Page 18 of Mob Knight

He’s on my mind the entire way to the middle school. I struggle to focus on my counseling sessions throughout the day. The man’s an utter distraction, but my mind snaps to attention as I get out of my car in the neighborhood I was in yesterday. The hair goes up on the back of my neck. I aim for subtle as I look around. Someone’s watching me, but I can’t figure out who or where. It’s unnerving.

My ego wants to think it’s Cormac. That maybe he’s still worrying about me and wants to keep checking on me. That maybe he thinks I need protecting—or at least, will indulge me since I still fear Pablo being around. But I never see a hint of him. I know it’s an overactive imagination, since I can’t findanyone staring at me, but I can’t stop wondering if Pablo saw me with Cormac yesterday. Maybe he’s forgotten about me and didn’t even recognize me. Or maybe seeing me with Cormac reminded him of the trouble I caused and made him suspicious since I was with a rival.

So many maybes.

But it’s easier to imagine a danger I know than a danger I don’t. If it’s someone other than Pablo, and it’s not Cormac guarding me, then who the fuck is giving me the heebie-jeebies?

Chapter Six

Cormac

I’ve kept myself busy for the past two days since my insane decision to meet Joey at her office. I rarely have extra time, but when I do, I have some favorite spots to hang out. They’re not where anyone expects, but they’re places where I can just be Cormac. I’m not a mobster. I’m not a billionaire. I’m not anyone but myself, and the people there appreciate me volunteering. It’s probably because most of them aren’t old enough to be jaded.

I’m glad I saw Joey and saw for myself she wasn’t too seriously injured. But despite work and my time at the community centers keeping me occupied, my mind keeps slipping to her. Her and Pablo. It makes no sense to me why she still fears Pablo all these years later. I can understand a wish to avoid him to avoid an uncomfortable situation. I can understand a wish to avoid him because he’s an arsehole. But her feelings are genuine. That or she’s a better actress than anyone I’ve seen on TV.

“Cor?”

“I’m in my office.”

My brother knows he can still come and go from my place whenever he wants because I’m the last bachelor. We all used to have an open-door policy when everyone was single. None of us brought women home with us. Home is for family. Home is our sanctuary. There was never a fear we’d interrupt someone doing something we shouldn’t see. Now that everyone else is married, that’s a reasonable concern. We text when we turn onto a couple’s street and again when we’re pulling through their gate. Even then, sometimes it’s a close call.

“Do you have the briefs?”

“Yeah. I just finished reviewing them. I made my notes, but they look good.”

Because of our family’s line of work, Seamus and I don’t have a slew of paralegals to help us with our legal endeavors. We don’t bring anyone that close since many times, the lines blur behind the scenes. That means Seamus and I review cases for each other and together, even though he specializes in criminal law, and I specialize in corporate.

“You’ve been holed up here since yesterday afternoon. I thought you were going to meet us to work out this morning.”

“I wanted to get your briefs back to you when I said I would. But I have that merger I want to finalize.”

“You always have a merger to finalize. That doesn’t mean you stop working out.”

“I missed a morning. I don’t think I’m going to wither away.”

My brother and I are the biggest men in our family, just like our dad is the biggest of the brothers. It’s not like there’s a massive difference in our size from our cousins. We can still wear each other’s clothes, but Seamus and I are a little broader across the back and chest than the others, and our legs are more like tree trunks. We’re just denser—many have said that about our intellect too. Sometimes it pays to come across as themuscular oaf. People talk more when they think you’re too much of a meathead to understand.

“Okay. How’re your ribs?”

“Sore but fine.”

“So, neither work nor your ribs are the reason for you to bail. You didn’t want to come over for dinner last night either.”

“Did I hurt Tiernan’s feelings? Was I rude?”

“No.”

Seamus and I are known for the best manners in our family.

“Then why’re you making a big deal over nothing? We’re all homebodies. I didn’t feel like going out, so I decided my time was best suited getting work done.”

I know he doesn’t believe me. However, I’m not ready to admit I wanted to work to stay distracted from Joey. And I didn’t want anyone in my family asking why I was mooning around, thinking about her. I know they’d guess, and I’m not ready to discuss it. From Seamus’s expression, I know he’s in two minds whether to press the issue. He holds up the folder I passed him.

“Thanks. I’ll send them back for a last review when I finish.”

He’s going to let it go. For now. Seamus gives me one last long look before he nods. We speak at the same time, trained since the moment we could talk.

“Love you.”

---