’m so, so sorry. I?—”

Tiera bursts into tears. I glower at my brother as I wrap my arms around her.

“Shh, cailín. He probably deserved it.”

That didn’t help because she cries harder. I jerk my head, and Cormac steps away. He’ll make sure no one from our family interrupts. The Diazes are already getting in their cars, so I’m not worried about them seeing me with Tiera. I push myself all the way back in our SUV’s trunk until my back hits the third row.

“Come here, Tiera.” I hold out my arms.

She looks around before she climbs into the back with me. She leans against me, but she’s careful not to put any weight on me. I don’t like it. I pull her until she’s half draped over me, and my hand can reach her arse. Life is good.

“What’s the matter? We’re both safe.

“I was horrible when they wouldn’t let me see what you were doing. I deserved to see. I kicked and scratched and punched. They wouldn’t move so I could see some of what you did to Darren.”

My blood runs cold. When I looked out of the building and spotted her, she was much closer to the door than I expected. But with the men surrounding her, all of them at least half a foot taller than her, I assumed she hadn’t seen anything. That she’d tried but couldn’t.

“I told you I would spank you for watching. You better tell me just what you saw.”

She retreats and doesn’t want to look at me when she sits up. I capture her hand before she can scoot away. I tug, but not too rough. She shakes her head. I sit up straighter and inch myself over until we’re hip-to-hip.

“Cormac said you’d be upset. I should have listened. I broke his nose because I wanted to see, and I didn’t like him telling me no. What kind of person am I?”

“One who’s had a lot taken from her. To see those who did it punished might have restored some of the power you lost. To not see it felt as unjust as the loss itself. I get why, Tiera. But I hate you saw me like that. I never wanted that. I never want you to look at me and see the monster I can be. I don’t?—”

“Wait. Seamus, do you think that’s what I see, or I will see? That I’ll think you’re a monster for protecting me? That you’re a monster because you never want those men to come near me again? That’s not what I see at all. I’m grateful that you did what you did. That you’re capable of doing it. I wanted revenge, but I was in no position to get it. I’ve known all along what you’re trained to do, and it’s never made me want to walk away. I’m not surprised by what you did. You do it because you have to. I wanted to do it. I wanted you to do it. What kind of person does that make me? How fucked-up am I? Do you want to be with a sociopath?”

I tilt my head down to kiss her temple. I see the bruise from where she either got hurt struggling against Cormac or when the men took her. I’m careful not to press too hard.

“You are not a sociopath, T. You aren’t broken or damaged. You’re hurt and still scared. How could you not be? If you can accept me for what you saw, then I will count myself fortunate. I don’t want you any different from how you are now. I’m certain I told you that before.”

“And I’m certain I said the same thing in response. Shay, I want us to go home and have a lot more than those five days.”

“We’re going to, baby girl. And not just because I need to convalesce. The outside world belongs outside. It’s just the two of us.”

I know that won’t last, and I’ll be lucky if I get an entire day, but I can dream. I have to deal with Brant and Gareth. I haven’t forgotten about either of them. I just didn’t include Brant once I discovered Sam and Zack were involved. It was bad enough what my dad heard. I didn’t want her dad there, too. It’ll mortify her when she finds out my dad might have thought she was having sex, and we could hear her. It would horrify her if her dad did.

“Daddy, we both know it won’t happen. I said I want that. I didn’t ask if we could have it. I know better than that. This isn’t over. I’m certain you called my dad, and he’s got to be tearing Gareth to shreds right now. You need to learn whether Gareth truly was ignorant. Can we go to your place for tonight once my parents know I’m safe?”

“Of course. Whatever you want.”

“Will you hold me for a couple more minutes? I know we have to go.”

“No one is going to rush us.”

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