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I am not meant to live in the shadows, though I may flirt a little with them.
Atlas eases me into the first notes forJust a Pretty Facebefore Draven chimes in with the drums. I’m glad I have my favorite guitar with me, because I don’t have to think as much as my fingers move on muscle memory. Each song I sing is about being underestimated, because I have no doubt Líadan knows exactly what that’s like.
This is my way of apologizing for killing her father. There’s no way I can allow him to sell me to one of these people so Seán can feel as if he’s received his due. Jack should have kept his hands to himself and he’d still be alive.
As my set ends, I turn off my microphone and put my instrument down. There’s no applause, no whistling, just the urgent whispers as people write things down on little pieces of paper. Feeling sick, I turn and walk off the stage with my bandmates following me.
Arms band around me, and I open my mouth to scream. “Lay, I’m so sorry, it’s me,” Turner whispers furiously.
Gasping as the terror continues to ride me, I close my eyes as tears slide down my cheeks. “Fuck,” I whisper. “I’m fine, I swear.”
“Aye, what did you think was going to happen when you grabbed her like that?” Mav grumbles as he pulls me into his arms. “You’re doing so good, Little Dove. Just breathe, and then we’ll get you a fucking root beer float as a treat.”
The teasing makes me snicker. It’s so ridiculous, but the stress is riding me hard. Damn, the sugar in that sounds really fucking good.
“She’s not six, Mav,” Turner chuckles. “Wait, are adrenaline crashes getting you like your sister, Lay?”
Knowing he just put two and two together like a good boy from the bemused look on his face, I nod. “I’ll be a little twitchy, but I can make it through,” I promise. “Everyone where they need to be?”
“Derek is letting O and Greg in the back door now.” Turner grins. “Don't take any unnecessary chances, please.”
Giving Mav a quick hug, I step back with a smirk. “I’ll do my best,” I tell Turner as I walk toward the stairs. Cormac is coming up to get me as my heel hits the top stair, and he sighs heavily.
“You sure are taking your sweet time,” he grumbles.
“Where am I going to go?” I tease as Cormac lets me pass by him. Cutting the guys off from me, he barks over his shoulder, “You all aren’t needed anymore, go pack up.”
The growls behind me make the hair stand up on my arms, but I just raise my hand to them and wave. It makes sense that Seán would want to separate me from the rest of the guys. Forcing myself to breathe, I walk up the aisle to where the lights have been turned on. The eyes of every single monster in this room are on me, and I can see that their bids are being collected.
Their money won’t mean shit when Seán is bleeding out in a few minutes though.
The mafia members aren’t being quiet now as I walk by them, openly staring at me.
“I wonder if she sighs as pretty while she’s being stuffed with cock,” a man with long, black hair sneers as he reaches over to squeeze my calf. Almost stumbling, I pivot and kick him hard.
“No touching,” I tell him, smiling as he gasps in pain.
“Real cute, girlie. You’re a fucking menace,” Cormac mutters as he pushes me along ahead of him. “I wonder which one of these bastards will manage to get you to heel. Though, I can’t say I like the boss’ plan one bit.”
Interesting, I focus on that instead of the predators salivating about my creamy skin, and speculating on how tight my cunt may be. Dicks.
“I thought you’d approve of his decisions, especially for the mouthy girlie.” I smirk.
“Maybe, but this crowd even gives me the heebie jeebies,” Cormac says before we turn down the row where his boss is holding court.
I can’t see a single friendly face, as even Tyler isn’t sitting next to them anymore. Fuck me.
“There’s the pretty songbird,” Seán crows as I stand in front of him. I’m utterly unimpressed, staring dispassionately at him.
“It seems I’ll never have to deal with you ever again, so I felt like that’s a plus.” I smirk. I want to push his buttons, make him lose his shit.
I can hear Cormac grumbling to himself before he stomps off and it’s just Jordan, Líadan, Seán, and myself at the back of the club. It seems Seán did this strategically so no one could hurt him, but all of his men have left him for the moment with the tiny blonde.
I can practically feel the stress vibrating off of my uncle, and I’m proud of his restraint. Anything that happens from here on out is on me. Getting out of here alive may be a group effort, though.
Deciding that’s a problem for the ‘me’ in the future, I continue to needle Seán. “So what, you’re throwing me to the wolves for your daughter?” I ask, rolling my eyes. “I mean, I guess that’s noble in a way, but I still think you’re a coward.”
“You shut your mouth,” he growls, grabbing my hair and yanking me toward him.
