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“Humph. Owe. Big. This won’t just go away.”
“Didn’t think she’d have the balls to involve the coppers,” I muse. “It intrigues me even more.”
“Well, it fucks my job up on a level you can’t even imagine, so get that cash over to me A-SAP, and I’ll make this go away. She has filed for an injunction, so stay the fuck away from her. Go find a dollie who wants you. I’m sure there’s plenty in the Angel.”
“True, but where’s the fun in that?”
Not waiting for an answer, I hang up and watch the police car drive off.
I can’t stay away from her, no matter what anyone says. She’s like a drug, and I’m addicted.
Leaving her be for now, I drive off, knowing I won’t leave her thoughts for very long. It’s going to be hard, but I need to back off. What I did was hasty, pushed up my timeline slightly. She will see me coming now, and that’s not really what I wanted to achieve. Now, I need to go back to watching her while she is unaware, seeing her go about her daily routine without fear from me. I’ll call Oliver back later and tell him to inform her that I’ve been arrested or fled the country. Something that will put her at ease to continue with her life. If she remains holed up in her home, I can’t get to her without showing my hand, and she isn’t ready for that yet.
As I drive through the streets of Manchester, my thoughts continue to linger on Summer. I can’t seem to shake her off, no matter how hard I try. But now, I know that I need to give her some space. I need to let her breathe.
So, I decide to occupy myself with other things. I make my way to the Angel pub, a real dive that has fought off becoming one of those poncy gastro joints where drinking and not eating is frowned upon.Thisone still has the jukebox, pool table and sticky floor from decades of beer and whiskey spilled.
Walking in, I feel like a king here. It’s my domain. Everyone knows me, and everyone fears me. It’s a long way from being dragged up on the hardest streets in Dublin, running errands for my dad in the local gang. I could hold my own in a punch-up by the age of twelve, and at thirteen, I was carrying a switchblade. Dad made us hard.
Even our older sister, Niamh.
She was sentenced to work in the Magdalene Laundries when she was barely a teenager, and when she got out, several years later Dad packed us up and moved us to Manchester, where he started his own gang and became king. Passed down to me as the eldest of his three sons, my brothers were pissed and rebelled, forming their own little criminal organizations in an attempt to rival mine. It’s a sad state of affairs, but shit happens.
As I sit at the bar, ordering a pint of Guinness, I think about Summer again. It’s like she’s taken over my mind. But I can’t let that happen. I need to focus on other things.
The pub is busy, filled with people who know and respect me. I have a reputation to uphold here. I can’t let anyone see me falter.
I start chatting with a few regulars, laughing and joking like nothing is wrong. But deep down, I know that everything is wrong. I’ve fucked up big time. I moved too fast in my haste to know her.
The cheerful chatter and clinking of glasses inside the pub is shattered as the old wooden door suddenly bursts open with a thunderous bang. A rowdy gang of young men come storming in, hooting and hollering like hyenas. I recognize their scrawny faces instantly - they’re my brother’s boys.
My body tenses, and adrenaline surges through my veins. These reckless lads spell nothing but trouble. Before I can even push my stool back, one of them whips out a glinting switchblade from his jacket. With wild eyes, he charges straight for me, slashing through the air.
Acting on pure instinct, I jerk to the side just as the blade slices past my ribs. In one swift motion, I grab his wrist and twist hard until he howls in pain, the knife clattering to the floor. I clamp my hand around his scrawny neck and shove him violently towards the door as my other hand reaches for my own hidden blade.
“Get the fuck out of here, you little fucking cunt, before I slit your throat wide open,” I growl through gritted teeth, pressing the cold steel against his neck. “This is my territory. You’re fucking trespassing.”
The other lads freeze, exchanging nervous glances. They know better than to tangle with me. Keeping my knife poised at their mate’s neck, I stare them down with murderous intent burning in my eyes. The pathetic lad in my grasp whimpers beneath my tightening grip. Without another word, the gang race out the door while my own boys close in around me, ready to back me up.
The incident has got my adrenaline pumping, and I feel alive for the first time in days. Smiling before sitting back down at the bar, downing my pint of Guinness in one gulp, I order another, determined to sit here until I’m as drunk as an Irishman on Paddy’s Day.
10
CIARÁN
Sitting at my impeccably tidy desk in the dimly lit warehouse office, sifting through loan figures like a predator waiting for his prey. I meticulously examine each file, ensuring no detail is overlooked. My eyes scan the numbers, calculating interest rates and payment deadlines. There are several past due, and it excites me to think of the consequences. This business has always been about power and control, and I relish every opportunity to exert it.
The familiar buzz of my phone rips me from my thoughts. I grab the device and answer. “Yeah?”
“Boss, we’ve successfully installed the hidden cameras as instructed.” The team member on the other end speaks with an air of accomplishment, though he knows better than to sound too proud.
“Good job,” I reply curtly, though the sensation of satisfaction courses through me imagining the vulnerable moments I’ll witness – those that will allow me to protect her from the shadows.
“Is there anything else you need from us?” the voice asks, eager to please.
“No. Stay on standby for now.” With that, I end the call.
My heart races at the thought of watching over Summer, ensuring her safety even when she doesn’t realize it. The desire to protect her overpowers me, and I know that my obsession with her is only growing stronger. But with danger lurking around every corner, I can’t afford to let my guard down.
