Page 11 of My Irish Mafia King

If my suspicions are correct, if the rumors are true, there will only be one path available to me.

Kill my uncle. Take the mantle of Don. Live the life I’ve spent years trying to escape.

And Mom asks why I can’t take things seriously with my lucky charm…

Five

LUCY

Ididn’t sleep at all last night. I was awake, Clover clutched in my arms, sitting close to the dividing wall and listening for any sign of violence next door. If Shane hurts that poor woman, I’ll have to do something. Maybe even risk my life. Way past opening, I stay in my bedroom until I hear movement.

When I walk into the living room, Shane and the woman are sitting on the couch, the woman with a withdrawn look, her arms wrapped around herself. Shane has his gun resting on his knee, giving me a challenging look.

“Miss, are you okay?” I ask, somehow overcoming the fear that tries to close my throat.

“She’s fine,” Shane grunts.

“I didn’t ask you.”

“Somebody’s feeling brave,” he murmurs, passing his gun from one hand to the other.

“I’m… okay,” the woman says, her accent difficult to place.

“What the heck is this?” I snap at Shane. “Who is she? And why do you have to stay here?”

“None of this is your business,” Shane hisses.

“Have you hurt her?”

“Not yet, but if you don’t shut your clam, I might.”

“What do you want from me?”

“Nothing… go on with your life as usual. When it’s time for us to leave, we’ll leave. You’ll forget we were ever here.”

But I know that’s going to be impossible. I’m not going to forget the look on this woman’s face, the way she hugs her arms around herself like all she wants is to disappear. I won’t be able to live with myself for not doing anything.

All he has to do is pull the trigger and I’m done…

“Would you like anything to eat or drink?” I ask the woman.

She glances at Shane. Shane shrugs, then nods.

“Yes, please,” she murmurs.

“What’s your name?” I ask.

Shane tsks. “Don’t push it. And I’ll have whatever she’s having.”

I carry Clover into the kitchen, then set her down and make some eggs. A surreal feeling grips me, like I’m watching events unfold instead of participating in them. Everything feels disconnected. I should look forward to my day, and not try to figure out how to handle this mob guy and his prisoner.

Serving the eggs, I sit down. “I don’t know if I can work today,” I say.

Shane glares at me. “You’ll work. You still need to make payments. And I don’t want anybody getting suspicious. Just calm down. Is she bruised? Is she bleeding?”

“She looks terrified of you,” I say.

“But she knows better than to push me,” Shane snaps. “If you can remember that too, nothing bad needs to happen here. Just open up as usual, get on with your work. It’s easy. Don’t be so dramatic. Or…” He casually raises his gun. “We can go the other route. Oh, one more thing. The dog stays up here.”

---