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A few minutes later I was following my da into the house, I smiled at George as he reached for me hand while I walked up the stairs of Castle Finghin, our family home. He was the butler and one of the three full-time employee’s me father kept at all times.
Me heart was pounding as I followed me da through the door.
“Ten minutes, Da. That’s all I’m giving you.”
He chuckled and glanced over his shoulder at me. “That’s all I need.”
We walked through the foyer and into me father’s office. He poured us each a glass of whiskey and motioned for me to sit down.
“I don’t want to sit.”
He lifted a brow, “Maebh O’Sullivan, sit your arse down in that chair. Trust me, for what I’m about to say you’ll want to be sitting down.”
Aedin, Maebh’s father, had arranged for a car to pick us up at the airport. When a Bentley Mulsanne showed up, Aunt Vi and I looked at each other in shock.
Sliding into the car, she said, “How rich is this bastard?”
I chuckled and shook my head. “I’m not sure. I know they come from money, but that’s all. I’ve never asked Maebh, and she’s never mentioned it.”
“I know those Irish folk like their drinking, but damn, the whiskey business must be good here,” she mused.
“Mr. Parker, Mr. O’Sullivan has asked that we make a stop to speak with him before going to CastleFinghin.”
“Castle…Finghin?” I asked. I didn’t pronounce it the way the driver did so I wasn’t surprised when he chuckled lightly.
“Yes, the home of Mr. O’Sullivan.”
Aunt Vi and I looked at each other again. “The private plane is beginning to make more sense,” I whispered while she lifted her brows in amusement.
“You might want to look into Ireland for your next business venture, Cord.”
I laughed and looked out the window, taking in the beautiful city. As we’d flown into Cork I’d seen all the water Maebh had mentioned. It was stunning. The farther we got out of town, the more breathtaking it was.
“Why would anyone want to leave this place for Oak Springs, Texas?” Aunt Vi scoffed. “I may never go back.”
My chest tightened. It was some of the most beautiful land I’d ever seen. Maybe Maebh was missing Ireland. I knew she loved the restaurant, but I also knew Eric was capable of running it. Judging by the car we were in, I was going to safely say Maebh and her father weren’t hurting for money. I’d never even bothered to ask her if they had any other businesses. When Aedin flew to Paris a month ago for business, I had assumed it had to do with Sona, his distillery. His whiskey was some of the best fucking whiskey I’d ever tasted, and I now kept it stocked at Cord’s Place.
“We’re approaching the front gate of the O’Sullivan family seat.”
Aunt Vi hit me on the leg and leaned over. “Christ Almighty, is this family nobility, Cord?”
I shrugged. “Fuck if I know! I’m learning this all at the same time as you, Aunt Vi!”
She placed the back of her hand on my forehead. “No fever. How do you feel?”
“How in the hell do you go from nobility to checking me for a fever?”
With a grin, she winked. “Women can multitask, my dear.”
I rolled my eyes.
When we stopped at a large gate, Vi and I leaned down and looked up at it. Tall bushes lined both sides of the large stone arches. Between those were two large gates with a symbol on them. Glancing to my left, a stone sign read in large, bold letters:
C A S T L E F I N G H I N
“Are we being punked?” Aunt Vi asked me.
My head shook slowly as I whispered, “I’m not sure.”
“I thought you said we weren’t going to Castle Finghin,” I asked.
“Not to the house right away, sir. You’re meeting Mr. O’Sullivan at his private office on the grounds.”
“Did he happen to mention why?” I asked.
“No, sir.”
I sighed. “I told Paxton to ask Aedin not to tell Maebh I was coming. Do you think he isn’t happy about me being here?”
Waving her hand to brush away my comment, Aunt Vi said, “Nonsense. I’m sure he respects the fact that you’ve traveled all this way to see his daughter. Hopefully Paxton told him it was all a misunderstanding.”
I rubbed my hands over my thighs. “Let’s hope she did. Otherwise, the Irish mafia could be waiting to beat the living shit out of me.”
The driver chuckled, which caused Vi and me to snap our heads and look at him.
“Oh, hell,” I mumbled. “I’m going to die. Be sure to let Tripp know not to give Trevor control of my place and that there really is no such thing as free beer.”
Aunt Vi laughed harder like I’d just said the funniest thing she’d ever heard. I knew what that was. Nervous laughter. Distract the poor bastard so he doesn’t think about the pain and possible death fixin’ to happen.
