“I mean no disrespect, but I need to do my own test as well. I’ve been lied to before, and I won’t let it happen again.”
I slide the piece of paper back to Aoife, who seems disappointed I need a second opinion. “Of course. But I wouldn’t lie to ye.” She places her hand over mine. “I know I did wrong with Cami. But I did think I was doin’ the right thing.
“All I ever wanted to do was protect ye.”
“How did Sean know we were together in prison?”
Her cheeks turn a bright red. “I don’t know. He turned up on my doorstep one day and told me he was yer dad and wanted to help with Shay. I was so desperate for money. He was a godsend.”
I can’t help but snicker.
This goes to prove Sean’s reach is wide. He knows things which he shouldn’t. We need to be so careful with how we tread.
“I don’t feel safe in my own home,” she confesses, squeezing my hand.
Every part of me is demanding I yank my hand away, but I don’t. “I know that, but ye never really were. By accepting Sean’s money, he owns ye, and he came callin’ when he needed ye. And he will continue to do so for the rest of yer life.”
Aoife lowers her eyes, appearing ashamed.
“I don’t want this life for Shay,” I state, still finding it difficult to say he’s my son. “The life I lived when I was a wee lad. It only ends one way.”
Aoife nods with tears in her eyes.
“This is why I need ye to do what I say to protect him. I will do what I must to ensure he never lives the life I did.”
“And what about me? My feelings for ye, Puck. They’re real.”
I need to answer this carefully. “You and I will always share somethin’ special. Out of hate, we created somethin’ fucking remarkable. And because of that, ye will always have my protection.”
“But what about yer…love?”
“That is somethin’ I’m still learning about,” I reply honestly.
I know what Aoife wants. I know she wants the paternity results to change things, that we will be a happy family. I will do what’s right, but I will never be with her how she wants. I fear if I tell her this, she’ll use it against me, which is why I need to be careful.
“Can I trust ye will do what’s right? What’s best for our…son?”
“Yes, always,” she says, her sincerity clear. “He is all that matters.”
I’m glad we agree. Now, I can only hope Aoife doesn’t betray me. I hope that this is enough for her because it’s all I can offer.
Removing my hand from hers, I open the drawer and offer her a mobile phone. “I’m goin’ to contact ye on this from now on. Please don’t let anyone know ye have it. It’s safer this way.”
She accepts, placing the phone into her bag. “So what happens now?”
“Ye go about yer day like usual. I need to take care of some things.”
She nods, reading between the lines. “When can we see ye again?”
“As soon as it’s safe. I promise ye, I won’t abandon ye both.”
And I mean it.
“When I can, I want to do my own paternity test.”
“Whatever ye need.”
Tests have advanced since I last did mine, and apparently, DNA kits are available to do at home, which are then sent away for the results. “I need a mouth swab from Shay,” I say. “And some hair.”
“I can run it over to ye.”
But I shake my head. “Naw, I want to do it myself.”
The last time I trusted someone with these results, I believed I was a Doyle, so I am not taking any chances this time.
I’ve offended her, but this isn’t about her. It’s about something more important than she and I—it’s about Shay.
“No bother. All right, A’ll chat to ye soon then.” She gathers all her things and makes her way to the door.
Before she leaves, I leave her with something which I hope will ensure she does the right thing. “Thank you, Aoife, for doin’ the right thing, the right thing for Shay.”
Her shoulders shudder as she walks out the door.
With a sigh, I pour another glass of whiskey because so many things can go wrong. I’m relying on Aoife to think of Shay and to trust me. But if she tells Sean, we are so fucked. I also need to get eyes on Liam. I need to know if he’s going to pay Aoife another visit. I need to know why he was there in the first place.
Reaching for my phone, I text Ron, asking him to keep dick at Aoife’s place. I then send another text. It’s to Austin Bailey.
I want to meet your boss. Some things have changed, but the end game is still the same.
He replies a moment later.
He wants to meet you too. I’ll organize it.
I don’t ask when because I know how this works. I wait for the details.
When my phone chimes, and I see the message is from Sean, I can’t help the paranoia which creeps in.
Tea at my house. 7pm. See you then.
I don’t reply as this invitation isn’t optional. I have no idea what he has planned, but I know it can’t be good.
When I pull into Sean’s drive, I prepare myself for anything. No one has called me to alert me that something is wrong, so I hope that means this is just another one of Sean’s mind games.
I knock on the door, and when Sean opens it, a big smile slapped on his face, I remind myself his days are numbered.
“Son, so happy ye could make it.”
I grunt in response and push past him.
I head for the kitchen as I need a drink to deal with this shitshow, but almost fall over my feet when I see who sits at the dining table.
“One big happy family,” Sean says from behind me when I lock eyes with Ethan and Hannah.
“What are they doin’ here?” I can’t contain my anger.
“I thought it would be nice to have a family dinner together. We’ve not done that before.”
Bull-fucking-shit.
Sean is onto us, and Ethan knows it too as he subtly nods. Hannah looks to be seconds away from stabbing Sean in the throat with her silver fork. But we’re all waiting to see what he’s playing at.
“Sit. I will get ye a drink. Whiskey?”
“Bring the bottle,” I firmly demand as I don’t trust him pouring me a drink.
When he’s gone, I lean in close and whisper, “Why didn’t ye call me?”
“’Cause a car came to pick us up,” Hannah quickly replies. “Cami is fine. But we had to go because we didn’t want the driver to come inside. We’ve not been alone since.”
“Fuck,” I curse under my breath. “Is she there alone?”
“Eva is with her,” Ethan replies, his concern clear because they are sitting ducks.
“This is not good.”
“What does it mean?”
“It means Sean isn’t takin’ any chances. Lesson number two: the bad guys are paranoid fucks.”
Ethan’s cheeks billow as he exhales while Hannah reaches for her glass of water.
Déjà vu hits me because the last time Babydoll was left alone, she was kidnapped. What if Sean has sent his men to Aoife’s in search of her? I don’t have time to send for help because Sean appears, bottle in hand.