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“Would you stop going on about being a fucking felon? Jesus Christ, Digger, her dad probably has a bigger rap sheet than you do.”
I grinned to myself. “She said that too.”
“So she’s got a head on her goddamn shoulders. That’s something. Plus, this entire situation has been directed by her, so she isn’t dumb.
“You want her, keep her. What are you? A sinner or a saint?”
Though I groaned at his joke, I retorted, “Rex, shut up. This whole situation came about out of desperation. I’m not saying I don’t want her. I fucking do. But she’s had her choices stolen from her every step of the way. The moment she’s safe and she can lead her life how she wants, she’ll want to go back to—”
“To, what? A household where her father rules the roost and with an iron fist at that? Her mom ain’t exactly good people; we know that from Sin. Hell, she’s a bitch of biblical proportions, so there’s no protection there.
“That ring on her finger doesn’t save her from his fists, Digger,” Rex warned. “Senior might punish her ass of a sperm donor, but that won’t keep her safe long-term. It’s not like he’s going to end the bastard’s life over this.”
The warning had me stiffening with tension.
No one, not her father, not Aidan goddamn O’Donnelly Sr., wouldeverhurt her.
Not on my watch.
“You know what you have to do,” Rex rumbled.
He was right—I did.
I’d wait to see how O’Donnelly Sr. punished the asshole, then I’d make my move.
31
DIGGER
DUALITY - SLIPKNOT
MaryCat was nervous.
She kept playing with her fingers, so I grabbed her hand. Her palm was sweaty, but I clasped it firmly with mine. Of course, that left her other hand free, and she kept on tugging on her hair, twining it around a finger. In turn, that led to her biting her nails.
Everything about our location had her on red alert. We were in one of the Points’ infamous cement factories—where fuck knew what went down with fuck knew who.
It was telling that even she, someone sheltered from the truth of their world, knew of this place and its significance to the Five Points.
Rumor had it that Senior, though he did not need to get his hands dirty, regularly soaked them in blood in one of several cement factories the family maintained as a front.
I knew Aidan, Finn, and Conor O’Donnelly were inside the back office. We hadn’t heard any shouting yet, so we were in the dark as to the state of play.
“God, I regret eating that Reuben,” she mumbled then started jiggling her foot.
I knew that if she developed another tick, she’d be doing an Irish jig on her seat.
So I went on the offensive.
“You think I’m not going to keep you safe?” I asked softly.
Startled, she shot me a look. “I-I didn’t think—”
“Well, you should. You’re safe with me, MC. There’s no need to be so anxious.”
She released a breath. “I’m scared for you. Not me. It wouldn’t be the first time I—”
“You what?” I queried when she fell silent, but I knew what she’d been about to say and more of that rage from earlier rushed through me.
