Page 29 of The Irish Redemption

Would a jury be sympathetic if I were caught?

I picture myself on the stands trying to tell them how terrified I was when I did those things, but then my pussy throbs as I move and I’m reminded of how easily I spread my legs for him. There’s no denying how hot Cormac was, and watching him beat up Dillon was one of the hottest things I have ever seen. He did everything I wished I could do each time Dillon cornered me.

I slip a hand between my wet thighs and close my eyes, bringing up the memory of what Cormac felt like when he was over the top of me, buried inside me like it was where he belonged. No one had fucked me like that in my life and the ache he left behind was delicious. Temptation warms my core as I delicately stroke my clit, but it’s just not the same.

Maybe he really has ruined me for anyone else, my own fingers included.

Dejected, I wrap up my shower and dress in my fluffiest robe then call for food from my favorite Vietnamese restaurant. It also makes me think of Cormac and how quickly he learned about my life. Did he think I was pathetic, seeing how little I actually lived?

The receptionist confirms my order as I drop onto my couch, and I’m about to spend the next twenty minutes scrolling through social media feeds that I stare at and never interact with when a message comes from Gerald.

You’re fired.

Short. Sweet. To the point.

My heart plummets and a hundred questions flood my mind. What the hell did I do? Is this because I missed work for one day? Or did he see what happened to Dillon and deem me the cause? As much as my exhausted mind demands an answer, I don’t have the heart to text him back.

At least I don’t need to worry about the uniform anymore.

But it puts me in a precarious position. Without income, I won’t be able to keep this apartment, never mind pay off my debts. I glance at my calendar and groan. Rent is due in three days and I can guarantee Gerald won’t pay me on time, so there’s only one person I can call.

My mother.

“Hello?” My mom always talks as if she has a hard candy tucked inside her cheek that she’d much rather be sucking on than talking, and no matter what age I am, it always makes my stomach drop out of my ass.

“Hey, Mom.”

“Evelyn! About time.”

“Huh?”

“Where were you? You were supposed to be here last night to help me with the delivery of my new closet. Now I have a wooden monstrosity stuck in my lounge because you couldn’t honor an agreement with your own mother!”

Shit.

That completely slipped my mind.

“Mom, I’m so sorry. I was…” I pause. Can I tell her the truth? “Mom, something happened.”

“I don’t want to hear more about your reckless spending habits,” Mom snaps.

“No, it’s not that. At the motel where I work there was?—”

“Did you get fired?” she barks. “I knew it. You can’t commit to anything, Evelyn. I told you that you aren’t built for the workplace. You need to find yourself a decent man, settle down, and start a family!”

My mind immediately turns to Cormac. He’s clearly much older than me. Mom would have a heart attack if she knew.

“I wasn’t fired,” I lie smoothly. “There was an accident. Someone died, so I had to spend a lot of time talking to the police. That’s why I couldn’t come and help you.”

Suddenly, my mom is incredibly interested. She begins questioning me with the enthusiasm of a crime podcast and we talk long into the night about the gory details. Part of me feels guilty explaining what I saw while knowing how much it pains Cormac, but it’s nice to talk it out with someone who isn’t involved. It’s also the longest conversation I’ve had with my mother in months, and she goes for two hours without berating me in any way.

By the time the call ends, I’m full of my favorite dumplings and utterly exhausted. I collapse into bed and sleep for a solid sixteen hours.

Waking up alone in my apartment is strange. There’s a strange new loneliness in my heart that I hadn’t ever noticed before. As I go about my day—starting with asking Mom if I can borrow rent money, then poring over every job listing I can get my hands on—my heart lingers on Cormac.

He’s the cause of my distress.

The way he spoke to me. The way he grabbed me and pinned me down as he fucked me like his very life depended on being inside me. The way he protected me from Dillon. In a few short hours, he showed me more love and dedication than anyone has ever shown me in my life, and instead of following that feeling, I chose to leave. So now I exist with this strange, new, lonely ache in my chest about what could have been.

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