Page 13 of Unwilling Bratva Bride

“Not in the slightest.”

The return was quick, and I bit back on the laughter that bubbled up my throat. Goddamn, playing with her was so fucking fun.

As we turned toward the brick building, I paid it more attention, running my gaze across the old signage and awning that had seen better days. The rusty red of the bricks was somewhat obscured by ivy that crawled up the side of the building, graffiti decorating parts of the building that I could see down the alley to the left.

It was a two-story building, and I could see an Irish flag hung in one of the windows and a box air conditioner in another.

The awnings over the front door and long side window were striped white and blue. They were a bit frayed on the ends, likely from the wind. The signs that hung in the window read, “McCormack’s Irish Grocer.”

They were a sunny yellow color, but they’d faded thanks to the actual rays of sunlight that beat down on them day after day. It sat right on the corner of their building, the storefront curving around that corner on two sides.

Smaller signs tucked into the bottom of the windows said, “delicatessen,” “groceries,” and “Irish favorites-bangers, meat, dairy.”

We walked to the front door, the neon sign turned off, and Adley stuck her key in to let us in.

“What? Not up to your standards?”

When I looked back at Adley, who’d pushed the door open to reveal the large room of rows upon rows of shelves, I shook my head.

“Hardly. It’s…I get it. I can see the years of love put into the place.”

She looked a bit shocked, and I took advantage of the opportunity and pushed my way past her and inside.

The shelves in the shop were all spaced out evenly, their contents nearly overflowing—canned goods, paper goods, and several different bottles of what I guessed were oils and sauces. Off to the left was the main counter, where the cash register sat next to a cooler case showcasing meats and what I assumed were butter and cream cheese packages.

There was even a small eating area right near the front window up to my left and a cooler on the far right that held beers and other chilled drinks.

It was quaint, and it was really fucking weird to actually see something that fit that description. My life was anything but, after all.

The jingle of bells rang out behind me as Adley stepped through and closed the door behind her. She relocked the door and followed me deeper into the shop, leading the way to the back. There was another small table there, and I noticed teacups and loose-leaf set out in the center.

“What’s that all about?”

“Oh,” Adley chuckled through a sigh, “my mom likes to do tea leaf readings. It’s a dumb tradition from Ireland.”

“Do people go for that?” I cocked a brow as she regarded the table with a pained expression.

“Yeah, sometimes.” She quickly shook herself out of it. “Let’s get this over with.”

I gestured toward the other door I could see in front of her, which probably led to the second floor.

“After you, sweetheart.”

“Please stop calling me that. At least around them.”

Smirking, I just nodded. Adley opened the door, and a steep set of stairs led to the next story. It was hard to imagine her folks, who I assumed were likely in their upper sixties, walking up and down them every day.

When we reached the top, Adley stopped, holding her hand back toward me to keep me from going further in. I took the hint and let it slide for now. Getting her out of this place smoothly was going to make things easier for me in the long run, anyway.

I watched as she crossed the small living area to the kitchen, which was in the far corner and had no wall to keep it separated from the front room. A woman stood before the stove, cooking what I assumed were potatoes, by the smell.

“Hey, Mom.” She turned around, facing Adley and giving her a big hug. “Where’s Dad and the twins?”

Adley’s mother smiled, gesturing to the short hallway on the other side of the house.

“Dad’s just lying down. He had a hard delivery, and the twins are in their room. Why?”

Just as Adley was about to reply, her mother’s attention landed on me, and I offered a nod of hello.

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