Total pages in book: 89
Estimated words: 105065 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 525(@200wpm)___ 420(@250wpm)___ 350(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 105065 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 525(@200wpm)___ 420(@250wpm)___ 350(@300wpm)
It’s on me to tell Sean to back off, and I’m not saying anything because I’m paralyzed with too many emotions to count. The need to find information for Talia. The fear inside my chest. The feelings I have for Lachlan. Feelings I still don’t fully understand.
“Let her go, Sean,” Niall orders.
His lips flatten and the room goes dead quiet as I stand on shaky legs. Niall’s dark gaze is directly on me, appraising.
“Ye’re the one under Lachlan’s protection?”
My eyes dart to Lach, but he’s no longer looking at me. His neck is corded, his forearm muscles taut as he clenches his hands together on the table.
“Yes,” I squeak.
“Do ye think ye deserve such a kindness?” Niall asks.
I stare at him in disbelief. He’s looking at me like I’m a piece of trash, but really, can I blame him? I was just acting like a complete fricken’ airhead in Sean’s lap. Sean may be his son, but it’s clear that Niall isn’t giving him any free passes. I’ve disrespected Lachlan, and there’s going to be hell to pay later.
“I don’t know.”
My eyes find Lachlan again. A small part of me wants to fling myself in his lap and tell him I didn’t mean to do it. That I’m confused and that none of this makes any sense. That’s the crazy part of me talking. The good part of me that I’ve had to squash down and keep locked up tight all these years. That person has no part in my life. That’s what my dad would tell me. But what did being strong ever get him?
“Ye best give that some thought,” Niall says in warning. “There’s no room for weak links in this outfit. Or any other for that matter.”
I nod in shame as all of their eyes fall on me. Jesus, this has got to be the stupidest thing I could have done. Instead of getting on their good side, I’ve drawn more suspicion. Of course they are going to be protective of Lachlan. But Sean is Niall’s son, and I honestly expected him to have a little more sway. I figured he probably touched any of the girls whenever he wants to. That’s how Sasha makes it sound, but the longer I spend here, the more I’m seeing that’s not the case.
“We have business to tend to,” Niall says. “Leave now. Donny, go and shut the door behind her.”
I do as he says without a glance back. Donovan follows me up the stairs, and when we get to the top, he grips me by the arms and wheels me around. I gasp when I see his broken nose and fat lip, wondering how I didn’t notice them before.
“You stupid fucking cunt,” he hisses. “You have no idea who you’re messing with.”
Inwardly, his words have the intended effect. They send my paranoia sky high. All of my red flags are going off, but I don’t show it.
“What’s your deal?” I wrench my arm back.
He cocks his head to the side, his eyes wandering over me.
“Who I put my dick in is not your concern.” He leans into my space and his pupils grow even larger. “Until your turn comes around.”
The pleasure on his face as he says this scares the shit out of me. I thought I’d seen evil before, but looking at Donovan now, I know that isn’t true. And knowing how often he corners Sasha, it bothers me even more.
“What’s your problem?” I try to pull away from him. “Lachlan would murder you if he knew…”
He slams me up against the door and smiles. “Lachlan doesn’t give a shit about you. You’re just the flavor of the week. And when he’s done with you, I’m going to make you wish you were dead.”
Before I can even wrap my thoughts around his threat, he shoves me through the door and locks it behind me. Tears blur my vision as I walk back through the club. I don’t know what I’m doing. I can’t trust my instincts anymore. I'm drowning under the weight of feelings I didn’t expect. Feelings I have no right to. The lines are so blurred I don't know what’s real or fake anymore.
When I get to the front door, the bouncer steps in the way and crosses his arms across his burly chest.
“Boss wants you to wait in the back,” he says.
Of course he does. I’m too defeated to argue, so I walk back to the dressing rooms, hoping I can at least see Sasha. I find her a few minutes later, but she doesn’t look happy to see me either. Go figure.
“What did you do?” she snaps.
“What do you mean?”
She grabs me by the arm and drags me down the hall, away from the prying eyes of the other girls.
“I mean you promised you weren’t going to say anything about Donny.” Her lip quivers and her eyes fill with tears.
“Sash, I didn’t say anything to Lachlan…” I try to explain myself.
She crosses her arms and shakes her head. “No, even worse. You told Ronan. Jesus, he beat the living daylights out of Donny, and now things are just going to get worse for me.”
“Ronan will watch out for you,” I tell her. “Donovan shouldn’t be hassling you out like he is, Sash. And you shouldn’t have to take it either.”
“He’s a sick fucking freak, Mack! You really think this is gonna’ stop him? It’s only going to make him more determined. And now Ronan thinks…”
She sniffles and looks away, wiping her thumbs beneath her eyes.
“He thinks what?” I ask her gently.
“He thinks I’m a goddamn whore, and he’s not going to want anything to do with me.”
The hurt in her voice breaks what little respect I had left for myself.
“I’m sorry,” I tell her. “I thought I was helping.”
“Yeah, well you aren’t,” she scolds. “You don’t understand how things work in this world. You’ve been here five minutes. It’s not your place to fix things.”
I glance down at my shoes and nod. “I’m really sorry. I’ll stay out of your business from now on.”