Total pages in book: 74
Estimated words: 70174 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 351(@200wpm)___ 281(@250wpm)___ 234(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 70174 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 351(@200wpm)___ 281(@250wpm)___ 234(@300wpm)
“Fiona.”
I turned sharply, my stomach twisting. Beyond the low stone wall of the garden stood my father.
A dark silhouette with a rigid posture. He stepped closer and I saw that his expression was completely unreadable. A different kind of cold washed over me, one that had nothing to do with the rain, because I didn’t know what to expect. I didn’t know this man anymore.
I glanced back toward the house, the door open to let in a cooling breeze. People milled about, but I couldn’t see Tommy or Kathleen.
I guess it didn’t matter. I had nothing to fear from this man, so I turned back to him and lifted my chin. “What do ye want?”
His voice was smooth, practiced. “I want ye to come home.”
A sharp, humorless laugh burst from my throat because there was no love or regret in his tone. He wasn’t beckoning me to rejoin the family because he’d made a mistake or because he missed me. I could tell… this was still business. “After everything?” I asked softly. “After abandoning me? After refusing to come to Rory’s funeral?” My voice cracked, but I did not falter. “Ye have some nerve.”
His eyes darkened at my blatant disrespect, but his voice remained calm. “It’s time to stop this nonsense. Ye need a proper home, a proper future. Rory’s gone. Ye don’t have an adequate guardian anymore.”
“Kathleen will be my guardian,” I countered.
“She’s not blood and I’ll oppose it.”
“I don’t care.”
“Ye can’t support yerself,” he said evenly. “I’m offering ye a good option.”
I snorted with genuine amusement. “I won’t tell ye again, marrying Brian is no option at all. And besides…” I screwed up my courage and I let him have it. “Tommy proposed and I accepted. I’ll be marrying him and not Brian, and that’s that.”
A muscle ticked in his jaw. “Like hell ye are. Ye don’t have my permission, nor will I give it. Get that notion out of yer head.”
“I don’t need yer permission.” Although I actually did, but at this point, I wasn’t going to agree with him on anything.
His nostrils flared, his voice ice cold. “Then ye leave me no choice.” His next words stole the air from my lungs. “If ye won’t marry Brian, then Siobhan will.”
The world tilted beneath my feet. I could feel the blood drain from my face and my ears started ringing. “What?”
Seamus stepped closer, lips curled in a vicious smile. “Ye don’t care about my authority or Glenhaven. But do ye care about yer sister? Do ye care enough to save her?”
The bastard. I am not prone to violence but Jesus have mercy on my soul, I wanted to punch him square in the nose.
“Ye wouldn’t,” I whispered.
His head tilted slightly. “Wouldn’t I?” He exhaled, feigning disappointment. “Siobhan is of age for an arrangement. Sixteen is the legal age for parental permission in Northern Ireland and I’ll gladly give it for the right match. It would only take a quick phone call to Michael Kavanagh.”
Bile rose in my throat. I couldn’t even believe he would think of doing that, but then again, he was ready to auction me. I honestly didn’t know if I could bear it if Siobhan inherited my mess because I refused.
Tears burned at the edges of my vision, but I refused to let them fall. I kept my mouth shut because my mind was spinning far too fast for me to speak with any competency.
My father exhaled through his nose, brushing imaginary dust from his sleeve. “Ye think about that.”
Then he turned, disappearing into the mist like a ghost I wished I’d only imagined. I stood there, frozen, my breath shallow for I don’t know how long. I rubbed at my arms, staring at Conlan Manor with its glowing lights just visible through the fog. It would only take for me to walk across the field and into that home, agreeing to do everything my father asked and Siobhan would be free to live her life as she wanted.
Warm hands settled on my shoulders and my entire body relaxed under Tommy’s touch.
“Fi?” His voice was soft, concerned. “Are you okay?”
I shook my head. “My da was just here.”
Tommy came around so he could look me in the face. “What the hell did he say to you?”
“He told me to come home.”
Tommy’s head whipped toward my house. “Like hell you are.”
I was silent and he looked back to me. “You’re not thinking of going back, are you?”
I gaped at him in desperation. “I don’t want to. But… he said he’d make Siobhan marry Brian if I didn’t.”
A torrent of curses came out of Tommy’s mouth. I wanted to comfort him and assure him that I’d never do as my father demanded, but I just didn’t know.
I had no clue what to do.
CHAPTER 25
Tommy
I pressed the phone tighter against my ear, my free hand gripping the back of the chair as I listened to my dad’s steady voice. The kitchen in Rory’s cottage was quiet except for the occasional clink of silverware against plates as Fiona and Kathleen finished dinner at the table, but I knew they were both listening.