Page 45 of Illicit Heir

I point around the room at the broken mirror, the missing chairs, and the space where extra tables should be. I state, "I don't know what your impression is, but we aren't rich. We cannot afford thugs to come in here and destroy our property. So make sure you tell everybody in town. The next time you're a part of any fight within this pub and anything gets destroyed, you will be banned. You will never be allowed back in here."

"Ya can't enforce that," another bloke calls out.

I turn toward where the sound came from, unsure who said it. I square my shoulders and lift my chin, standing taller. "Test me on it."

Groans fill the air.

I glance at Ronin, asserting, "These are the new rules. You will enforce them. Do ya understand?"

I'm once again putting him in a bad situation. The rules of the clan are the rules of the clan, and everyone knows Caleb is the only one who can change the rules. But this has to stop.

In my most determined voice, I question again, "Do ya understand, or do I need to replace ya as well?"

He finally comes to his senses and shakes his head. "No, ya don't need to replace me. I understand."

"And what are the rules? Why don't ya tell me and the rest of the pub so we're all clear?"

"Lauren!" Mum tugs on my leg, but there's no stopping me. I'm over people doing whatever they want and thinking they can get away with it.

Ronin repeats, "If anyone gets in a fight or destroys property, they're banned."

"For how long?"

His face hardens.

I wait for him to answer.

He finally says, "For life."

Outbursts fill the air.

I shout, "That's right," looking around the room again at the shocked faces. I add, "If ya don't like it, then don't come in. This pub will be a place ya respect, or it won't be yours to utilize."

"You're being harsh, Lauren," Paddy, a clansman calls out.

I snarl, "Deal with it. This pub serves a lot of purposes. Ya have parties here for birthdays, baptisms, and wedding receptions. Over the holidays, ya come here with your families and children. You're here several times a week, if not daily. So I'm warning ya, if you want those privileges to continue, you will obey our new rules, or ya will never step foot in this pub again. I promise ya that."

"Caleb won't stand for this," Paddy declares.

The pub fills with agreement.

My stomach flips. I insist, "If Caleb has an issue, he can take it up with me." I jump off the bar and go into the kitchen, then through the back door. I step into the alley, needing to breathe fresh oxygen.

The crisp nighttime air hits me as soon as I step outside, cooling the heat in my cheeks. It does nothing for the anger or the worry that fill me.

There's going to be some backlash for what I just did. Caleb won't like it. I have a battle in front of me.

My mum comes tearing out the back door, fretting, "Lauren, what did ya just do?"

I spin on her. "I did what ya should have done years ago. We are not going to stand for this anymore."

"Ya can't—"

"I can and I will! I've had enough, Mum. We will not live like this. We will not be taken advantage of, and we will not have our things destroyed and disrespected. These are the new rules."

"It's not your place—"

"Bullshit! And I'm tired of it. I know you are too. Now, I don't know who left that money, but thank God they did. However, this is the last time we will replace our things due to these imbeciles. There has to be consequences. If they disobey our rules, they don't deserve to be here."

---