Page 36 of Accidental Irish Daddy

“Yes, sir.”

I walk out of the kitchen, a dazed feeling coming over me. I have hazy memories of being in strip clubs, drinking and doing heavy amounts of drugs. It’s exactly the kind of place that breeds debauchery. The kind of place where people OD in the back rooms and…and…

I’m so enraged that I can’t even feel the cool morning air on my face as I walk out to my car.

Aisling working in a place like that means that she might be bringing drugs into my house without me knowing it.

I used to know plenty of strippers who were being pimped out by some dealer somewhere. It was a perfect scam. The dealers sent the girls out to their jobs at the clubs where the girls would sell to the customers. I’ve bought from plenty of women like that on plenty of nights.

And it works. Beautiful women who grind on you all night while fleecing your pockets. All I can picture as I sit in my car is Aisling dancing naked on some pole somewhere, the men lusting after her as she swings all the glorious red hair around herself. All those men…wanting her…putting their hands on her…

The cool green sting of jealousy cuts through my anger, confusing me for a moment.

I pull my phone from my pocket and call Martha. “Hey,” I say when she picks up. “Just wanted to thank you for leaving the basket of goodies this morning.”

“Oh, anytime, love. You know how I love to make sweets for you.”

“I do,” I say, struggling to keep my voice level. “I also wanted to ask a favor of you if you don’t mind. I have to work late tonight, and I was hoping you’d come by and sit with Ma and Bridget for a bit.”

“Oh, um, certainly,” she replies after a second of silence, then asks. “Won’t Aisling be available?”

“I’m afraid not,” I say. “I’m afraid she won’t be there tonight…and quite possibly any other night after that.”

“Oh, dear. That’s terrible. I was so hoping she’d work out.”

“So was I.” That’s not a lie. I did hope this would work out. “I’ll talk to you a little later about it. I’ve got to get in to work.”

“All right, then. I’ll talk to you soon.”

I hang up the phone and start the drive in to work.

I will work as usual, then I will head to that club and wait for her to arrive. I will catch her red-handed and then tell her this job is done for her.

She won’t push me off the wagon and everything I’ve worked so hard for. Not in this lifetime.

11

Aisling

I walk into the dressing room, thinking about what a strange night it’s been so far. For one thing, Mr. Duncan stayed late at work tonight, which wasn’t all that odd. What was odd was that he hadn’t told me about it and, instead, sent Martha over to watch Mrs. Duncan.

I was washing the dishes when she walked in through the kitchen door, all smiles. The moment she saw me, her smile faltered.

“Oh! You’re here,” she said.

“Yes,” I said to her with a little laugh. “Am I supposed to be somewhere else?”

“Well…I don’t know, dear. Grant asked me to come over and watch his ma and Bridget. He gave me the impression that you wouldn’t be here, and since he was working late, he sent me along.”

I tilted my head curiously at her. “Well…that is strange, indeed.”

She sighed, “Well, since you’re here, I might as well go on home.”

“No, no,” I told her, drying my hands. “Please stay. As it happens, I do have somewhere to be, and since Mr. Duncan’s working late and all. This is actually kind of great timing.”

And it was. I hurried and packed my bag and headed out a full four hours earlier than usual.

I mean, this is great. I can work a little longer and make more money, which I need now that I’ve got Liam breathing down my throat with his threats. As soon as I walk in, Roisin notices me.

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