Chapter Thirteen
Dallas thought about intervening, but Laura was handling Quinn. She wasn’t backing down or offering an apology for her identity. She didn’t dodge the truth. He hoped he managed the same dignity when they confronted her parents.
“Are you all right?” Quinn barked, skewering him with a laser beam from stormy blue eyes.
“They say they’re letting me out tomorrow.”
“Will you need help at the pub? At home?”
“I’ll help him at the pub,” Patrick said. “Gloria has most things covered already.”
“And I can help him at home,” Laura said, her entire body stiffening as if she expected an explosion.
“Home? You’re fuckin’ living with her?” Quinn did the expected and exploded. “Do Dad and Ma know?”
Dallas met his brother’s fury without a wince. “I haven’t mentioned anything to them in my emails and phone calls.”
“And her parents don’t know because I would’ve heard the fallout,” Quinn said in disgust. “I’m leaving. Call me if you need anything, but I’m not coming near you until she’s out of your life.”
“That’s not gonna happen,” Dallas said without hesitation.
“Don’t be stupid, Quinn,” Patrick said. “It’s an old feud. Laura isn’t any more responsible for something her ancestors did or didn’t do than we are. Dallas and Laura are good together.”
“You’ve got your heads up your arses,” Quinn snapped. “Dallas was mugged and left bleeding in the street. Who the hell do you think was responsible for that?”
“What are you saying?” Laura’s hand tightened around his, and Dallas wanted to hold her to reassure her.
“I’m saying your parents have octopus arms and a hell of a long reach. They know about Dallas and, they’ve taken steps to remove him from your life.”
“No. No, I can’t believe they’d do that.” Horror tugged Laura’s features, and Dallas figured she felt the same disbelief that roared around him—the denial that they’d go so far to rid their daughter of his presence.
“They wouldn’t do that to their own daughter,” Dallas said, yet doubt crept into the fringes of his mind. They’d cut her off because she’d dared to want independence. They’d tried to force her to move back to the Clare family home.
“Wouldn’t they?” Quinn’s lips curled into mockery. “I think you’d be surprised to learn precisely how far the Drummonds would go to wipe the O’Gradys from this earth. Think long and hard. In fact, if you don’t tell Dad and Ma, I will. You can tell your parents too, missy. See how long yourfriendshiplasts after you drop this bomb.” With one final hard glare to punctuate his order, Quinn stalked from the hospital room.
“Fuck,” Patrick said, breaking the long silence. “I think he means it. What are you going to do?”
“Why does your brother hate us so much?” Laura asked.
Dallas shared a glance with Patrick, hesitating.
“Tell her,” Patrick said. “She deserves to know.”
“When we were at high school, Quinn was in the first fifteen rugby team. He was popular. Your two sisters went to one of the games and the celebration party after the game, when they came home from their fancy school. I’m not sure of the full details because we were both younger, but they accused Quinn of putting a date rape drug into their drinks.”
“I vaguely remember a fuss,” Laura said. “Lots of discussions behind closed doors.” She frowned at him and Patrick. “I know you both, and from what I’ve seen of Quinn today, I can’t imagine he did what they said. From memory, all the girls loved him. He wouldn’t have needed to drug one of them to…” She waved her free hand. “You know what I’m saying.”
“He had a steady girlfriend at the time,” Dallas said. “From what I understand, your oldest sister cried rape and the cops were called in, but despite all the accusations flying around the town, no charges were laid. Quinn has hated your family ever since. Laura, this is the reason I insisted on a signed agreement.”
“I understood, even without knowing this.” Laura let out a heavy sigh that seemed to vibrate through the air. “Maybe it’s time to come clean and end this stupid feud, at least between some of us. If one or both of my parents are at this dinner tonight, I’ll tell them. I’m tired of sneaking around. If you and I want to go out to dinner or to an event together, we should be able to go without worrying about our families’ reactions.”
Patrick let out a low whistle. “You possess a mountain of courage.”
“They’ll disown me,” Laura said in clear regret. “From what you’ve said, my sisters will follow. I don’t know about Aaron.”
“You’re walking away from your inheritance,” Patrick reminded her.
“Don’t try and talk her out of it,” Dallas snapped.
