finger and told me I was family and it was a fucking lie.
“I’m going to lose my temper,” I announced. The giant might be bigger than me, but I knew I could scream louder.
“I don’t give a fuck.” The giant crossed his beefy arms over his chest and smirked.
I cursed the fact I hadn’t let Jason alert Paddy or Murphy I was coming to Dublin. In my irrational fear of everything, I’d thought maybe they wouldn’t have let me come, but they could hardly object once I was already there.
I’d come armed with the name and address of the pack’s pub. That was all I’d let Jason give me.
Damn the man, why hadn’t he gone behind my back and called anyway? Of all the times to let me have my way, why now? Bastard.
“Look, I have the damn ring. It’s in my luggage. I am Mac Tire, I swear.” It galled to say that because I did not feel remotely as if I belonged to the pack, but I needed to get into the pub. I was tired, hungry, miserable and about to collapse.
“Doubtful.” The giant made no move to move aside and let me in.
“Do you want me to tear apart my suitcase? Jesus, I don’t believe this. I think you get off on hassling people.” I began to unzip my suitcase.
He guffawed, but did not uncross his arms. “What’s your name, woman? But I have to tell you, we don’t have Americans in Mac Tire.”
“Ha,” I crowed. “That’s just a goddamn lie. Because you do have one. Me. My name is Constance Newcastle.”
I don’t know what I expected. Maybe not that he’d break down into abject apologies, sweep open the door and personally escort me in, but at least some glimmer of recognition.
“Doesn’t ring a bell. Why don’t you fuck off? Right now I’m bored, but I’m edging toward irritated and there’s a thing you don’t want to see, I promise you.”
“How about Liam Murphy? You know him?” I spat out his name and hated myself for sinking so goddamn low.
One bushy red eyebrow elevated. Paddy could do that trick too. Was everyone in Mac Tire a direct descendent of Mister Spock or something?
“Him I know.” That figured. Murphy was an ex-Alpha after all.
“Then do you know he’s bonded with an American?” I prompted, my lip still curled.
“I know he showed up here four months ago without her and never talks about it. Rumor has it you two are on the rocks only he won’t face up to it.” The giant gave a huge shrug and his green eyes gleamed with protective ire. “Tell you what. You give me the real story of it and I’ll think about asking if you can go in. Fair’s fair. Liam Murphy’s a favorite in this pack and you’re some flighty American twat nobody knows or gives a damn about.”
Won’t face up to it? What the fuck? He walked out on me . I don’t know what showed on my face, but the red-haired giant’s expression altered and for the first time he looked unsure.
“Look, let me call Paddy and…” he began, but I couldn’t stand the sudden pity in his eyes. I guess he’d figured out I wasn’t the one who walked out. Fuck.
“Oh, screw this.” I wheeled around and stomped off. I ruined my exit though because I forgot my goddamn suitcase and had to scurry back to retrieve it and the backpack full of shoes.
The giant attempted to help me, and I slapped his meaty hands away, my cheeks on fire with mortification.
“Did you come to try to work it out with him then?” He didn’t seem to feel the stinging slaps on his hands, and pulled the strap of the backpack over my shoulder even as I fought against his help.
Where was my goddamn anger now? Mortification rapidly turned into blinding tears. My eyes burned.
“None of your fucking business.” I stomped away.
“Hang on,” he called after me. “Just let me call Paddy and maybe I can…”
“Fuck you,” I screamed over my shoulder and turned my head away before he could see the tears on my cheeks. But I think he saw them anyway. Goddamn streetlights.
* * * *
Two blocks later when I was about to shove my
“I’m going to lose my temper,” I announced. The giant might be bigger than me, but I knew I could scream louder.
“I don’t give a fuck.” The giant crossed his beefy arms over his chest and smirked.
I cursed the fact I hadn’t let Jason alert Paddy or Murphy I was coming to Dublin. In my irrational fear of everything, I’d thought maybe they wouldn’t have let me come, but they could hardly object once I was already there.
I’d come armed with the name and address of the pack’s pub. That was all I’d let Jason give me.
Damn the man, why hadn’t he gone behind my back and called anyway? Of all the times to let me have my way, why now? Bastard.
“Look, I have the damn ring. It’s in my luggage. I am Mac Tire, I swear.” It galled to say that because I did not feel remotely as if I belonged to the pack, but I needed to get into the pub. I was tired, hungry, miserable and about to collapse.
“Doubtful.” The giant made no move to move aside and let me in.
“Do you want me to tear apart my suitcase? Jesus, I don’t believe this. I think you get off on hassling people.” I began to unzip my suitcase.
He guffawed, but did not uncross his arms. “What’s your name, woman? But I have to tell you, we don’t have Americans in Mac Tire.”
“Ha,” I crowed. “That’s just a goddamn lie. Because you do have one. Me. My name is Constance Newcastle.”
I don’t know what I expected. Maybe not that he’d break down into abject apologies, sweep open the door and personally escort me in, but at least some glimmer of recognition.
“Doesn’t ring a bell. Why don’t you fuck off? Right now I’m bored, but I’m edging toward irritated and there’s a thing you don’t want to see, I promise you.”
“How about Liam Murphy? You know him?” I spat out his name and hated myself for sinking so goddamn low.
One bushy red eyebrow elevated. Paddy could do that trick too. Was everyone in Mac Tire a direct descendent of Mister Spock or something?
“Him I know.” That figured. Murphy was an ex-Alpha after all.
“Then do you know he’s bonded with an American?” I prompted, my lip still curled.
“I know he showed up here four months ago without her and never talks about it. Rumor has it you two are on the rocks only he won’t face up to it.” The giant gave a huge shrug and his green eyes gleamed with protective ire. “Tell you what. You give me the real story of it and I’ll think about asking if you can go in. Fair’s fair. Liam Murphy’s a favorite in this pack and you’re some flighty American twat nobody knows or gives a damn about.”
Won’t face up to it? What the fuck? He walked out on me . I don’t know what showed on my face, but the red-haired giant’s expression altered and for the first time he looked unsure.
“Look, let me call Paddy and…” he began, but I couldn’t stand the sudden pity in his eyes. I guess he’d figured out I wasn’t the one who walked out. Fuck.
“Oh, screw this.” I wheeled around and stomped off. I ruined my exit though because I forgot my goddamn suitcase and had to scurry back to retrieve it and the backpack full of shoes.
The giant attempted to help me, and I slapped his meaty hands away, my cheeks on fire with mortification.
“Did you come to try to work it out with him then?” He didn’t seem to feel the stinging slaps on his hands, and pulled the strap of the backpack over my shoulder even as I fought against his help.
Where was my goddamn anger now? Mortification rapidly turned into blinding tears. My eyes burned.
“None of your fucking business.” I stomped away.
“Hang on,” he called after me. “Just let me call Paddy and maybe I can…”
“Fuck you,” I screamed over my shoulder and turned my head away before he could see the tears on my cheeks. But I think he saw them anyway. Goddamn streetlights.
* * * *
Two blocks later when I was about to shove my
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