Dallas thought about intervening, but Laura was handling Quinn. She wasn’t backing down or offering an apology for her identity. She didn’t dodge the truth. He hoped he managed the same dignity when they confronted her parents.
“Are you all right?” Quinn barked, skewering him with a laser beam from stormy blue eyes.
“They say they’re letting me out tomorrow.”
“Will you need help at the pub? At home?”
“I’ll help him at the pub,” Patrick said. “Gloria has most things covered already.”
“And I can help him at home,” Laura said, her entire body stiffening as if she expected an explosion.
“Home? You’re fuckin’ living with her?” Quinn did the expected and exploded. “Do Dad and Ma know?”
Dallas met his brother’s fury without a wince. “I haven’t mentioned anything to them in my emails and phone calls.”
“And her parents don’t know because I would’ve heard the fallout,” Quinn said in disgust. “I’m leaving. Call me if you need anything, but I’m not coming near you until she’s out of your life.”
“That’s not gonna happen,” Dallas said without hesitation.
“Don’t be stupid, Quinn,” Patrick said. “It’s an old feud. Laura isn’t any more responsible for something her ancestors did or didn’t do than we are. Dallas and Laura are good together.”
“You’ve got your heads up your arses,” Quinn snapped. “Dallas was mugged and left bleeding in the street. Who the hell do you think was responsible for that?”
“What are you saying?” Laura’s hand tightened around his, and Dallas wanted to hold her to reassure her.
“I’m saying your parents have octopus arms and a hell of a long reach. They know about Dallas and, they’ve taken steps to remove him from your life.”
“No. No, I can’t believe they’d do that.” Horror tugged Laura’s features, and Dallas figured she felt the same disbelief that roared around him—the denial that they’d go so far to rid their daughter of his presence.
“They wouldn’t do that to their own daughter,” Dallas said, yet doubt crept into the fringes of his mind. They’d cut her off because she’d dared to want independence. They’d tried to force her to move back to the Clare family home.
“Wouldn’t they?” Quinn’s lips curled into mockery. “I think you’d be surprised to learn precisely how far the Drummonds would go to wipe the O’Gradys from this earth. Think long and hard. In fact, if you don’t tell Dad and Ma, I will. You can tell your parents too, missy. See how long your friendship lasts after you drop this bomb.” With one final hard glare to punctuate his order, Quinn stalked from the hospital room.
“Fuck,” Patrick said, breaking the long silence. “I think he means it. What are you going to do?”
“Why does your brother hate us so much?” Laura asked.
Dallas shared a glance with Patrick, hesitating.
“Tell her,” Patrick said. “She deserves to know.”
“When we were at high school, Quinn was in the first fifteen rugby team. He was popular. Your two sisters went to one of the games and the celebration party after the game, when they came home from their fancy school. I’m not sure of the full details because we were both younger, but they accused Quinn of putting a date rape drug into their drinks.”
“I vaguely remember a fuss,” Laura said. “Lots of discussions behind closed doors.” She frowned at him and Patrick. “I know you both, and from what I’ve seen of Quinn today, I can’t imagine he did what they said. From memory, all the girls loved him. He wouldn’t have needed to drug one of them to…” She waved her free hand. “You know what I’m saying.”
“He had a steady girlfriend at the time,” Dallas said. “From what I understand, your oldest sister cried rape and the cops were called in, but despite all the accusations flying around the town, no charges were laid. Quinn has hated your family ever since. Laura, this is the reason I insisted on a signed agreement.”
“I understood, even without knowing this.” Laura let out a heavy sigh that seemed to vibrate through the air. “Maybe it’s time to come clean and end this stupid feud, at least between some of us. If one or both of my parents are at this dinner tonight, I’ll tell them. I’m tired of sneaking around. If you and I want to go out to dinner or to an event together, we should be able to go without worrying about our families’ reactions.”
Patrick let out a low whistle. “You possess a mountain of courage.”
“They’ll disown me,” Laura said in clear regret. “From what you’ve said, my sisters will follow. I don’t know about Aaron.”
“You’re walking away from your inheritance,” Patrick reminded her.
“Don’t try and talk her out of it,” Dallas snapped.
Patrick took a step back from the bed. “I’m not, but if she can’t handle my mild concerns, there’s no way in hell she’s going to cope with our combined families tugging from opposite sides of the table.”
“Don’t, Dallas. Patrick is right. Until recently I haven’t stood up to my parents. I do love them, despite their smothering. It’s not going to be easy.” She glanced at her watch. “Patrick, I need to go to work. Will you give me a ride?”
She stooped to kiss Dallas on the lips, and the slight contact wasn’t enough. Dallas wanted to wrap his arms around her and tell her everything would work out for the best.
“Say hello to James.” Dallas batted down his surge of jealousy because he knew she and James truly were friends, but still, he didn’t want her to face her parents alone.
“Don’t worry. This is something I need to do. Just concentrate on getting better. I presume you’ll need to start physio once you’re out of here.”
“Don’t try to distract me,” he said in a harsh voice.
“Bother.” She winked, tossed a grin in Patrick’s direction. “I need more practice at this distraction thing. It’s a pity we’re not alone. I could’ve flashed skin.”
“Don’t let me stop you,” Patrick said.
Dallas barred his teeth at his brother, an expression Patrick and Laura found hilarious, judging by their cackles.
“I’m sorry, but I do have to go. I packed a couple of things for you. A set of fresh clothes and some toiletries. I’ll come tomorrow and pick you up.” She kissed him again.
Patrick gave him a nod and gave his arm a gentle squeeze. “Do you want me to ring the folks?”
“I’ll do it,” Dallas said. “I still have my phone. It was in my jacket pocket.”
“Okay. Don’t worry,” Patrick said, obviously reading his fears. “I’ll keep an eye on Laura.”
“Why didn’t you tell him about the man following us?” Patrick asked.
“He’s dealing with enough now. Why didn’t you tell him?”
“Same reasons as you. Any ideas as to what we should do next?”
Laura climbed into the passenger seat while considering the matter. “I’ll ask when I tell my parents about Dallas. I might fire first and nudge the conversation to Dallas once I’ve heard their answers.”
“And meantime we keep watch.”
Laura nodded. “Yep, that’s all we can do.”
James picked her up at the house not long after six. “You look beautiful.”
She’d dressed in red to make a statement and done her hair in an old Hollywood glamour style, copied from photos she’d seen of her grandmother. Her smoky eyes and bright red lipstick completed the image. “Thanks. You look pretty dapper yourself. Are both Mother and Father attending tonight?”
“From what your father said.” James shot her a look before turning his attention back to the road. “They asked me where you were living and what you were doing for money.”
“What did you tell them?”
“I said as far as I knew you were staying with a friend, but I didn’t know any details.”
She nodded. “Patrick and I were followed this morning when we went to the house. Do you think my parents would hire a private investigator to follow me? I checked out the vehicle details. The vehicle is registered to Scott and Sons. I’ve never heard of them, and I don’t know what they do.”
“They’re loan sharks,” James said in a terse voice. “Does Dallas have gambling debts?”
“No, not that I know of. I help him with the pub accounts. Financially, he’s good. Their two existing pubs are doing well, and they’re expanding and setting up a third in Clare. We spend most of our time together. He’s never placed a single bet in my hearing.”
“What about the other brothers?”
“I suppose it’s a possibility, but I don’t get that vibe.”
James pulled up in front of the hotel where the dinner was being held. He rounded the front of his vehicle to help her out and handed his keys to a valet.
“I’ll keep my ears open and let you know if I hear anything,” he said.
After checking their coats, James escorted her into the function room. It was already crammed to capacity, the music of a string quartet battling with the clink of glasses and pre-dinner chatter. Laura flashed a wide smile and acknowledged several acquaintances.
“I think we should grab a drink,” she said.
“Hell, yeah,” James said. “Liquid fortification sounds like a grand idea.”
In charity, they navigated their way to the bar.
“I’m going to tell my parents about Dallas,” she said. “His older brother Quinn knows and he’s threatening exposure anyway.”
“He wasn’t impressed?”
“No.” Laura sighed. “A long story, but the truth is I’m tired of hiding my feelings for Dallas. If they disown me, so be it. I’m doing well with my temping and working at the pub. I’m making friends at both places.”
James handed her a glass of Sauvignon Blanc. “It’s a big step.”
“Maybe, but it’s better for me to tell them than have gossip reach them first—if they don’t know already. Just because the car was registered to a loan company it doesn’t mean they didn’t set the man on me.”
“I admire you, Laura. In other circumstances, I’d have proudly married you.”
“That’s the nicest rejection I’ve ever received.”
“Steven likes you too.”
“Laura, why ever did you decide to wear red? You stand out like a traffic light.” Her mother spoke from behind her. “And you’re not slim enough to wear a dress that tight. Every male is ogling your backside.”
Criticism. Suppressing a sigh and the ready words that tickled the tip of her tongue, she turned to face her mother. Her mother wore a soft dove gray dress with black accents. Her hair was in its usual smooth chignon. Stylish, but cool and unapproachable.
“Hello, Mother.” Her gaze went to the corpulent man standing behind her mother. His expensive and well-cut suit hid some of the damage garnered from long business lunches and countless social outings. “Father.”
“I’m glad to see you’re here with James,” her mother said. “At least you’re displaying a modicum of sense.”
“James and I see quite a bit of each other. We’re friends.” Laura took a deep breath. She might as well get this done while the opportunity presented itself. “Are you paying a private investigator to follow me?”
Her mother gaped. Her father’s expression didn’t falter.
“No,” her father said. “We didn’t think it had come to that yet.”
In other words, they were confident she’d come ’round to their way of thinking, and seeing her here with James cemented their confidence. “Who is we?”
“The family,” her mother said. “Your father and your brother and sisters.”
They’d discussed her like an errant child. Her shoulders stiffened under James’s casual touch, even though he meant to comfort her.
“We expect you to tell us where you’re living, and how you’re supporting yourself. We were shocked to learn you’re no longer working at the charity.”
“So you did check up on me?”
“You’re our daughter,” her mother said without apology.
Laura pressed her lips together and fought her need to grimace. In their own way, they loved her. She accepted that, had always known they cared. But she required a happy medium, where they didn’t smother her hopes and dreams.
Her father’s eyes narrowed, a rush of emotion flickering across his face. “You’re living with James. He said you weren’t, but seeing you together now, it makes sense.”
“No,” James said.
“I’m dating someone else.” Laura spoke at the same time as James. The longer she delayed, the harder this would be. Her stress levels were soaring already. She raised her chin. “We’re living together.”
“When are we going to meet him?” her mother asked, disapproval dripping from her leaky faucet style. “And why are you here with James if you’re with someone else.”
“Laura and I are friends,” James said. “I required a date, and she agreed to attend the dinner with me.”
“Who are you living with?” her father asked.
Laura swallowed, feeling like a disobedient kid.
James handed her a glass of white wine, and she took it while fighting the impulse to run the chilled, smooth surface over her hot cheeks. She sipped her wine and strove for control before she uttered the words that would detonate a bomb under her family’s collective butts.
“I’m living with Dallas O’Grady.”