Page 144 of Dirty Padraig: Dirty Dusters

CHAPTERFORTY-SIX

PADRAIG

Padraig’s Apartment, Hudson Yards, New York

Two days.

And to make matters worse, Sophia wants to move in here.

I stare at the entrance to my apartment, which is steadily filling up with moving boxes. I’m told my place is both larger and in a nicer area.

Fuck. My. Life.

My phone rings. Dylan. To answer or not? He’s tried me a few times, but I’ve let it go straight to voicemail each time.

It’ll be about the copy of the contract I sent him. I’m guessing he was waiting for feedback from Ma and Da and my eldest brother. I know he’ll have sent it on to all three, even though he swore he wouldn’t.

Either that or it will be about what happened the other day at our parents' house. When a distressed Jaine walked straight into my arms rather than seek solace in my eldest brother’s.

He’ll likely want to broach both subjects, and I’m not sure I’ve got it in me to discuss either.

“Dylan,” I answer. I may as well get it over with.

“Padraig, I’ve been trying to get hold of you for days!”

“I’ve been busy.”

“Doing what?”

“Helping Sophia move in.”

“But I thought you were moving in with her?”

“She insisted. Apparently, my place trumps hers.”

There’s a pause.

“Paddy, why are you doing this?”

“Why am I doing what?” How many times can I be asked the same question?

“Why go through with his?”

“I have no choice, Dylan. Sophia wants a baby.”

“We don’t always get what we want.”

“She backed me into a corner.” I reckon it’s time I told him the whole truth. “Between you and me, she also issued a veiled threat toward Jaine. Jaine made reference to the fact that she currently has a target on her back. Sophia subsequently commented to me that given accidents happen all the time and given the clients Jaine represents, if something were to happen to her, it wouldn’t be entirely unexpected.”

“She actually said that?” He sounds gobsmacked. Maybe now he’ll appreciate what I’m up against.

“Yes. I added the annulment as a condition to get something out of it, but now you know why I have no choice but to go through with getting her pregnant. Because she’s right. If something were to happen to Jaine, it would be impossible to hold anyone to task over it.”

“Jesus Christ. You never mentioned any of that before.”

“And I probably shouldn’t have said anything now. It’s my cross to bear. Do you honestly think I’d willingly bring a child into this? I’m trying to make the best of a bad situation while keeping Jaine safe.”

“You need to tell Jaine. You need to tell the others.”

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