Page 39 of The Irish Redemption

Is that selfish? Probably.

After our explosive argument in my apartment, things settled down and I slept for twelve hours straight, then awoke to Cormac cooking me breakfast while his men fixed all the damage in my apartment—including a cracked pipe Dale discovered under the sink. That was anice surprise. Having Cormac look after me was also a nice, surreal surprise, although I’m not foolish enough to believe that there’s something real between us. It’s all circumstance. Cormac wouldn’t look twice at someone like me in his regular life.

As I walk, I can feel his eyes burning against my skin as I cross the street and step into a puddle on the sidewalk. Another block and I’ll be at my destination. Huddling into my coat, I tighten my grip on the bag and pick up the pace as a cold wind drags its long fingers through my hair. Cormac had listed off multiple scenarios I’m to look out for—Harry running and snatching the bag, bringing friends, refusing the money or adding more on top. All I have to do is keep him talking long enough for Cormac to get his hands on him.

Then all of this will be over for me.

I’ll have a clean slate.

I close my eyes as the next gust of wind picks up dust and dirt from the street and a dark rumble thunders overhead. As long as the money doesn’t get wet, I don’t care how stormy it’s going to be. As a child, I had always loved storms, and right now, the scent of rain on the warm ground and lightning in the air are the only things keeping me calm.

Then I’m at the mouth of the alley, staring down into a darkness where shadows melt together just beyond a cluster of dumpsters. Cormac told me it was important to make sure Harry doesn’t block my exit so as I slowly walk down the alley, I keep a conscious thought on making sure Harry stays in front of me whenever he appears. I halt just before the dumpsters, eyeing them suspiciously as my heart begins to race. Walking here, I could pretend to be confident, but I no longer feel Cormac’s eyes on me.

I’m alone.

“Harry?”

He appears suddenly from behind one of the dumpsters and his abrupt appearance makes me jump and step back.

“Evelyn.”

“You scared me,” I say, further tightening my grip on the rough straps.

Harry snorts. “Your face looks good. How’d you even afford a trip to the hospital?”

The gentle phantom touch of Cormac’s fingers flares across my forehead and I lift my chin slightly. “I did it myself.”

“Sure.” Harry snorts. He shoves one hand into the pocket of his jeans. The other holds a lit cigarette, and he flicks some of the ash toward me with a slimy smirk. “You weren’t kidding, huh?” His beady eyes lock onto the bag. “That my money?”

“Yup.”

“All of it?”

“Of course.” My racing heart becomes a blur, and I tense my thighs to stop my knees from knocking together.

“What did you do, huh?”

I narrow my eyes. “What?”

“Where did you get that kind of money in two days?”

“I have my ways.”

“Really?” Harry snorts. “You got some golden cunt between your legs?”

My stomach rolls in disgust. “What is it with men and thinking the only thing a woman has of value is what’s between her legs? You, my boss… fucking hell. There are other ways to make money!”

Harry snorts. “Sell a kidney?”

“So what if I did? It’s my kidney.” I keep my face as impassive as I can so Harry can’t work out the truth, and it seems to work as he tosses his cigarette down onto the damp ground and waves his hand at me.

“Drop the bag.”

The straps have embedded into my shoulder from the weight of the money, so I wince as pain flares upon removal. I drop the bag as close to Harry as I dare, then step back. “It’s all there.”

“I’ll be the judge of that,” Harry remarks. He drops down to his haunches and unzips the bag, then he pauses when the money comes into view. Releasing a low whistle, he picks up a wad of stacked bills and thumbs through them. “Holy shit. Golden cunt or not, whatever you did, maybe we should work together if it can get money like this so fucking fast.”

“No thanks,” I reply tightly. “So, are we good? You have your money and my debt is paid?”

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