Page 27 of Mob Knight

“You must be Cormac’s brother, right?”

Two sets of russet eyebrows and one set of strawberry blond eyebrows shoot up toward their hairlines. All three sets ofemerald eyes that are just like Cormac’s narrow at me. I swallow, my throat suddenly parched and scratchy, and say to them the only thing that comes to mind.

“I kept him from getting a bullet through the head.”

What the ever-loving fuck is wrong with me?

“I mean, well, I was there the other day when there were some issues in Port Richmond.”

All three guys grin as they look me up and down. I noticed they’re all wearing wedding rings, so it’s not like they’re checking me out. It’s more like they’re assessing me.

“So, you’re the linebacker who kept my jolly green giant of a brother alive.”

Seamus laughs as his gaze darts to the bar. I follow his line of sight, but I see no one but the woman bartender from earlier.

“Well, I—I suppose so. I played rugby when I was in college.”

All of them grin like fucking hyenas. I don’t know what I just said that’s so funny to them, but it was something. Seamus takes pity on me.

“We never would’ve guessed rugby would be your thing. There aren’t too many Americans who play it, but rugby is our family tradition. We like to play as much as we like to watch. It’s the one sport we all have in common.”

I wonder if they don’t hear my accent as strongly as I assume it is. I didn’t grow up speaking English even though I learned it as a child. My Spanish accent isn’t like you get from most Spanish speakers in New York. It’s a small world after all, I suppose. I sound so lame to my own ears when I speak.

“Maybe if you get a chance, say hi to Cormac for me.”

All three gazes turn speculative as they continue to watch me. Do they think I came here to find him or to pass a message along to him? Have they figured out my real motives? I shoot them a smile and turn toward the table, not wanting to be rudeand dismissing them, but I can’t think of anything else any of us would have to say.

“Shay, I thought you were?—”

I hear Cormac before I can see him, but he’s so much taller than most of the people in here that he must have easily spotted me. He cuts himself off as he comes to stand beside his brother.

“Jocelyn.” He caught himself before he called me Joey, and it disappoints me.

“Hey, Cormac, how are you doing?”

“Fine, and you?”

“Doing well. My friends and I came in for happy hour. I didn’t know all you guys would be here.”

“Yeah, this is Finn’s bar. Have you never been here before?”

“I have, but it’s been a while, and I don’t think any of you were here the times I was. Or maybe you were, and I just didn’t notice.”

Cormac’s eyes twinkle as he looks at his brother and cousins, then me. He cocks one eyebrow as if to say, you really didn’t notice. Four giants with red hair and green eyes. I can practically hear his thoughts, and it makes me feel like a simpleton even more than I did before.

“I come here for the darts and pool. I haven’t always paid attention to who else is here.”

That’s not entirely true. I’m always aware of who’s around me, but something flashes in Cormac’s eyes, and he doesn’t like that response. His brother shifts, so Cormac can stand closer to me. His brother and the three other guys say hi and introduce themselves to my friends. I keep one eye on them, and none of them seem to recognize the O’Rourke last name. They wouldn’t have much reason to float in those circles.

“I think you’re extremely situationally aware, Joey. That’s how you saved me. But if you’re telling the truth that you comein bars that get crowded and don’t notice who’s around you, that’s a problem. It means you’re not safe.”

“I keep an eye on what’s going on around me, but it doesn’t mean I remember everybody I’ve seen at every bar I’ve been to.”

Do I sound testy? I don’t mean to. He leans over to whisper in my ear.

“Well, if I’d seen you here, I definitely would have remembered you while we rolled around together.”

It’s my turn to have my eyebrows shoot straight up. The innuendo is definitely there. He seems more relaxed than he has the last two times I’ve spoken to him. We’re in a controlled location—or rather—one controlled by the O’Rourkes as opposed to the Diazes or some other syndicate family.

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