Page 95 of Illicit Heir

Her mum inspects me closer, and her face drains of color. She turns to Lauren. "Tell me that that's not... Oh God. Sweet Jesus, Lauren, please tell me that's not him."

Goose bumps break out on my skin.

Lauren opens her mouth, but nothing comes out.

"Oh my God, ya didn't. Not with him!" her mum cries out, covering her mouth, tears forming in her eyes.

How the hell does her mum know we slept together?

Her mum snaps her head toward me. "Get out of my house, and don't ya ever touch my daughter again."

I hold my hands in the air, claiming, "I'm not touching your daughter."

She seethes, "But ya did, didn't ya?"

I open my mouth, but I, too, am speechless.

Lauren states, "Mum, you're jumping to conclusions."

"Am I, now?" Her mum turns toward her.

Lauren once again goes quiet.

Her mum rises. She steps beside me and stares down, warning, "If ya ever come near my daughter again, I'll kill ya. I don't care what the consequences are or who you're related to. Do ya understand me, Devin O'Connor?"

"This isn't going how I wanted it to go," I blurt out.

She sarcastically laughs. "Oh, and how did ya want it to go? Did ya come here to try to get with my daughter again?"

"Mum!" Lauren reprimands.

"No, ma'am," I say, rising. "I came to talk some sense into ya. Ya need to take the pub back. Alaina's not going to offer it forever. She already has new barmaids in there. So ya need to get your pub back, and there's only going to be a short amount of time before the offer's off the table."

"Liar! Ya came to shag my daughter again!"

"Mum!"

I sigh, adding, "I know, Alaina. She learned her ways because she was an O'Leary, and there are certain things, even when you take an oath to the O'Connors, that ya don't lose. And I know how she operates, so I suggest ya take the pub while ya can."

Her mum's eyes light with fire. She declares, "Ya have no right to suggest anything to me. Nor did ya have any right to touch my daughter."

"Mum!" Lauren yells again.

I glance at Lauren. "It's fine. But ya need to take the pub back. Listen to me, Lauren."

"Don't you tell my daughter to listen to you!"

I ignore her mum and say, "Lauren, ya need to do what's right here, and what's right is getting your pub back. Do not ignore Alaina's offer. Do not turn it down. Tell her that ya will make the allegiance and take back what's yours."

Her mum insists, "We are never making any allegiance to the O'Connors. Tell Alaina to shove her offer up her tight little ass!"

"Mum! Jesus!"

I sigh and shake my head. "You're making this harder than it has to be."

She straightens her shoulders and lifts her chin. "Am I? Would ya give up your allegiance to the O'Connors for the O'Learys?"

"Hell no," I blurt out.

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