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I watch as Finn re-heats the blade and then slices through the skin on Brent’s arms. Secured in place by Ronan and Maxim, tears run down Brent's face, sweat covering him. His eyes tightly closed his jaw locked and his head shakes from the pain. My brother doesn’t let up. He slices slivers of skin from his left arm, only enough to expose the layer underneath. It takes a level of skill and patience to only remove the top layer. One of many skills my baby brother has been taught recently by Maxim and Ronan. Finn bends down grabbing the blow torch then walks over to the table placing it and the knife back where he got them. He grabs a bottle of vodka from the side taking a large drink before coming back to stand in front of Brent. He offers the bottle to the rest of us. My brothers and I decline but Maxim takes a large drink then hands it back. Finn smirks before pouring the clear liquid down Brent’s arms. He cries out in pain begging for us to kill him. “Oh don’t worry. Soon Brent. Soon.” Finn calmly tells him then walks away. Defeat evident on his face he watches us as we all walk out. Leaving him there to suffer while we head to Ma’s for family dinner.
Chapter 17
I’d skipped out on the O’Farrell family dinner tonight. I’d told Killian I had to finish off a proposal for a client. I couldn’t exactly tell him the truth. He wouldn’t approve. And I know deep down that he’d be right, but I have to try.
I take a sip of my wine and take a look around the bar. I’d chosen to sit at the back wall knowing I could see everything from this vantage point. Killian taught me that. The bar is pretty quiet so I can keep an eye on who is coming and going, the guy working behind the bar pours another pint of something amber-coloured for an old man who’s been sat up at the bar since before I got here. His eyes only leaving the sports channel to get the barman’s attention for another drink. After handing over his pint the barman heads to the other side of the bar and continues to flirt with two younger women who arrived a little while ago. He’s trying pretty damn hard, but I don’t think he’s realised the only thing they are interested in is the free drinks he’s supplying them with. I smile and roll my eyes as he grabs them another drink while they giggle and flirt with him. I turn to my left as I hear the door open. Light streams in as he walks through it. Cheap black suit and a white shirt that’s seen better days, his eyes fixed on mine as he walks toward me a determined look on his face.
“Isabella.” He leans down and I turn my head, he catches my cheek with a light kiss before taking a seat.
“Hey Dad.” He gives me a smile then turns to look at the barman trying to get his attention. I shake my head and sigh, “you want a drink Dad you order at the bar. He doesn’t serve tables.”
He tsks then gets up and heads to the bar. I watch him as he orders a drink then brings it back placing the glass on the table. He wrinkles his nose in disgust as he takes a seat. “We should have gone somewhere nicer, this place is a bit of a dive. You can afford to drink in better places.”
I inwardly wince. Less than five minutes and he makes a reference to money. He watches me as I take a sip of my wine. I wanted to meet him to catch up. I wanted to try and build a relationship with him, but now that he’s here and knowing how this conversation is likely to go. I don’t think it was a good idea.
“Dad…”
“Why don’t we go for dinner? Let’s go to the steak house next to the casino?” He looks at me with a hopeful smile.
“I’ve already eaten. How about we just catch up here?” I see the disappointment in his eyes, but I don’t give him a chance to respond. I jump right in asking him how he’s been and what he’s been up to. He seems quiet at first, but the longer he speaks the more animated he gets. Telling me that he’s been out of town for business and when I asked him what business he wouldn’t elaborate. He continues to talk for another twenty minutes about nothing before the conversation turns around to me.
“So hon. How have you been? How’s work? Are you busy?”
He watches me as my brain tries to process the quick succession of his questions. I give my head a small shake and then take a quick scan of the bar, I grab our glasses and head to the bar ordering us another drink. I don’t really want to stay much longer, but I really do need a drink.
“Thanks, kid.” He barely looks at me as I place his glass down in front of him. Taking a seat, I take a small sip of wine and smile.
“Work is good. I’m really busy right now. I have a couple of new clients, and I’ve been asked to prepare a marketing brief for a new company. I also finally moved in with Killian.”
“Hmm. You moved in with him that’s good. So work is good then. You’re making plenty of money?”
I sigh and roll my eyes, it didn’t take long for him to come around to money. “I’m making enough to keep the business going. My glass freezes millimetres from my lips when he asks the thing I was expecting but was hoping I wouldn’t hear.
“I was thinking maybe, you could loan me some money. I want to invest in a business but I’m short of some cash and I was thinking you could give me the cash. Of course, I’ll pay you back…”
“I’m sure this is a big opportunity for you, but I’m sorry. I don’t have any spare cash to loan you. Everything I have is sunk into the business.” I throw back my glass of wine. I don’t want to get into a fight with him, I no longer want to be here.
“You’re so selfish Isabella. You have the money why can’t you just loan me it? You’ve always been like this, you’re just like your mother. A selfish little bitch.” I stare at him stunned. I can’t believe his outburst. I stand, grabbing my phone and my purse. “You know I wanted to give you the benefit of the doubt, I wanted to believe that this wouldn’t turn into a conversation about money. I should have known better. It’s always about money with you…”
“You’re my kid. You’d think you’d want to help out your old man.”
“I’m done. It was nice to see you, Dad. Please don’t call me again.” I storm out of the bar without giving him a chance to respond. I can’t believe it. Actually, I can believe it I know what he’s like. He’s always been like this, always wanting money and getting mad when you say no. I’m so fucking mad at myself. I should know better.
Chapter 18
I left the dinner early. Ma was pissed when I told her I was ducking out early, but she mellowed a little when I told her that I wanted to make sure Bell’s got something to eat while she working. And true to Ma’s form she wouldn’t let me leave empty-handed. She made sure she sent me off with some dessert for Bell’s. What I told Ma wasn’t a total lie. I did want to go check on my woman, but not because she’s working late. I know exactly where she went, she doesn’t realise I keep tabs on her, I know her every move. And I’m fucking fuming she went to meet her Da. But what I’m mostly mad at is the fact that she fucking lied to me.
After pulling into the garage, I storm into the house through the side door leading into the hall. The house is in darkness, I stop in the middle of the hallway, I know she’s here. Her car is parked outside the house and the tracker on her phone places her here, but I don’t hear any sound. I pull my phone out of my pocket, unlock the screen and hit call. I hear her phone vibrating in the front room. I loosen my suit jacket and throw my keys, phone and dessert on the side table. I walk into the front room ready to tear her a new one, but my anger dissipates when I see her sitting on the sofa in the dark drinking whiskey.
“Baby?” She doesn’t even acknowledge me as I take a seat next to her. Taking her glass from her I turn her to face me. “What’s wrong?”
She sniffs then tips her head back on the sofa, “I lied to you today.”
I wait, I was expecting a fight when I walked in. I wasn’t expecting her to suddenly tell me she lied.
“I went to see my Dad. I know I shouldn’t have gone, and I shouldn’t have lied to you. But I just wanted to give him a chance, I wanted to believe that he wanted to see me because he’s my Dad. I didn’t want to believe that he saw me as his own personal bank. He’s never gonna change, and I have to stop trying.” Her throat is croaky, and with the light off I can’t work out if it’s from the whiskey or if she’s been crying. I reach out, my hand on the back of her head rubbing her hair. “I know you’re mad at me Killian, but can we not fight tonight, please?”
I pull her into me leaning down and placing a kiss on the top of her head. “I won’t lie baby I am mad as hell at you, and I came here expecting us to get into a fight. But we aren’t fighting baby. Tonight, or any other day. Please don’t lie to me anymore Mo Chroí, I hate that he hurts you, that he uses you. But if you want to go see him, just tell me. Fuck I’ll even take you there myself and sit outside so I’m not tempted to punch him.”
