“Hope you’re hungry for goulash,” Malachy says at the door.
“Oh, aye,” I say with a smile. “Smells delicious.”
Malachy grimaces. “You could’ve warned her, son.”
Tiernan smirks and whispers, “Don’t get your hopes up too high.”
We take a seat at a table with a few teachers, and some of Tiernan’s brothers join us as well. I note Lachlan and Tully at one table. Lachlan’s come for protection? I used to think he was an arrogant jerk for his overprotective ways with Fiona. Now, I’m happy he’s here to help us.
Tully’s talking animatedly to a young teacher. She’s hanging on his every word, and I realize it isn’t just the children here who worship the McCarthys.
I can see why, though. Every one of them is strong and powerful. Even the youngest among them’s built, muscled and strong, with McCarthy clan ink. They carry themselves with conviction, every one of them leaders, and even though we know who they are and what they do, they have a charisma about them that draws us to them. Fearless leaders, like the Vikings and Celts of old.
At least, that’s my theory.
The goulash isn’t the worst I’ve ever had, and the slices of garlic bread are thick and hearty. The salad’s plain but fresh, and I tuck in with gusto.
“Love a girl that can eat,” Tiernan says, helping himself to a third bowl of goulash.
I give him a wink.
Night’s begun to settle as we take our leave, dusk falling over us in mesmerizing shades of blue. Tiernan takes my hand.
“Wasn’t half bad,” I say to him. “It’s no gourmet meal, but it’ll do.”
He chuckles. “Aye, lass. It’ll do.” His voice lowers. “I like that about you.”
“Like what?”
“I could never be with a woman that needed… high maintenance.” He grimaces. “It’s not who I am. Not how I was raised, or my experience, and I… well, I like things simple.”
“I’ve noticed this. I’ve seen that monk-like room of yours, Tiernan.”
He smiles, but his smile fades when he checks his phone right outside the door to our room. “No word from Keenan. That’s odd.”
“Did you tell him we arrived?”
“Aye. Hours ago.”
I frown back at him, my own fears rising. I peer at his phone. “You don’t have cell service here, looks like.”
He squints at the phone. “How do you know that?”
I roll my eyes. I know he’s not much of a tech guy. “No bars,” I say, pointing to the top of his screen. “That will usually indicate whether or not you have service.”
“How can I have no cell service here. Makes no fucking sense.”
I shrug. “Certain places just don’t have it is all.”
I freeze, and his eyes immediately narrow.
“What is it?” he asks.
I feel my jaw tighten. “We aren’t alone, Tiernan.”
He looks to where I point to a boy crouching in the bushes, his red hair evident even in the dimmed light. Tiernan’s body goes tight, and a warning bell clangs in my mind.
“Easy, Tiernan,” I whisper. “He’s only a boy.” He hasn’t even spoken to him yet, and I already fear for the boy’s safety.
I jump at the deep bellow of Tiernan’s voice. Bloody hell. “Get out here and show yourself.”
Deacon, the boy from earlier, comes out from behind the hedges, trembling.
“Please, sir,” he says. “I didn’t do anything.”
Tiernan stalks over to him and grabs him by the back of the shirt, hauling him straight off the ground. I gasp. Oh, God.
“What the bloody hell are you doing spying on us?” His eyes are narrowed on the boy, who trembles in Tiernan’s uncompromising grasp. I hold my breath, unable to talk. My heart thunders in my chest, but at the same time, I want to know as well. What is he doing?
“Wasn’t doing anything, sir,” the boy says, his face turning purple.
“Put him down, Tiernan!”
Tiernan predictably ignores me and gives the boy a rough shake. “That’s a fucking lie, and I ought to whip your arse for that.”
The boy gives a little squeak. “I swear, sir, I didn’t do nothing. Nothing at all. Just dropped something behind the bush is all. Bent to get it, heard you coming, didn’t want to get in the way.”
“Did you hear anything we were discussing?”
The boy shakes his head vehemently, but even I don’t believe him. He’s lying.
“What’d you drop?” I ask, suddenly not feeling so sympathetic toward him.
He gulps and doesn’t answer.
“He’s lying,” I say to Tiernan, half wishing I could give Tiernan the go ahead for making good on his promise to punish the lad.
“Tiernan. Everything alright?” I look behind me to see Malachy strolling over toward us.
Tiernan turns but doesn’t release the boy.
“Caught him spying on us, right here behind the bush.”
Malachy gives the boy a stern frown. “Is that right, Deacon? The very day you already got in trouble with the headmaster?”
For some reason, the boy’s eyes shift away from us and back toward his hiding place.
I frown. What’s that about?
“Said he dropped something behind the bush but when asked, he wouldn’t tell us what,” Tiernan explains.
“Ah,” Malachy says, nodding thoughtfully. Malachy speaks to Tiernan the way one might coax a rabid dog from attacking. “Well, put him down then, Tiernan, and let’s see if he can retrieve it.”
Tiernan puts him down with a growl, and the boy takes off at a full run away from us.
“Bloody hell!” Tiernan says. He runs off after him. The boy’s a damn fool, for Tiernan catches him just paces away. He gives him another proper shake and he looks like he wants to do more than that.
“Take him,” Tiernan says, half shoving the boy toward Malachy. “I don’t trust myself not to beat his scrawny arse.”
Malachy laughs mirthlessly. “And you think I’ll rescue him, do you? You’d be better off giving him to Ruby.”
Ruby. God, I hate that.
“Don’t give him to me,” I mutter. “I’m no more pleased with him than you are.” But the boy casts his eyes down and looks as if he’s about to cry. Naturally, that pricks at my conscience. I sigh.
“You ought not stick your
