Ruthless: An Irish Mafia Romance (Wild Irish Book 2)

by Vi Carter

  A warm hand squeezes mine. “You’re beautiful, Ava,” Connor tells me as he stops us on the street. He’s moved me into his arms now and kisses me. When we break apart, I blush knowing we are being watched. We walk around the town hand in hand. Passing Smyths makes me stiffen, but once we are around the corner, I relax. We are coming up to the café where we had our first date.

  “Connor.” Connor’s hand tightens on mine painfully, and when I yank my hand, he releases me.

  “Sorry.” He’s distracted looking at someone as they jog across the road. “I was ringing your phone the last few days.”

  The silence from Connor has me glancing at him, and his eyes flicker to me, searching my face before he answers the guy.

  “I saw that. I was tied up.”

  The other guy smiles at me. Brown eyes similar to Connor’s look at me. “Aren’t you going to introduce me to your beautiful friend?” The compliment is said with an outstretched hand, and I take it.

  “I’m Ava,” I tell him since Connor seems to have lost the ability to speak.

  “Shane. Connor’s brother.”

  Ah, that explains the eyes. Connor had said he didn’t get on with his brother Shane. Maybe that’s why he’s acting so weird.

  “What do you want?” Connor’s rude words have me releasing Shane’s hand.

  “Can’t one brother worry about the other?” Shane widens his eyes at me, a kind smile on his face, and I feel embarrassed at how rude Connor is being.

  “We were just about to grab a coffee,” I say and can feel Connor’s heavy stare on my shoulders.

  “I would love to join you,” Shane says.

  “Great.” I nudge Connor, and once again, my movements seem to relax him a bit more.

  Awkward isn’t the word as we sit in the booth. Connor sits beside me, Shane across from us. “So are you dating?” he asks, and I’m smiling.

  “I’m not sure.” I give him the same answer I gave Darragh.

  “You should really put the girl out of her misery,” Shane tells Connor as the waitress arrives. We order, and Shane returns to prodding Connor.

  “You’re all uptight, Connor. Relax.” Connor stiffens at Shane’s words, and we sit in awkward silence as our coffees arrive.

  “So are you from the area?” Shane asks.

  “Yeah, born and raised here.”

  “Shane, you should leave.” Jesus Connor was being so rude, but it wasn’t my place to intervene. Shane shrugs out of his coat and pushes up the sleeves of his jumper. Something in me stills. The air feels light, and my eyes trace the black bands on his arms. My memory snaps back to the night in the pub. My hand jerks, knocking my coffee all over the table. We all move, and I’m apologizing as my mind races.

  “Are you okay?” Connor is cleaning up the spill with napkins, but Shane is watching me. I can’t look up at Connor. “Yeah,” I answer. The waitress arrives and starts to mop up the coffee. My chest grows tighter.

  “I’m just going to the bathroom.” I don’t wait for their dismissal. He was with the missing boy. He was Shane. Shane was Connor’s brother. Connor arriving into my pub- I’m in the bathroom bringing up the contents of my stomach. Sitting on the ground, I kick the wall and lean my head against the far wall. Connor had asked me questions about Harry and the missing boy. My stomach heaves again. When I went to the Gardai Station, he talked me out of reporting it.

  Oh my God. My hand trembles as I cover my mouth. I can’t go back out there. I can’t let them see what they have done to me. I’m up on my feet and making my way out of the small café. Ducking down, I cross the open space and glance at Connor and Shane, their conversation is low and intense. The fresh air burns my eyes, and I dip my head as I make my way down the street. What if Connor doesn’t know? What if I’m jumping to conclusions? I’m slowing down. The rational part of me is telling me of course he knew. The circumstances were stacked too high. But my heart wants to believe that we met, fell in love, and the fact that I have crossed paths with his brother before is just a coincidence

  “Ava, Ava.” Connor reaches me and grips my shoulders. “What’s wrong?”The way he questions me makes it sound like he already knows.

  “Please don’t lie to me.” Connor releases me and joins his hands together.

  “Everything okay?” Shane arrives sliding on his jacket.

  “Can you fuck off for five minutes?” Connor snaps, and Shane loses his smile.

  “Fine, but know Connor, you did a good job.” His words are like a nail in my coffin. Am I the job?

  My stomach churns again, and I start walking briskly. Connor stops me again. “Don’t touch me.” I shrug him off as I clutch my stomach.

  “You have to listen to me.” Something in me cracks, and I stop walking. I can’t look up at Connor. The pathetic part of me wants him to explain this away.

  “It’s not how he is making it sound.” My lip trembles. So Shane wasn’t lying I was a job.

  “Like your brother said. You did a great job.” He had, I’ve felt a lot of pain in life, but this was different.

  “Ava, I met you, and straight away I wanted you.” I glance up at Connor as my nose burns and my eyes fill.

  “How can you hurt me like this?” He knew my past, he knew about Brian. My job, my home everything.

  “I can’t even go back to my apartment because it’s all yours.” He’s shaking his head.

  “No, that’s yours.”

  “Stop! Nothing is mine. You’ve manipulated and controlled everything.” I laugh through my tears. “I feel so stupid.” I inhale deeply to try to settle the hysteria that’s bubbling up. “I loved you,” I tell Connor, but he’s shaking his head.

  “I can fix this.” No he couldn’t. I turn away from him before I crumble here on the sidewalk, I gather the small bit of dignity I have left and walk. I have no idea where to. I still have my old apartment for a few more days.

  “Ava, please just let me try.” I stop walking at the credit union and turn to Connor.

  “You’ve made me feel this small.” I hold up two fingers close together. I’m glad when my words make him flinch.

  “I want you to feel what I’m feeling.” A sob tears from my throat, and Connor’s eyes glaze.

  “I do. I’m so sorry. Jesus I was going to tell you. I swear, but it just never felt like the right time.”

  “I couldn’t image telling someone you only stepped into their life to find out information about them could slot neatly into some timeframe.” I’m shouting. I don’t care that people are watching. My skin feels tight.

  “Get away from me.” I wipe angrily at my tears.

  “I love you, Ava.” His words make me cry because only half an hour ago that’s all I would have wanted to hear. Those three little words would have made my world complete. Now they made me angry.

  “I need you to leave me alone,” I tell Connor, and he doesn’t move.

  “I need to make sure you’re home safely. I promise I’ll give you space then.”

  “NO.” Then it clicks with me, and I’m really looking at him. “What happens to me now? Is someone going to hurt me.” I cover my mouth, wondering what the hell I have gotten myself into.

  “No one, and I mean no-one will ever put their hands on you again. You have my word.” Connor’s holding my arms, and I shrug him off, but his words ease the worry in me, because they ring true to me. “Just let me get you home safely.” I’m nodding because I don’t know what to do.

  I fold my arms across my chest as Connor rings a taxi. We had to get a taxi into the town as Darragh had taken his car. My cheeks heat. Had Darragh known? I wonder now had they all sat around a table and laughed at the stupid girl.

  “He’ll be here soon.” I don’t acknowledge Connor or speak to him as we make our way back to Headfort Demesne.

  Such a shattered dream, I hold it together as I get out of the taxi. I keep strong even as Connor walks me to the door.

  “I’ll give you space, but I’m not going anywhere, Ava.”<
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  “How noble of you, Connor,” I tell him before closing the door in his face. I’m staring at it like it might explode inwards, but when the taxi pulls away, I let myself shatter on the floor as I pour my pain across the wooden floor.

  CHAPTER TWENTY TWO

  CONNOR

  “Thanks.” I slip the taxi man a fifty and walk up the pass to the house. I didn’t want him to drop me at the door.

  When I reach the house, Darragh’s making his way out of the garage. He pulls up and rolls down his window. “What’s up?”

  “Not much.” I shove my hands in my pockets. For the first time, I can’t sort through all the shit that’s going on inside me.

  “Okay then.” Darragh lights up a cigarette. “I aired your car for you.”

  “Thanks, I appreciate it.” Now I needed to find another one.

  “You can use my jeep if you want. Hate the fucking thing.” I grin at Darragh and tap the roof to let him go.

  “Thanks, man. I’ll catch you later.”

  “Oh, be warned. Dad is on the warpath. That’s why I’m evacuating.”

  I didn’t give a shit about Michael. I nod at Darragh and walk off as his car roars down the pass. Glancing across my shoulder, all I see is a cloud of dust.

  “I can’t do this anymore.” If it was anyone else, I would go to my room. But it’s Finn who’s shouting. I find Michael, Liam, Shane, Una (who I am surprised to see) and Finn in the Library.

  No one seems to notice my presence.

  “Where is he now?” Michael’s red face is tight with anger, and I step closer to Finn, getting Michael’s attention.

  “Where have you been?”

  “I’m fucking here, Michael,” I tell him and sit close to Finn as a just in case.

  “You’re an impudent little pup.” I nod and smirk at him.

  “The last time I checked, he was leaving, and honestly, I don’t blame him.” Finn redirects Michael’s attention to him.

  “I have guards at my door, forensics digging up MY land. Yet I have four sons who can’t seem to keep it together.”

  “Five sons, Michael.” Una’s voice sounds so quiet and sweet.

  “What?” His voice has lowered, but it still holds a warning.

  “You’ve five sons. You said four.” Michael doesn’t answer her, but I feel all eyes on me.

  “We acknowledge that something must be done,” Liam speaks up, calmly and clearly. Michael rubs his face and sits down.

  “This is not as bad as you think. The charges have been dropped against Darragh, and they found animal carcasses in the bog.” Shane speaks up, and I clench my fists.

  “It is, Shane. Because Darragh is a loose cannon and right now, we need a solution to this problem. I can’t have guards on my doorstep. I’ve operated this business for over forty years, and I’ve never drawn their attention.”

  I can’t stop staring at Shane, and he catches my eye a few times. You killed my brother. You destroyed things with me and Ava.

  “If you’re going to hit me, go ahead.” My message was getting across as Shane stands, wide arms outstretched like I’d attack him now. I’m smirking at him.

  “Relax, Shane. I’m not going to hit you.” I sit further back into the couch.

  “You want to explain what’s going on here?” Michael asks me, and I point at Shane.

  “I’ll let Shane tell you.” It’s like it dawns on him that my work for him was kept from his family. Stupid fucker.

  “A misunderstanding,” he says, and I laugh just to wind him up.

  “You tell that many lies, you don’t even know the truth.” Una leans out and stares at me while tilting her head, and I meet her eye. I like Una.

  “You should run. That’s my advice to you.”

  “Leave her out of this.” Shane’s taking a step towards me, and I lean back again.

  “No.” I smirk again, and he clenches his fist.

  “We have more important things to discuss,” Michael speaks, and Shane steps away.

  “That’s a good boy,” I tantalize him, but he doesn’t bite.

  “Darragh will work for me. I take full responsibility for him,” Liam speaks up again.

  “Darragh in a brothel?” Finn’s looking doubtful.

  “A Brothel? You work in a brothel?” This was the first time that I ever saw Una react to something about the families work.

  “Yes, I do.” Liam’s answer is said with a soft jerk of his head.

  “Okay, I agree with that,” Michael says, and Finn still looks doubtful but keeps his mouth shut. The responsibility is finally off his shoulders, and that makes me happy.

  “But Finn you still need to look out for him when he’s here. It doesn’t mean you can just walk away.” Michael’s eyes flicker to me before they return to Finn. “No one walks away from this family.”

  “I’m not walking away from this family. I’m getting married, and I want a life besides all this.”

  Michael shakes his head before looking at his two noble sons. “Family comes first.” They nod like two soldiers.

  Finn’s face tightens as he taps his foot on the floor.

  “Since I’m not family, I’m good to go.” Rising, I wink at Una. I don’t have to look at Shane to know it annoys the hell out of him.

  Shit hurts at times like when you’re walking down a hall and no one calls you back and say’s, ‘Stop Connor you are family.’ No the only words that are shouted at me are from Shane.

  “You’re going to push me too far, Connor.”

  I haven‘t even started. Facing him makes me even angrier now, and he walks toward me with a smirk. Knowing his actions are roiling me just like I knew mine, back in that room, were roiling him.

  “Are you really going to declare war over a girl?”

  I’m smiling, telling myself to remain calm. “If you ran my dog down, that would be enough to declare a war with you. You’re a vindictive, evil–” Una and Finn step out into the hall, and for them, I want to stop but for Ava and Bernard I keep going.

  “Murderer,” I say the final word slowly. He doesn’t like that at all. He’s not shrinking away either. Now he stands taller like I’ve just handed him a knife.

  “If you think I’m all that, then be careful.”

  “Come on, guys.” Finn is trying to move in between us. We are toe to toe.

  “No, Finn, I’m not afraid,” Shane speaks up and I push my forehead against his. I let all my anger and frustration into the action.

  “Oh my God, guys. Seriously.” I glance at Una, and for the first time, I feel angry at her stupidity.

  Stepping only a foot away from Shane I stare at Una. “You know what they do?” Her face brightens.

  “Yet you still lie with him.” Rough hands grip my neck, and I’m slammed into the wall. “Stop speaking to her.”

  “Shane,” Una warns, but I allow Shane to manhandle me.

  “Una, I thought you had more respect for yourself.” Shane slams his fist into my stomach, knocking the wind from me. As I gasp for air, I start to laugh and cough.

  “You’ll piss him off one day and end up in a ditch.” He charges, taking both of us to the ground. I allow each thump to my face. It fuels me. Liam and Finn pull Shane off me. I’m on my hands and knees coughing as blood drips from my mouth and nose. When I look up, Una stares at me, a hand over her mouth as her eyes hold horror.

  “I needed to show you what he is,” I tell her, and Liam holds Shane back as I stand and wipe blood from my face. Michael’s standing behind them all, staring hate at me.

  “You must be so proud of your sons, Michael. You did a great job with them all.”

  “That’s enough,” Liam barks. His raised voice causes a lull to fall in the hall. More blood drops off my chin, and I wipe it away, but some hits the floor. Una takes a step towards me with tears in her eyes. “Connor…” She’s shaking her head, and her sympathy I don’t want. I leave the front door open as I walk out of the house and make my way out back. I need to cool d
own. My throat burns. No doubt Shane’s hand marks are visible. I rub it, but it doesn’t help.

  “Connor.” I want Finn to just stay inside. I don’t need him coming after me. But he’s there, and he’s angry.

  “Why did you let him hit you?”

  I shrug, knowing exactly why I did it. I wanted everyone to see a monster. Even just a glimpse. I wanted to put the seed of doubt into Una’s head. It was a scratch to the surface compared to what I was going to do to him. No matter what, he would die. He had to. He took the life of my brother, the general’s son.

  “Connor, please talk to me.” I stop walking and face the house. Too many windows to count look down on us. Anyone of them could have an occupant.

  “I wanted Una to see what he was really like.”

  “By letting him beat the crap out of you.”

  I’m grinning now. “Darragh would have been impressed,” I tell Finn, and he lets out an exasperated breathe. “Darragh would have been in the middle of it.” Yeah, he would have. It would have been fuel on a fire.

  “What happened between you two? It was never this bad before.”

  Stuffing my hands in my pockets, I try to stay as close to the truth as possible.

  “He just messed up something good I had. With a girl. Her name’s Ava.”

  “A girl?” Finn’s smiling now, but I don’t feel like smiling. My stomach twists. What if she won’t forgive me?

  “Fight for her. Win her back.”

  “He really did a number on it,” I tell Finn, and all my anger comes rushing back.

  Clenching my fists, I remove them from my pockets.

  “Don’t give up man. Look, I have to go.” Finn glances at his watch. “Siobhan will kill me if I’m late. We are going cake tasting.”

  “So she said yes?”

  His smile is stretching. “Of course she did.”

  “You’re a lucky man,” I tell Finn, and he walks back to me and hugs me. It’s quick but tight.

  “Thanks, brother.” Once he releases me, he leaves.

  I walk further away from the house and take out my phone. Ava’s phone rings out. When it goes to voicemail, I hang up. What could you say in a voicemail that could start to mend this?