Gray

She thinks I’m done with her just because I haven’t paid one scrap of attention to her for months. I want to laugh at the disgruntled look on her face every time she looks over at me and scowls because I’m oblivious to the fact that some big dumb Irish mobster wannabe keeps trying to cop a feel.

Mari, my one and only love has been in my line of sight since I saw her in that park for the first time and I haven’t wavered since I made up my mind to be hers.

It’s a simple thing really, mom explained it to me when I told her that I might have to give up on my stubborn little bombshell. The thing is, I’ve always been this way, since I was little. I see something I want and I go for it.

Dad says that Blay, Rus Ty and I have the luck. It’s the touch. The sight. The knowledge when a good thing comes our way.

I believe him, most of the time because it’s been true my whole life I guess. I just know when something is going to be good. When it was made or sent my way. Meant for me.

I knew it with my business and I know it when I look at Mari. All I need is the right method to get my little Irish hellion to look at me and see more than the rich playboy with the cocky smile.

I don’t know how to do it yet but at the moment I’m all good with what I have. We antagonise each other. We spar. I back off and ignore her. She gets mad and comes at me guns blazing and then we start all over again. She doesn’t realize yet but it’s foreplay, my sign from the heavens that she’s exactly right for me.

Blay likes his Tink sweet with a little nip. I like my Mari sour with a hell of a bite. I like the hunt, the challenge and the constant battle for one upmanship. She gets me in a way that no other woman ever has and for her I will do anything.

Even play the prey when deep down inside even Mari has to know that I am the hunter, the predator, the alpha male.

So I mess with her and wait for her to come to me. And she always does. Because she knows as well as I do that she has and will always be mine.

“She’s going to fight the good fight boy, you know that right?” lizzie muses, sidling up beside me with two beers and a smile that makes me hug her to me with a laugh and a whole lot of love. I adore Liz because she’s my mom in Irish clothing and loves me for every mischievous word that comes out of my mouth.

I’m happy with that because usually people overlook me as the joker, the less serious one, the guy who fucks around and doesn’t take anything seriously.

Lizzie told me the first night I met her when I helped her clear the table that I wasn’t fooling her one bit but she liked my sass.

We’ve been besties ever since and I don’t even mind that I have to see her in a bathing suit, a super awkward thing because she’s like a mother to me but has a rack no man with balls can ignore.

“God you look indecently good in that suit Liz. Wanna run away with me to the island and live like nudists?” I ask, giving her my best pout with a twist of hope.

She slaps my head playfully and sighs.

“And leave my hunky man? Not on your life young blood. Stop distracting me. I asked you a question.”

I sigh and look at Mari out the corner of my eye, wanting her so much it hurts not to have her.

“She’s stubborn is all Liz. She wants to control everything and she knows with me it won’t work. I take care of what is mine and when she finally relents she knows nothing will be the same. I just have to be patient.”

“I’d rethink that if I were you. Her father is not the type to let his family disobey and from what Ro’s been telling me he wants Mari back home to take care of her ailing mother. Mari hates those people for good reason. Been rumours for years her father has a heavy fist and her mother wasn’t much better. If you let her go back there boy then you’re not the man I think you are. Stop dallying around and take her before we lose her for good.”

The words stun me and I look over at Mari again and for the first time see the stress that she tries to hide with jokes and a snarky attitude. Her face is pale and drawn. She’s definitely lost a few pounds and her eyes are shadowed with weariness and the dark circles that come from sleepless nights.

“He touches her and I’ll kill him with my bare hands.” I grate softly, grinding my teeth until they hurt.

I've been watching Mari for months. At first I found her attempts to make me jealous amusing and even told myself I liked her fire. Until seeing her with all those men started hurting too much to continue.

Now I just play her game and tell myself that she’ll come eventually. If what Lizzie is saying is true though then letting her lead won’t get me anywhere but hell, because Mari it seems is likely to take us both there.

“My great uncle had a theory that once you have your name on a woman she has two choices. Run like hell or fall in love. If she isn’t already. Now lucky for uncle Ted we Irish know a little something about charming the pants off a fellow and making them love us madly.”

I go still and look down at Lizzie, cocking my head. Is she really saying what I think she’s saying or is this all my own messed up mind wanting to hear these things.

“That rich and good looking father of yours know any judges who won’t be too concerned about the morality of say, marrying two people who are very in love and very inebriated?”

Oh yeah, she’s saying what I think she’s saying and me likes it when I’m not the only one who thinks in crime.

“He does. In fact he’s got a cousin who owes him a favour after some stock advice that earned him a pretty penny. Think I should call him do you?” I muse. Grinning when Mari catches me watching and flips me the bird.

Lizzie winks at me, adopts and innocent expression and sighs.

“Now boy, I don’t think a darn thing besides the fact that true love should always win.”

I laugh and watch her sidle off before turning back to Mari, grinning and adjusting the healthy erection that’s never far away when she’s near.

Her sneer only serves to heat my blood more and I grin thinking of what’s to come. I used to dream of the day I’d get married.

I just never thought I’d do it quite this madly in love.