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“I’m not sure I understand what you mean. You knew my dad would check up on you from time to time. It’s why you always have to be on your best behavior. Because if he suspects we’re lying, he won’t think twice about coming after you.”
I see red as I make my way through a cookie-cutter neighborhood where all the houses look exactly the same.
“Check up on me for what?” I ask. I’ve only noticed them a couple of times since we got hitched, but nothing this aggressive before. They were usually near the house or followed me while I was running errands. Now they’re being fucking obnoxious.
“You’re still new to the family,” she states casually. “Trust doesn’t come easy to the O’Learys.”
I roll my eyes even though she can’t see me. “Can’t you ask your dad to call them off? I thought once we were married, this would stop. Don’t you think my roommates will get suspicious if they see them? I especially can’t be trailed while I’m working. I’m currently on my way to meet up with a woman to arrest her. The last thing we need is your father believing I’m a cheater. He wanted to kill me for much less. This is fucking ridiculous.”
“My father’s extremely protective of me and has no reason to believe you’re not after the family money, considering your gambling problem. As long as you behave, you have nothing to worry about, because there’ll be nothing to report back. They’ll understand what’s going on between you and that woman when you take her to jail.” Just by her tone, I can tell she’s enjoying this. Maybe a little too much. “You’re a part of the O’Learys, Liam. If you do anything to hurt me, everyone will know.”
“This is bullshit,” I say between clenched teeth. I thought I had to look over my shoulder because of Johnny, but maybe now the game has changed, and Victoria’s the one holding my life in her hands. She doesn’t seem to care that being trailed is a huge inconvenience for me, but she’ll do whatever the fuck she wants.
She stops me before I can continue. “Also, if I ask him to back off, it’ll sound suspicious, and he’ll think we’re trying to cover up something. The last thing I need is him in our business more than he already is. We don’t want him prying any deeper. A couple of pairs of eyes on you is nothing. You can deal with it.”
I pull into a random parking lot and stop driving, and the assholes who’ve acted as my shadow all morning do the same. As I look in the rearview, I notice two men in the vehicle. I look around to see if they’re the only ones stalking my ass.
“The bottom line is I need space when I’m on a job. I can’t have Tweedledee and Tweedledum messing up anything or blowing my cover when I’m on a stakeout. We need to work out something, Victoria.”
“Okay, I’ll see what I can do,” she says, blowing off everything I’ve just said. “Anyway, I spoke with my grandmother yesterday, and she was extremely excited about us starting a family,” she singsongs. “She can’t wait for her first grandchild.”
“What? A family?”
“Yes, a family. She adored you, and I’d love to be able to give her a grandbaby after hearing how excited she was about the idea. I’d be the first granddaughter to have one, which means I’d get more than my trust fund. It’d be worth it.”
I try to find my words, but I’m actually speechless. After I regain my composure, the first thing that comes to mind slips out, and I’m unable to walk on eggshells any longer. “What the fuck? No. Not happening. We had a deal, Victoria. Six months is all I agreed to. Six months and that was it. There was no talk about a goddamn baby.”
“Let me remind you that you will do whatever I need you to do until I have what I ultimately want. What is your life really worth, Liam? Or your friends’ lives?” Her words are full of venom, but her tone is light, as if she didn’t just passive-aggressively threaten me—confirming everything I just thought. Victoria might actually be more evil than her father.
“This is total and utter bullshit. Children are a hard limit for me, Victoria. It’s not something that can ever be negotiated between us. It’s not fucking happening, ever. I would never just make a child for money. The thought is utterly disgusting, and I can’t believe you’re even suggesting this.”
The silence draws on, and I don’t have anything else to say. I don’t give two shits if she’s upset, because having a baby with her is not something I’ll ever do. It wasn’t a part of our deal, and it never will be. At some point, I have to put my foot down or she’ll walk all over me because she knows she has control. This whole thing is a sham. Of course, I owe her for saving my life, but to have a kid just because more money is involved? It’s irresponsible and sickening.
