Page 132 of Dirty Padraig: Dirty Dusters

Don’t be stupid, Padraig.

I lean forward, pick up the printed copy from the table, sign it, and pass it to him.

He rolls it up and places it in his inner jacket pocket. “You have seven days to commence the contract, or it becomes void. You will then have to part with your fortune while remaining married to my sister indefinitely.”

I stare at him. “Unlike you, Luciano, money means nothing to me. Now get out.”

* * *

“What doyou mean you signed it?”

The clock clicking down to my doom has me pacing the floor. “Luciano came to collect the contract personally, so I signed it, handed it over, and told him to get out.”

“How did he react?”

“Like he wanted to hold a gun to my head and pull the trigger.”

“Paddy…”

“Relax. He needs me to get his sister pregnant so his family and ours are tied for life. The baby will then be his cash cow.”

“Great.”

“It’s what Da and Eoin wanted, isn’t it? I aim to please.”

“Everyone but yourself.”

“I’ll be happy if I get my freedom.”

“Paddy.”

I can hear the worry in his tone. That freedom isn’t something I’ll ever achieve, at least not alive. “I realize it’s unlikely, Dylan, but I’ve got to at least try.”

“So, when do you have to do the deed?”

“I have seven days from when I signed. If I don’t, then the contract is null and void, and I still have to hand over the contents of my bank account. I’ll also be stuck with Sophia for the rest of my days.”

“And what will you do when you get your freedom?”

“Spend the rest of my life thinking about what could have been.”

“Then why push Jaine into the arms of our brother?”

“Because she needs someone to be there for her. She loves him. He loves her. They want to be together. And it could take months before Sophia falls pregnant. Knowing my luck, maybe even years. Anyway, what does it matter what I want? It didn’t before.”

“It matters to Jaine. She loves you.”

“I don’t doubt her love for me, but my feelings didn’t exactly matter to her then. She got together with my brother with no consideration as to how it would make me feel, so why should it matter now?”

“Paddy.”

“It’s best I just let her get on with her life, Dylan. Of course, I’ll be there for Finian, but it will only ever be friendship for Jaine and me.”

“You need to speak to Eoin.”

“And I will. I just don’t want him to look smug.”

“Why would he do that? You gave her up when you asked him to mend things with her.”

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