SWNOVELS Brutal Savage: Chapter 6
The past week, I’ve been watching her more than usual, unable to stop myself.
I know when she gets home from work.
When she eats dinner.
The exact time she goes for her runs.
I’m always there, watching like a fucking psycho.
I’ve become obsessed with knowing everything about her, and I won’t rest until I uncover what she’s hiding.
Brody has warmed up to her even more these past several days. She’s the only one he allows to be near him. He doesn’t like to be around anyone anymore. It’s like he doesn’t want to feel shit after his parents. Like it hurts too much, and he just doesn’t know how to say it—that he’s in pain.
I swear I’d do anything to take it away. But I can’t.
Maybe she can.
Maybe Elara is the key.
I should hire her to watch him after school or do his homework with him. Anything to get her to give him more attention. To allow him to open up to her. The therapist he sees hasn’t been able to get him to do that. I’m losing hope.
She still has no idea that I’m his caregiver. Whenever I get him from school, she’s too busy with all the kids; she barely pays attention to me.
Although I make sure to have my sunglasses on, so it’d be harder for her to realize we’ve met before.
That I’ve had my hands on her.
That I’ve thought about doing much more than that.
But I think it’s time Ms. Hill and I had a proper introduction.
Arriving at my father’s home, I enter past the guards at the door, already hearing voices. He asked me to come by today, and I don’t know why.
Fuck me. If he starts on the whole “get married” shit, I’m gonna walk right out.
When I step into the den, I find him and his wife, Fernanda, along with both of my brothers and my younger sister, Eriu, with her new husband, Devlin.
Devlin is an enforcer for my father, and he was once Eriu’s bodyguard. But he had a thing for my sister before he ever admitted it to himself. We all knew it, though. Glad he realized it sooner than later. Devlin is good for her. He believes in the sanctity of marriage and all that horseshit.
Not me, though.
It’s all bull.
“Hello, son.” Dad nods in greeting, and everyone else follows suit.
“Why am I here?”
My father chuckles. “Can’t a father want to see his son?”
“You saw me two days ago.”
Cillian laughs, whispering, “He’s gonna harass you again.”
Fitting him with a glare, I clench my jaw.
“What?” He throws his palms in the air. “It’s not my fault.”
“You go get married and get some girl knocked up so he can leave me the hell alone.”
“I heard that,” my father says in his thick Irish brogue. “Now, you listen, son. You’re thirty-eight, you’re not getting any younger, and the women are sure as bloody hell not waiting around for you to smarten up. So you better get yourself a good one or I’ll do it for you.”
“Not happening. You’re not setting me up.” The words are etched with my obvious disdain.
“Well, then you don’t have much time to find yourself a suitable bride who’ll put up with ya.”
“I’d rather suck on a cactus than get married.”
Everyone laughs, while I’m seething.
This can’t be happening.
I groan internally at the thought of having someone in my space, taking over my time, wanting things from me I have no desire to give.
Falling in love, being vulnerable like that, makes you a target in my world. Makes you and those you love prey. I would think my father of all people could understand that after what happened to Mom.
“I told you,” he goes on. “Two months is all you have. Less now, actually.”
“Oh, Pat!” Fernanda shakes her head. “I’m sorry your father is such a pain in the ass.” She hits him with a disapproving look.
I hate to admit it, but she’s good for him. Fernanda and my father were high school sweethearts, and because she was Italian and he was Irish, their families didn’t allow them to get married. So he married my mother. And though he loved her, he loved Fernanda too. I don’t envy them.
Being alone is better.
Less hassle.
Less pain.
Less everything I don’t want.
All I care about is Brody. He’s my one and only priority. Assuming I find some random woman willing to marry me for money, how do I even know she’d be a good mother figure to him?
And if she’s not? I divorce her and throw her out and start at the beginning? And if we have kids, then what? I’m stuck with her for the rest of my life, divorced or not.
I can’t even think about that. Sounds like a fucking nightmare.
“Fine,” I tell my father just to appease him. “I’ll find someone.”
“Glad you’ve come to your senses.” He grabs Fernanda’s hand, kissing the top of it.
I mutter a curse to myself, heading for the bar at the corner, then remembering I can’t fucking drink because I’ve gotta get Brody from school in a bit. But at least I can hide here.
“That’s rough.” Devlin slaps a palm to my back.
Clearly, I can’t escape everyone.
“Don’t look so smug.”
He huffs with a short breath of laughter. “I think it’s funny you thought you had a bloody choice in the matter.”
His Irish accent is as thick as my father’s. He was in his twenties when he came to the States, so I’m not at all surprised he hasn’t lost it.
“You just want your million.” I fold my arms over my chest.
“Doesn’t hurt, does it?” He grins.
“The bet was I pay you a million if I fall in love, not get married.”
“I remember. And I have a feeling you’re gonna lose. Hard.”
“Is that right?” I let out a bitter chuckle.
“Bloody right. I saw the way you were following that teacher the other day when she was running. I was in town doing work for your da when I saw you lurking in your SUV like a stalker. She get a restraining order against you yet?”
Everyone is really starting to piss me off.
“I’m just looking out for Brody.”
“Is that what you were doing?” He snickers. “Didn’t know that’s what we call it these days.”
“I’m not marrying her. Plus, she’s too young. She’s only twenty-three.”
“I didn’t say you should.” He shrugs. “Didn’t say you shouldn’t either.”
He tries not to laugh. I swear he’s having fun with this.
“What happened? You married my kid sister, and you’re now an expert on marriage?”
“No. But I think you like her.” He grins.
“She’s the boy’s teacher, and I’m pretty sure she doesn’t like me.”
“Maybe you can get her to like you. Throw on the charm.” He laughs at my glare. “On the other hand…I can see where you’d have a problem.”
I let out a grumble.
“If not her, then who?”
It’s a fair question. “I’ll figure it out. Need someone decent and desperate. I’ll offer to pay her. That should be enticing enough.”
He shakes his head. “Don’t you want to find something real? Not a woman who just wants you for your money?”
“I don’t want anything real.”
He scoffs. “And they say I’m the stubborn arse.”
“I’m not you. I don’t want what you and my sister have.” I grip his shoulder and look him right in the eyes. “But I’m happy you have each other. I mean that.”
“Thanks, brother. One day, maybe you’ll realize having someone love you, no matter what you’ve done, is beautiful, you know.”
“Shut up, will ya? You’re starting to sound like a damn Hallmark card. It’s creeping the fuck out of me.”
He pours himself a glass of whiskey. “Maybe it’s your sister’s writing rubbing off on me.”
“Not sure if that’s a good thing…”
My sister’s hoping to become an author one day, writing romance books and stuff like that. Our father didn’t originally approve of her career path, but he does now. Glad my sister can do what she loves.
Devlin’s eyes go to her, and she somehow notices it while talking to Fernanda and mouths I love you. They’re damn cute together. Nauseatingly so.
Too bad for me, I’m not looking for cute.
I’m not looking for anything except a transaction.
And I’d like to keep it that way.