Page 54 of Beer & Broomsticks
Her triumph was short lived.
Damian picked her up and touched his nose to hers, and in a tone as stern as Ronan had ever heard him use with her, he said, “No swearing, Sabrina Dethridge, or you’ll face punishment. Little girls don’t say words like bastard. Do you understand?”
“But that’s whatyoucall him, Papa,” she retorted with a pout.
There was no argument against the truth, and Damian gave her an exasperated look and set her down with a light pat on her bottom. “No swearing until you’re at least eighteen.”
“Sixteen,” she said with an elfin-like grin.
“Perhaps seventeen, but no younger.”
“Deal.” Her mischievous face gave away her obvious lie, but it appeared her da was in no mood to scold her further.
Ronan rested his head back against the foam pillow, the one item provided to offer comfort on the stone altar he rested upon, and closed his eyes. “Sure, and I don’t envy you the merry chase she’ll be leading you on, man.”
“Leadingmeon?” Damian laughed. “You heard her.You’reher Guardian. You’re the one tasked with keeping her alive to adulthood. You’ll be little better than a nanny to children, my friend.”
“The feck you say!”Ronan shot up like a vampire coming out of a coffin, his horror lending him strength.
“Relax. You’re going to need your strength for what’s to come.” Damian whistled a jaunty little tune as he strolled away, his daughter’s tiny hand tucked in his.
* * *
Ruairí foundBridget alone in her upstairs sitting room. She was standing at the window, gazing out over the backyard.
“I plan to move back into my home tonight,” he said without preamble. “I thought you should know. The room has been cleaned, and fresh linens are on the bed, so it will be ready for your next guest whenever they arrive.” He grimaced when she turned to face him. “Although, I’d probably find a way to cancel future bookings until Loman is caught. It wouldn’t do to have innocents caught in the crossfire.”
“It’s not safe for you to return home. What if his intent is to harm you?”
“He could’ve harmed me at any time since his escape, but he hasn’t. I imagine it’s Ronan he’s after if the truth be told.”
“I thought you said you wouldn’t lie to me again,” she said in a tight voice. “Cian’s already told me Loman threatened you.”
“Yeah, and Cian’s got a big mouth, he does.” He looked past her out the window, and it occurred to him that it wasn’t the yard and tree line she’d been staring at, but the gate. Had she been remembering the first time they’d met? Or was she thinking about the prophecy, and what it truly meant? “I’ll be grand,mo ghrá.And you’ll be, too. The Goddess decreed it, didn’t she? Promised you a happy life.”
Uncertain what he’d see there, he avoided her gaze and turned on his heel. “I’ll text Alexander in the mornin’, and he can give me the details on his plan to trap Loman.”
“We should shag and be done with it.”
The blood rushed to his head, and not the one on his shoulders. Putting a finger to one ear, he wiggled it back and forth. “Sure, and I didn’t hear ya properly. What?”
She stomped across the floor until she stood in front of him, hands on her hips and a scowl scrunching her beautiful face. “Isaidwe should shag and be done with it.”
“Yeah, and that’s what I thought ya said. Don’t take this the wrong way, but you’re mad, Bridg.”
“You don’t want to shag me?” Her tone rose to a dangerous level, and the red color climbing her neck was a clear indication he needed to tread carefully.
“I didn’t say that, now did I?”
“Then why are you still dressed?”
“Because I’ll not make love to a woman who is only interested in getting her family’s magic back,” he snapped. “Admit it, you only want to have a go because you think it will restore what the O’Malleys lost.”
If anything, her face turned darker in color, and her eyes narrowed. “What does it matter why I want to have a go? You’re a man, aren’t ya?”
He pointed at her face. “That! That right there is why you’ve earned a terrible reputation for bustin’ a man’s bollocks! You treat us all like eejits.”
“You allareeejits!” she scoffed.
