“You always know what to say,” I admit after a few moments where neither of us talk.
I hear him huff a small laugh. I can see him relaxing back in his chair, but if I was in front of him, I’d also see the worry in his eyes.
“Joe, I’m okay. It’s just frustrating. I’m not where I wanted to be in terms of progress, and the people I’ve met along the way are surprisingly real. I mean, it’s like that with any job. Sometimes, though, knowing I’m here for only the duration of the assignment makes it harder.”
I see Daisy’s innocent face flashing in my thoughts. Then it’s Maeve’s raw emotional thanks I hear as clear as if she was standing in front of me. They are real, and my duplicity whenit’s finally revealed or figured out is going to leave a foul taste in their mouths.
But I also know, without delving too deeply, that what those people feel is nothing compared to how played and deceived Pack O’Connor are going to feel.
I take another quick breath before trying to explain myself more, but Joe beats me. “One day, Tally, you’re going to meet someone or someones that will give reason to everything you are doing and have done. To you. Not to your mother. Not to the memory of your cousin. Not to solving another case. But to you. Now, I need to love you and leave you, I have a meeting. Call me when you can, and stop doubting yourself.”
He hangs up, though his wisdom stays with me long after I arrive and work my butt off. Walsh and Johnny are noticeably absent, which means I barely have the time to do anything but pull pint after pint.
I don’t get a break, or even find time to run to the loo, until after the dinner rush, and even then, one of the kitchen hands has to come in and watch the bar while I have five minutes to myself.
Since the bathroom is as much of a disaster as my shift has been, I end up cleaning it. Not like a professional cleaner would, but I wipe down the hand basins and sweep out the stalls before restocking the toilet paper and whatever else needs doing.
Walking back into the bar area, I nearly miss a step, for no other reason than the mix of emotions from seeing Tynan waiting in the corner of the room. But before I can even make a move in his direction, his eyes move to the door, a message in itself. My view of him is obscured by Johnny and Walsh walking in with a group of men I haven’t properly met yet. Including Des Kelly, and the little shite from earlier.
There might be a hundred reasons they’re all together, but the only reason I panic is because I haven’t got my wedding ring on. Or with me.
Walsh flicks his head, calling me over. “Tally, you remember Mr. Kelly, don’t ya? And you also already met Black, Patrick, Sean, and James. All very important people, so you remember your respect. Yeah?”
Pulling my tea towel out from where I tucked it into the back of my skirt, I hide my hand in it as I walk over. Meeting these men again is one thing, but the bigger worry I have is Tynan’s burning gaze on my hand. He saw the ring was missing, I just know he did. I don’t get much time to recover.
“You right?” Des asks, nodding his head, being overly friendly. “I hear you met my lad earlier.”
My recollection of Des Kelly from our first meeting is spot on—he thinks he’s the man. Like what happened when that time, all the hairs on the back of my neck rise in warning. I paste on a smile as I approach, though when I look at his son, I intentionally let it be known I’m still salty.
Leaning against the fridges, I keep lots of distance between us. I have to, or I’ll choke on the Alpha aggression that’s pouring off them in waves.
His kid’s face is banged up, a testament to the fight he lost with Tynan, but in his eyes, he’s got a malicious glint. Exactly like Des does. Des, though, is more experienced in life and plays the game of pretending not to be out for revenge. He blinks back his bubbling anger and pretends to be a lot friendlier than he is.
I keep my eyes safely averted from all of them as I speak. “It’d be interesting to hear his explanation before I tell you exactly what did happen.”
“Ack, don’t be like that, Tally. Dessy’s a good kid. He won’t lie.”
I hum a response, losing a battle of wills I’m having with myself about staying submissive. I glance at Des, and his eyes flash as his Alpha side comes out to play.
“Tell me what happened,” he demands.
Dropping my eyes from Des’s is an easy task, and it isn’t based on the sway of his designation. More that I just don’t like what I see in his eyes. But it’s also because I know he’s potentially involved in… well, what, I’m not sure, but he’s showing up too often for him not to be a player. Especially in light of the company he keeps. Everyone in this group attended the event I worked too.
My eyes jump past Des’s shoulder to Tynan, but he’s gone. I look at Walsh and Johnny, and they both nod. After a small, steadying breath, I focus on Des. “I got jumped by him and his friends after a run. I took offense when he called me a slut, and he took offense when I refused to go suck his langer.” I keep my version of events easy to understand because, already, it’s easy to see Dessy’s version has been accepted by his father. “And then someone else stepped in, making it clear as day I wasn’t going with your son and his friends.”
“And you didn’t stop them?” Des leans forward on the bar. The move is intentionally predatory.
Interestingly, all the other Alphas also get more obvious in their intimidation. They expect an answer, but it’s also a blatant reminder that I’m not the one in control. A reminder of my place, if you will, and it’s not as their equal, that’s for the sure.
Dickheads.
I stare him down this time before taking a step forward. “Here’s the thing. Nine times out of ten, your business is yours. Honestly, I just want to do my job. But that one time I do get involved is because it’s wrong if I don’t. Like me grabbing the money back at the event—I was doing what was right. Me not stepping in when your son and his friend got their arseshanded to them was also right because rape, and sexual assault, are fucking filthy acts. Excuse my French and all.” I smart back through a viscous smile, my hands shaking with emotion.
There are those moments in life when you need to draw the line, and taking a person's choice from them, and hurting kids, rates pretty high on my list. Even when I’m trying to infiltrate whatever shitty world these twats have made for themselves. Interestingly, in my mind, I’m not including the O’Connors, who are by far the bigger threat, in that sweeping statement because there are good and bad examples in any situation. And this lot is a shitty example of what a man, and an Alpha, is. What pisses me off is, they have no morals, no loyalty, because while they’re acting all superior and important in this pub, last I heard, Paddy O’Connor was still king.
Des’s friends stay quiet, but they make their thoughts known in the way they look at me. Condescending judgment clouds around them. One of them shakes his head at my flare of solidarity.
I wonder if I took it too far and have to take a moment to steady myself, letting the anger I feel wash away until I can stand in front of them, talking and acting more like an Omega.
