Page 95 of Dublin Brute

“Brendan.”

“Brendan!”

“Oi, Brenny boy!”

Strong hands grip my arms and come around my waist, pulling me off the guy. I’m covered in blood and it’s so fucking satisfying. Until Tag turns me around, and I see the panic on Nora’s face.

Tag’s got both his hands clutching my face and pulls my forehead to his. “Breathe, Brenny. Let the fury go and just breathe. Your woman needs you more than you need to kill this man. He’s well and truly beaten to shit and we’ll make him pay. Now, take care of Nora.”

Take care of Nora.

Tag’s words slice through my rage like glass.

“That’s right, Brenny. Calm yourself so you can focus on Nora.”

My vision sharpens and I blink away the haze of violence tainting the color of my world.

“She needs you, brother,” Tag insists. “Leave this piece of shit to us.”

The words penetrate deep into my skull. And though I know he’s right, it takes everything inside me not to deliver one more punch for good measure before stepping back.

Nora’s wide blue gaze meets mine. Her fear strikes hard against my heart, but the moment our gaze locks, it all melts away. Then there’s only my angel, rushing toward me, arms extended.

I catch her as she stumbles—I will always catch her—and pull her against my chest. “Shh, angel. I’ve got you. It’s over now.”

Nora

I huddle close to Kate, our hands entwined beneath the blanket. The shock of being drugged and taken has worn off, but the lingering dread still claws at my insides. What if Brendan didn’t get here? What if these monsters had us for another hour, or possibly days?

I know enough about the sex trafficking trade to know that one of the first things they do is inject you full of drugs to keep you out of it and dependent on them.

That could’ve so easily have been us.

“Brendan, for fuck’s sake. Get your head on straight.” My attention is drawn to where Brendan and Tag are having a heated disagreement. “She’s safe. I won’t let anything happen to her. You look like you slaughtered someone and need to get the fuck gone before the authorities get here.”

Brendan leans closer to his brother. “I’m not fucking leaving her.”

I unwrap the blanket and emerge out of my cocoon of warmth. After tucking it back around Kate, I join Brendan and his brother. “Seeing how I’m the ‘her’ in this argument, I have to agree with your brother, big guy. You look like an extra in the Saw movie. If police are coming, you don’t want them getting an eyeful of you looking like this.”

Brendan frowns and bends over to whisper to me. “I’m not leaving you. Not now. Not ever again. Do you know what it did to me to know you were taken?”

I press my hand on the side of his neck, the racing of his pulse thundering under my palm. “But you saved me. Again. You did everything you needed to do and now, if Tag says you need to go, then go. I’m fine.”

Brendan swallows. “But I’m not.”

Tag sighs. “Brenny…you know I know what that’s like. When I found out Laine was in trouble, I thought my life would end—but Nora’s safe and we’re here. Go get yourself cleaned up and we’ll handle things.”

“Not in a million?—”

“I’m done asking, Brendan!” The icy fire in Tag’s voice makes me stiffen, but doesn’t seem to scare his brother. “I’m doing this for you and you need to let me. Please, brother, look at her and listen to me. She’s safe. You need to go.”

“Would you excuse us for a moment, Mr. Quinn?” I lace my fingers with Brendan’s and give him a tug.

“Aye, if you think you can talk sense into him, be my guest. And please, call me Tag, luv. It seems you hold the heart of my brother in your hands, so we should be on a first name basis.”

My father wouldn’t agree with that, but I take the olive branch as it is meant and give him a grateful smile.

Tag steps away and joins a group of angry men in leather.

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