Page 19 of Accidental Irish Daddy

I’ve never been this obsessed over anyone. What could it mean?

I zip myself up and get off the couch. I don’t know if this is worth exploring or not, but I’ve got to figure this out before it drives me mad.

5

Aisling

I left Mr. Duncan’s house a few minutes earlier than normal. I pulled a relatively early shift at the club today, so I don’t want to be late.

Hopefully, Liam’s passed out again. I really don’t have time for his nonsense tonight.

I park the car in front of the flat and at once, I can see something is off.

There are too many cars on the street right now.

I get out of the car and there’s loud music coming from the flat. As I make my way up the walk, the loud talking and laughing are also clear.

Oh, you have got to be shitting me.

I open the front door and a strange woman is walking into the living room, carrying a couple of bottles of beers. The further I walk in, the more people I see. They’re all gathered in the living room with a football game on the tele. Yet, no one seems to be watching the game at all.

They drink and laugh, shouting over the loud music that’s playing.

Worry fills me as my first thought is Bridget. I don’t see her down here. She must be in her room. She’d better be in her room.

“What in the bloody hell is going on here?!” I shout. No one hears me. The music is too loud, and everyone’s hammered.

Liam is sitting in the easy chair in the corner, a woman on his lap. They’re slobbering all over each other like there’s no one else in the room with them.

I stalk over to the stereo and turn it off, then I turn off the television. Everyone groans in protest. Liam yells, “What do you think you’re doing?”

“What am I doing? What’s all this?! Have you lost your mind?” I yell, my body bristling with anger.

Liam pushes the woman off him and staggers up. “We were watching that.” He waves his hand drunkenly at the television. “Turn it back on.”

“No. I want everyone out of here right now! Take your beer bottles and your loud music and get out! All of you, out!”

“Hey!” he shouts, shaking his fingers at me, “This ismyhouse! I pay the bills around here, and if I want to have a party, then I’m going to have one, and there’s nothing you can do about it!”

“Did you forget about Bridget?! Where is she right now?”

“I don’t know. Little dope is probably locked in her room again.”

“Goddammit, Liam. You’re a real class act, you know that? A fuckin’ prince, you are,” I sneer.

“I’ll do what I bloody want!” he screams as he towers over me.

I flinch, backing away from him. Sure, there’s a room full of witnesses, but that’s never stopped him from clocking me one before.

“You don’t like it,” he snarls at me, “thenyoucan get out. You can pack your shit and whore yourself out on the streets for money. You’re doing that anyway.”

“Fuck you!” I shout and stalk away.

He comes after me.

“Fuck me? Fuck you! Where do you think you’re going, anyway?”

I get about halfway up the stairs, and I turn around to him. “I’m getting Bridget out of here. And she better be in her room or so help me, I’ll have the police throw you in jail for child endangerment!”

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