Page 66 of Dirty Dylan: Dirty Dusters

Two words spoken to my back cause me to stop dead in my tracks. Slowly, I turn around. I’m aware my familiar annoying smirk is now crossing my face as my eyes connect with hers.

“What the fuck did you just say?”

“I said‘good riddance.” A matching smirk crosses her face.

I seldom have murderous thoughts, but after the day from hell I’ve had, I sure am having them now.

I nod slowly. “Fergal. All of what I said? Forget I opened my mouth.” I glance at him, and he smiles. I don’t miss the flicker of relief that crosses his face.

“And what are you saying now, Jessie?”

“I’m going nowhere.” My eyes reconnect with those of Grace Ryan. Good riddance? The cliché blonde has thrown down the gauntlet. If she wants war, then who am I to refuse?

I’ll give her exactly that.

CHAPTERTWENTY-EIGHT

DYLAN

The Hudson Dusters’ HQ, Manhattan, New York

“You did what?”

“I told Jaine that Grace was the cliché blonde.”

We’re sitting in Paddy’s office. Everything is either polished silver, white, or black. It’s an impersonal space, unlike his home. His desk is some sort of shiny metal, and the top is finished in leather. He’s not a fan of traditional wooden furniture. The walls are white, and the floor is the same marble flooring that runs throughout the place.

There are no images on display simply because there’s no space. It’s crammed floor to ceiling with legal tomes and contract documents, all neatly organized and alphabetically displayed for ease of access and reference on tall metal shelving units. Our Paddy may come across as not taking things seriously, but he does. It’s all a smokescreen.

When it comes to business, Paddy’s meticulous and focused. I’m a geek when it comes to computers and the like. He’s the same when it comes to the law. He knows his craft inside out. It’s a shame he can’t represent the Dusters in the outside world. He’d wipe the floor with most business and legal professionals. I’m sure he’d even give Jaine a run for her money. But he’s way too bloodthirsty. If someone disagreed with him or said something he may take offense to, he’d start carving them up before the meeting ended. And if they’re too amiable? Then he’d probably say something he shouldn’t. Spill a dark Duster secret or something without thinking. Then he’d still have to carve them up.

Some might say that’s the method in his madness. That either way it winds up the same outcome for the unfortunate third party, and our Paddy still gets to have his fun. It’s way too much mess for the family to clean up, though. That’s why he’s kept behind closed professional doors at all times.

“And why the hell would you spin an even bigger web of deceit, Paddy?”

“It seemed like a good idea at the time to tie up that loose end. Jaine put me on the spot. I didn’t know what else to say. You forgot to mention you and Jessie were fucking.”

“Because it was none of your business. Jesus Christ, what must Jaine think of me?”

“Does it matter?”

“Yes!” I hiss back at him. “Jaine’s opinion of me matters a lot. And you do know she’ll have spouted that pack of lies to Jessie.”

“Well, you were already lying to her, brother.”

“On your advice and recommendation! You were the one who told me to go for it. That Da was just spouting hot air when it came to an arranged marriage for me. That it would never happen.”

“I’m not denying what I said, Dyl, but that was superseded, and you know it. You’ve known for a week that’s no longer the case. You’ve known all that time it was actually on the cards.”

He’s right. That part’s not his fault, so I shouldn’t be trying to pin the blame on him. It’s mine, and I need to own it. As soon as I was introduced to Grace, I should have done the right thing and come clean to Jessie.

I didn’t. I couldn’t. And I’d do the same all over again if it meant I could have her just that bit longer.

“That’s beside the point. An arranged marriage is one thing. I could have tried to unravel myself. There was still a chance I could have convinced Da. You know how much he likes Jessie.”

“But you were still lying to her.”

“It was unintentional in the beginning, Paddy, and you know it. Like you, I assumed the marriage was shelved. Aside from that one time, nothing had been said. I was only told the week before you lot it was on and that I was to be married off.”

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