“Mybrother is in the hospital becauseyourbrother shot him. Not only that, Anthony has also killed one of my men, and another is down two fingers because of his tantrum.”
Her brows furrow, and she shakes her head.
“Is he going to be alright? Does he know I’m here?”
“Knowing about Cillian is a privilege. Privileges are earned in this house.”
The fire comes back to her features as she glares at me. Perhaps she’s not as weak as I thought. That aspect of her intrigues me. It will do her well to not be weak. The earlier she learns her place in the hierarchy of this household, however, the better off she’ll be.
“You might have ran from your brother, but there is no running from the O’Briens. Behave, and you will be rewarded. Continue kicking the fucking door, and I’ll keep you locked in this room for days on end until you learn to act respectfully.”
She swallows and narrows her eyes at me.
“Let me talk to Declan,” she demands, and I bark out a laugh.
“You could have had a cushy life, you know? The three of them are already wrapped around your sneaky little finger. I will be the only one you deal with until I know you can act right. Then maybe you can earn the life you were supposed to have if you hadn’t run away like a toddler throwing a tantrum.”
I don’t admit that locking her in this room feels wrong, like my mind and body revolting over the idea of causing discomfort to my Omega.God, that’s disgusting.
I’m not sure what I expect her to say, but the next words aren’t it.
“Go fuck yourself,” she snarls, crossing her arms over her chest and pouting.
“Have it your way then,” I sigh, heading towards the door. I’m not facing her as I speak, my hand on the knob, ready to leave. “Just know that I could have easily returned you back to your demented brother, but I didn’t.”
She laughs sardonically behind me, and I turn to look over my shoulder. She doesn’t speak, just laughs like she knows she wouldn’t have been returned, regardless. I leave the room wondering if I’ve underestimated the little terror I’m keeping hostage in my home.
“Let me go talk to her,” Lorcán all but yells at me when I get to the dining room.
I just roll my eyes and take a seat as Maeve sets out dinner.
“Make her a plate. Bring Tadgh with you. Do not speak to her. Drop off the food and leave,” I direct Maeve, handing her the key, which she takes with a nod of her head.
“I’m not fucking around. She’s probably terrified,” Lorcán rants, and I roll my eyes again.
If she was truly terrified, she wouldn’t have told me to fuck myself. She also didn’t ask me hardly any questions, but that could have more to do with her shock than anything else. She’s probably wrapping her mind around everything: her precious little bodyguardLoganbetraying her, as well as Declan.
Declan came home smug and drenched in her scent the other night. He’s pretending that he’s unphased, but I can spot the tension in his jaw. He’s just smarter about vocalizing it compared to my petulant half-brother.
“Until our little captive learns some manners, I’ll be the only one who deals with her.”
“That’s bullshit,” Lorcán spits.
I calmly place my knife and fork down on the table and wipe my mouth with a napkin.
“You might be my blood, Lorcán, but do not forget your place in this family. You were the one responsible for her well-being while she was still under the Amante roof and failed. Not only that, but now my brother has completely fucked everything up,andhe’s in the hospital because of it. Since everyone in this goddamn pack seems incapable of rational thought when it comes to the Omega upstairs, I will be the one to decide her care. If you can’t handle that, then perhaps I’ll find a room to lock you in so you, too, can learn to behave.”
Lorcán looks at me like he wants to pull out his gun and shoot me between the eyes, but he doesn’t. He wouldn’t dare. There’s a pecking order not only in the family but within this pack. I’m the oldest, I’m the heir, and that needs to be respected.
Even if I’m the one who should be trusted the least when it comes to the Omega currently locked upstairs.
“I swear to God if you hurt a hair on her head?—”
I swipe my hand in the air, cutting off that train of thought immediately.
“I don’t hit women. But she needs to learn her place. If she had come here when she was supposed to, things would be different. We’ve already lost one man, another is disfigured. I won’t allow any more fucking mistakes. Elena has been made aware of her situation. As long as she behaves, then there won’t be any issues, and I’ll let her see you. But I will not let her damage this family anymore than she already has.”
Maeve walks back into the dining room with Tadgh and gives me a firm nod. She’s a much better cook than she is a cleaner. The old woman has an attitude more often than not.
