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She gestures I’m to give her the swab. “Can ye put this in yer mouth?”
She gently puts him out at arm’s length and offers him the swab.
He accepts and does as she asks. Once he’s done, he gives it back to her. “Is this goin’ to make ye happy now, Mummy?”
His question cuts deep because I remember when I was his age, all I wanted to do was please my mother as well.
“Aye, go play now. Mummy needs to talk to Puck.”
I attempt a smile, and in return, I get a scowl. I don’t blame him. I would be scowling at the man who was making my mum upset too.
Shay runs off, looking over his shoulder a few times to make sure Aoife is all right. Once he’s playing happily on the slide, Aoife reveals why she wanted to meet.
“When yer test comes back, provin’ Shay is yers, what are we goin’ to do?” There is no if in the equation as she gives me the swab and hair sample. “I want ye to be a part of his life. But promise me ye won’t do somethin’ like ask for full custody.”
“I can ya promise ya that,” I affirm, putting the samples into my backpack. “I would never take a chile away from his ma.”
“Thank you.” She sniffs back her tears. “What about livin’ arrangements? I mean, the castle is big. Maybe—”
“If yer suggestin’ movin’ in, then best ye get that idea out of yer head. That’s not happenin’. Ever. I will look after you and Shay, but we will never be together as a family how you want us to be.”
“I know you felt somethin’ for me,” she stubbornly argues, refusing to let this fantasy go.
“Aoife, for fuck’s sake,” I say, exhaling in frustration. “We’ve been over this. I love Cami. And that won’t change.”
“But why won’t you try? In prison, the way ye touched me. I—”
I burst her bubble awful quick. “Everythin’ looks appetizing to a starvin’ man. That’s all it was. I fucked you. And you liked it. You fucked me. And I liked it. It was just sex.”
She slaps my cheek. “How dare you! Shay was born out of more than just sex.”
“Aye, from somethin’ awful, somethin’ amazin’ was born, and I’m prepared to do whatever it takes to look after my responsibilities. But that’s what it was to me, Aoife. There was nothin’ more to it. I’m sorry if ye thought different.”
But my apology means nothing to her.
She comes to an abrupt stand. “I can’t believe how stupid I’ve been. Yer dad has been kinder to me than you have. Tell me why I should believe you when all y’ve done is make me feel worthless? Maybe yer the one I should be watchin’ out for and not Sean? Maybe I’ll tell him what I know and then decide who’s tellin’ me the truth?”
“Choose yer words wisely,” I warn, removing my sunglasses so she can see how serious I am. “I don’t take to threats too kindly.”
“Threats?” she mocks, folding her arms. “If I were to threaten ye, I would give you an ultimatum—me or Cami. If you choose her, then I will tell Sean she’s not where she should be.That’sa threat.”
Before she can gloat in her smugness, I stand and grip her arm, subtly drawing her into me so our faces are inches apart. “You do that, and I promise ye, y’ll never see Shay again.”
“And ye said ye’d never take a wain away from his ma,” she snarls, attempting to break free. But she’s not going anywhere.
“I wouldn’t,” I affirm, “but Sean would. Once you tell him what ye know, once y’ve served yer purpose, he’d have ye killed and take Shay. That’s it. There’s no doubt about it. So, go ahead, tell Sean. I dare you.”
I call her bluff because I won’t be blackmailed. Not again.
“Maybe I will.” But she’s full of shite.
“Are ye so desperate for me to fuck ye again? Is that it? Ye’d settle for forced affection than somethin’ that is real?”
Tears sting her blue eyes because I know how to hurt her. She believes in fairy tales. I do not.
“Take Shay home. We’re done here.” And only then do I let her go.
I need to leave before I do something I regret.
