Laura folded her arms over her chest and glared at Dallas and the bimbo. “I give you ten seconds for explanations. If I don’t like what I hear, I’m leaving.”
“Dallas and I were going to tell you,” the woman said in a mocking voice. “But this is easier. More clean-cut.”
Betrayal sliced and diced Laura’s confidence, and she bit the inside of her cheek to keep her tears at bay. She wouldn’t give them the satisfaction. “Shut up. If I’m getting the kiss-off, I prefer to hear it from Dallas.”
At her words, Patrick moved to Laura’s side and slipped an arm around her shoulders.
“When did Maria come back?” Quinn demanded.
Dallas cursed and hauled himself out of the bed. He wore boxer-briefs. At least that was something. The color fled his face when he twisted the wrong way, and Quinn’s hand shot out to aid him. Dallas brushed his older brother off and tottered over to stand in front of Laura. “I have no idea how she got into our bed. I didn’t invite her. She came into the pub a few weeks ago, wanting to take up where we’d left off. I told her to piss off, and I haven’t seen her since. Laura, you have to believe me. I didn’t invite her here.”
“He’s lying,” Maria said. “I arrived this afternoon and we’ve been in bed ever since.”
Laura gritted her teeth, bunched her fists, the urge to lash out making her tremble. She needed to hit something.
Someone.
Her gaze lit on Maria. “Get out of my bed. Get out of my house. Get the fuck out. Now,” she barked when the woman stared at her in an insolent manner.
Maria’s lips curled into a smirk. “Make me. Dallas wants me here.”
“That’s not true,” Dallas said. “Laura.”
Laura turned away, unable to look at the woman any longer. “This is my home and you’re trespassing. Leave or I’m calling the cops.” She was halfway down the passage when the woman shouted after her.
“No, wait. No cops.”
Laura grabbed her phone anyway and returned to the bedroom. Dallas had pulled on clothes and was muttering in urgent tones to Quinn. Laura stabbed random buttons and lifted her phone to her ear.
“No, tell her, Dallas,” Maria said. “Tell her you invited me here. No need to bring in the police.”
“Fuck off,” Dallas growled.
Laura narrowed her eyes. “Why don’t you want me to ring the cops? Done something wrong and have a guilty conscience?”
The woman climbed out of the bed, flaunting her body. When none of the brothers took the slightest bit of notice, she grabbed a robe.
“Leave,” Laura ordered in a hard voice. “If I see you in the pub or near Dallas again, I’ll go to the police station and file a complaint. I’ll tell them you’re harassing us and stalking Dallas. We’ll get a restraining order.”
“You’ve spoiled everything, bitch,” Maria spat.
“Tell someone who cares,” Laura said, and she stalked from the room before she gave into her impulse to brain the bimbo.
“You can’t let her speak to me like that,” Maria said.
“Fuck off,” Dallas repeated in a hard voice. “I don’t want to see your face again.” He held her gaze, let her see the riot of his fury and fear.
“I’ll see her out,” Quinn said, and he grabbed Maria’s arm and hauled her down the passage.
“I need my clothes,” Maria squawked. “They’re in the drier.”
“Hurry up,” Quinn snapped.
“What happened?” Patrick asked.
Dallas wrinkled his forehead, shook his head. Winced. “Don’t know. I remember Quinn bringing me home. I remember him giving me my pills. I remember feeling exhausted, going to bed. That’s it.”
Patrick grunted. “You didn’t hear Maria arrive? Laura?”
“Didn’t hear a thing.”
“Laura rang and told me to get here to witness the next saga in the Drummond-O’Grady feud. Man, she was pissed. You have major fence-building, bro.”
“I didn’t do anything wrong.”
Patrick nodded. “Maybe not, but put yourself in her shoes. If you came home and found an old boyfriend in bed with her, how would you feel?”
“Ready to commit murder,” Dallas admitted.
“You’ve been hot and cold with her since the mugging. Don’t deny it. I’ve seen you, heard you. What the hell is she meant to think?”
Dallas scrubbed his hands over his face, the sharp abrasion of stubble making him frown. “Maybe we’re both kidding ourselves about a relationship. After the way her family treated Quinn, maybe I should walk away.”
No. The moment he said the words, he wanted them vanquished.
Laura appeared in the doorway. “If that’s what you think, I’ll make it easy for you.” Tears swam in her eyes but she didn’t avoid his gaze, didn’t hide her pain, didn’t back down. “Patrick, can I crash on your couch until I can make alternative arrangements?”
“Sure.”
“I’ll wait for you in the kitchen.” Without looking at him again, Laura turned and stalked away.
“God, you’re an idiot,” Patrick said. “You’ll lose her if you’re not careful.”
“It’s for the best,” Quinn said, appearing in the doorway. “Nothing good can come of a relationship with a Drummond.”
“You’re both moronic idiots,” Patrick snapped. “I’ll take Laura back to the pub.”
The next morning, Dallas dragged himself from bed. After another dose of pills, he’d managed a solid sleep, but now his head felt as if it were stuffed with gray mush. He pulled on a pair of track pants, biting back a groan when his ginger moves ricocheted, pinging jagged aches throughout his body. The doctors had told him it would take time for his ribs to heal. He scowled at his arm. He’d be stuck with the plaster for weeks.
A distant rattle from the direction of the kitchen brought a rush of hope. It died when he rounded the corner to find Quinn peering blearily at the coffeemaker.
“I didn’t realize you stayed.”
“I didn’t want to give the barracuda another chance to climb into your bed.”
“Are we talking about Maria or Laura?”
“Maria,” Quinn said tersely, although his tone implied he thought Laura, too, fit the category. “What are you going to do?”
“I don’t know. All I know is every time I think about walking away from Laura, my gut hurts. I love her, Quinn. Whenever I’m with her I feel…whole.”
“Jesus, Dallas.” Quinn poured coffee into two mugs and handed one to him. “If you feel that way, go after her.”
“But you don’t like her family.”
“I don’t. Her older sisters are bald-faced liars, but you’re right. Laura doesn’t act like her sisters. She doesn’t look like a Drummond for a start. That helps,” he muttered the last words, almost as an afterthought. “You’re the one who needs to be happy.”
“I need food,” Dallas said. “I haven’t eaten for hours.”
Quinn shunted over his medication. “Take these. You’ll heal quicker if you’re not in pain. I can take you out to breakfast and drop you at the pub. That suit you?”
“Yeah.” Dallas still didn’t have any idea what he intended to say to Laura.
When they walked into O’Grady’s almost two hours later, Patrick was working the bar, and Laura was busy writing up the day’s specials on the blackboard. Dallas’s gaze traced over her face, her intent features as she worked, and something inside him shifted.
“I’d better drop by the other pub to make sure everything is okay,” Quinn said. “Ring me if you need anything.”
“Thanks.” Dallas walked over to Laura, jammed his hands in his pockets while he struggled to find the right words. “Marry me,” he blurted, his heart thundering while he cursed his wayward tongue. That wasn’t how he’d meant to start their conversation.
“Dallas,” she said.
“Who else were you expecting? Damn.” He dragged a hand through his hair. “Sorry. Could we talk?”
Her brown eyes narrowed. “I have ten minutes before I need to start making pies.”
Dallas took her hand, helping her stand despite the twinge from his rib cage. “I meant it,” he said after he’d seated her at a corner table. “I want to marry you.”
“Why?” It was easy to see she didn’t intend to make this easy for him.
“Because I love you. I’ve told you before.” A quick glance at her face told him he’d need to do more to pierce her armor. “I can’t imagine my life without you in it. You’re the first person I think of when I wake in the morning. You’re never far from my thoughts.” His words tumbled out faster now, fear of losing her riding him hard. “You make me laugh. I enjoy spending time with you, and I want your sexy body all the time.”
Her expression lightened a fraction. “What about the trouble between our families?”
“I think Quinn will come around as he gets to know you. We can visit my parents once they return from their travels. Quite frankly, I can’t see them not liking you. I—”
“Excuse me,” a man said. “Are you Dallas O’Grady?”
“Yes,” Dallas said, not trying to hide his annoyance at the interruption.
The man was middle-aged, sans the typical paunch, a snappy dresser with no-nonsense green eyes. Two beefy companions flanked him. He gestured them away with a sharp jerk of his head.
“Do I know you?” Dallas asked.
“You might like to take this conversation private,” the man said with a dismissive glance in Laura’s direction. He dropped onto a seat and catalogued Dallas with those bright eyes.
“Laura is my fiancée. She can hear anything you want to say to me.” Dallas took comfort in the fact Laura didn’t argue her status.
The man’s eyes narrowed. He stuck out a hand. “Frank Rutherford.”
Dallas stiffened.
“Ah, I see you’ve heard of me,” Frank said, leaning back in his chair.
“What do you want?”
“I’m here to give you a friendly reminder about the debt you owe me. I want the money this week.”
“What money?” Dallas demanded. “What debt? I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
Laura frowned. “Are you responsible for the graffiti problem?”
“I believe in subtle warnings first,” Frank said with a negligent shrug.
“What debt?” Dallas repeated.
Frank cast a curious glance at Laura before concentrating on Dallas. “Maria Stanton has assured me you will take responsibility for her obligation.”
“Maria,” Laura said with a curl of lip. “She is a lying bitch.”
Frank straightened. “Ms. Stanton’s avowal is not true?”
“Maria and I were close several years ago. That ended when she cheated on me,” Dallas said. “Any debts she has with you are hers alone. I don’t care what she’s told you. Do a little digging around. Ask my regular customers. They’ll tell you I’m with Laura.”
“What sort of debts are they?” Laura asked.
“Maria has a liking for poker and other games of chance,” Frank said.
“And your men are also responsible for beating up Dallas?” Laura asked with a dangerous glint in her eyes.
His inscrutable face said everything.
“Let’s make a deal, Mr. Rutherford.” Laura lifted her chin and Dallas almost smiled at the icy Drummond glare she aimed at the man. “You and your…employees leave us alone and we won’t press charges.”
“Are you trying to intimidate me, girly?” Rutherford’s minders shifted at the tone of his voice, but he waved them away. “Does she speak for you?”
“Yes,” Dallas said, full of pride.
“Damn right, I’m issuing threats. Dallas and I haven’t done anything wrong. We have nothing to do with Maria or her debts. She comes near me or mine again and her butt will land in jail. If you stand too close you run the risk of getting caught in a girly catfight. I fight dirty so it won’t be pretty.”
Dallas sat statue-still while Laura went into full tirade with the well-known crime boss. Her brown eyes glinted with temper, her cheeks were flushed with red, and she looked magnificent. This was the woman he wanted standing at his side.
“I don’t like threats.” Rutherford bit out the words. His gaze went from Laura to Dallas and he scowled. “It’s obvious Maria has strung us a line of lies. I will cease bothering you and yours. However…” His gaze drilled into Dallas. “If I learn otherwise, you will not enjoy the consequences.”
Laura opened her mouth to say something, and Dallas grasped her hand, squeezing in warning. She snapped her mouth shut in audible annoyance but remained silent. Thankfully.
“Was there anything else?” Dallas asked, keeping his tone polite.
“Yes.” Frank Rutherford focused on Laura, the sudden smoldering heat coming off the man rousing Dallas’s ire. “If this man doesn’t treat you right come and see me. You’re feisty as well as beautiful. I’m partial to a sassy broad with a brain.” Frank stood, gave a curt nod and strode from the pub, his henchmen falling in behind.
“Did he just proposition me?” Laura asked.
“I wonder which one of us your mother would prefer.”
Laura shot him a level look. “I know which man I want.”
“Are you going to marry me?”
“I want a proper proposal. A nice dinner where I get to dress up. A good bottle of wine. Somewhere with a bit of romance. And I want a ring. Organize that, and we’ll talk.” She stood and strode to the kitchen, disappearing without so much as a glance over her shoulder.
“Who was that?” Patrick asked.
Dallas explained about Maria, her debts and the lies she’d told to the guy holding the loans.
Patrick let out a whistle. “That explains the weird heavies we’ve had visiting the bar recently. None of them have caused any trouble, but they’ve stood out from our normal customers. How did you get on with Laura? Are the two of you okay now?”
“She wants a proper proposal with romance.”
“You asked her to marry you?” Patrick zoomed in on the most pertinent point.
“Yeah.”
“Oh, bro. You blurted it out, didn’t you?”
“I asked,” Dallas said, uncomfortably aware he was guilty of the charge.
“Women go for romance, and Laura deserves it after the crap you two have gone through. You need a plan.” Patrick’s eyes sparkled with devilment.
Dallas let out a heavy exhalation. “Let’s hear it.”