Page 202 of Morally Gray Daddies

I shrug and set it on the coffee table. “He traded me for my father’s half-a-million-dollar debt.”

Crap. I can’t believe I said that out loud. Oh, god. Patrick is going to be so angry.

Helen pats the back of my hand. “I know he did. He told me. He said there was no way in hell he could leave you there with your asshole father.”

Butterflies flutter in my tummy. “That was nice of him to say.”

“Patrick doesn’t like abusers. He has no tolerance for them.”

“Why?” I ask without thinking.

Why wouldn’t he just turn his head? Why would he give up that much money?

“Because his father was abusive to his mother. When his mother finally tried to leave, his father nearly beat her to death. So, Patrick did the same to him; only he didn’t stop until the motherfucker was dead.”

I stare at her, unblinking as she shrugs like she didn’t just tell me something huge. Is this what girl gossip is?

“I know you don’t know me very well. Yet. But I think we’re going to be great friends, Ana. And as someone who has worked for Patrick for the past decade, I can tell you that he is truly a good man. Believe it or not, most of the men in the Irish mafia are good. They play fair, and don’t seek out trouble. Just wait until you meet Declan and the rest of the guys’ girls. They’re a wild bunch, I tell ya.”

Helen pours us both another glass as she talks, giving the bottle a shake to get the last couple of drops out. Then she picks up her drink and holds it up again.

“To us, because we’re fucking fabulous.” She giggles. “You’ll have to excuse me, dear. I don’t normally drink quite this much, but I had to get you talking somehow, and I’ve found that whiskey often does the trick.”

I smile and raise mine to hers, clinking them together. We both lean back and sit in silence for a moment while sipping our drinks. I reach down and brush my fingers over my thigh, trying to figure out this fuzzy, weightless feeling. I like it. Almost like I’m floating.

“What if…” I hesitate, trying to gather the courage to ask the question. “What if he wants to have sex with me?”

She pauses and stares at me for a second. Shoot. Maybe I should have kept that to myself. I don’t know what I should or shouldn’t say. It always seemed like everything I said was wrong in my father’s eyes.

“Do you want to have sex with him?”

I hadn’t really thought of that. Of course I had thought about it happening because I’ve convinced myself he’s going to force me sooner or later. I think that’s what scares me the most. Not having the choice.

Patrick has been nothing but a gentleman this week. He hasn’t gotten angry when I don’t speak. He leaves me notes. He suggests I go take a bath and relax.

Not only that, but when I’m around him, I’m not scared. I guess it’s strange to say I’m afraid of him, but also, at the same time, I’m not.

“I’ve never…”

Helen raises her eyebrows and then nods. “Then don’t do it until you really want to. Patrick won’t force you. I’d cut his balls off with his own kitchen knife if he did. After that, I’d call his mama, and she’d chop off his dick.”

I gasp. Then I start giggling hysterically. I think Helen just became my favorite person ever.

“How did you get so strong? I feel like a scared mouse all the time.”

The older woman reaches out and takes my hand. “I had the most wonderful man who made me feel safe. I was a lot like you when he and I met. Scared of the world because of how my parents raised me. Then it was like he swaddled me in his armor and made me feel so protected and loved.”

I let out a deep breath and smile at her, enjoying how light and carefree I feel. “That sounds so nice.”

“Don’t worry, Ana. You’ll know what it’s like soon.”

Chapter Eleven

Patrick

“What are you doing?”

I shift my gaze away from my computer screen and blink a few times. Shit, I need some eyedrops or something. Staring at the monitor so intently hurts. It’s for a good cause, though. Destroying Joseph Clayburn and making him suffer before I really make him suffer is the greatest pleasure. I can hardly wait until the day that I get to watch him bleed out slowly while the life drains from his body.

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