Page 56 of Mob Saint

I feel safer now than I have in a vehicle in three years. I know how ridiculous that is, but it’s true.

“I’m here, and I’ll be beside you no matter what happens today.”

“Beside? I kinda like you under me.”

“I kinda like you sitting on my dick.” He grins, and I can’t not return the smile.

I don’t want him to think I can’t handle something as simple as sending my dad a text. But I’m getting more and more anxious that all of this is going to explode in our faces.

“I think I better tell him, Daddy.”

He nods before he presses my head to his chest, then rests both hands on my hip. I listen to his heart, and I instantly settle. It’s a metronome for my breathing. His heart rate is so slow that it’s comfortable to inhale and exhale with every two beats. I stare at my phone, wondering if I should just blurt it all out.

Me

You can if you want. Seamus is coming with me.

The response is immediate.

Dad

What???

Me

Seamus is coming with me. He said he needs to speak to Gareth anyway and he doesn’t want him talking to me without him.

Dad

And why does that matter to him?

Me

He’s my boyfriend.

And it takes five seconds for my dad to hit the call button.

“Hi, Dad.”

“What do you mean Seamus O’Rourke is your boyfriend? What have you done?”

I lean forward and watch Seamus, but his expression is impassive. However, he pulls the phone from my ear and hits speakerphone. He puts his hands back on my hips.

“I met Seamus while I testified. Turns out our soccer teams are rivals. I met him a couple more times at games. We hit it off. We started dating.”

“You can start undating. You said he’s coming with you. Can you talk now? Will he know what we’re talking about?”

“Dad, he can hear all of this. He’s the one who pointed out it would be better not to show up and surprise you. Gareth, sure. He didn’t want to do that to you.”

“I suppose I should be grateful for small mercies. O’Rourke, leave my daughter alone.”

“Brant, I’d have the same reaction if the situation were reversed. But my feelings for Tiernan have nothing to do with you or your family. I may not care for the O’Briens, but I can still see Tiernan’s intelligent, brave, kind, forgiving, understanding, witty, gorgeous, independent, determined, resilient, and a lot of other things that make her remarkable. I know she’s no more you than I am my grandfather, Uncle Don, or Declan. I also know Gareth isn’t going anywhere near her without you or me with her.”

Seamus watches me the entire time he’s speaking. He’s waiting to see if I object to anything he says. I don’t. Instead, I feel like the most important person in the world with the way he speaks about me. He’s so matter of fact whenever he describes me, and I love that. It’s as though he simply can’t believe I’m anything other than what he says. Like it isn’t possible for me to be less than what he thinks. No one has ever made me feel like this.

“My daughter is all those things, and that’s why she’s far too good for you. But you’re right that Gareth isn’t going anywhere near Tiernan without me there. You can drop her off. I’ll take her back to the city.”

“No.” I speak up not liking that idea at all.

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