“I fuckingdo. Without an ounce of shame,” she cackled.
“That’s very Wicked Witch of the West of you, Bridget.”
“I accept that. Crack her open.”
We decided that her choice in dinner for last night was genius. Our shared junk food addiction paired better with the leftover stew than should be allowed. We were in the coffin, eating and laughing like fools, and if it weren’t for the text that buzzed my phone a little after lunch, I would have forgotten all about Malek.
Asshat: So, what’s the verdict? Are you burying us both in a shallow grave?
I turned the phone towards Bridget, and she waved a hand full of Bugles for me to hand it to her, smiling. It took her damn near forever to try and type with the shit on herfingertips and we both couldn’t stop laughing long enough to get it together.
Me: Are you still jacking off in a box of tissues?
The dots started bouncing almost immediately.
“Oh, God…please tell me you didn’t catch this particular thing recently…”
Bridget’s mouth puckered, and she fought back a good laugh. I could see the answer all over her face. God help me. “I mean…I won’t if you don’t want me to.”
“Aaaggghh!”
Food flew out of her mouth when she burst out laughing, and I lost my composure, following suit. Malek must have forgone a response and came in my front door a moment later. He took one look at us with corn chips on each one of our fingers and lowered his brows in confusion and disbelief.
“What in the name of Christmas am I witnessing? And I know that was you, you little shite.” He pointed his phone at Bridget, and she shrugged, both of us still cackling like hens.
“A box of tissues?” I heaved, leaning over my lap. “Can’t you just use the shower, or a tube sock like a normal guy?”
He closed the door and went straight for the coffee. “That an invitation,Nathair Bheag?”
“No. And I still don’t understand why you call me that.”
Bridget ate one of the Bugles off her finger. “I’m perplexed, actually. Do tell.”
He leaned a hip against the counter, bracing it with one hand and smiled as he eyed me past the mug he raised to his mouth. Asshole even makesthatlook good. “I thought it was obvious. You nearly bit my finger off the night we met.”
He did say that. Shit. That’s what started all this?
I thought it had been some Irish curse words that night. His father and henchman were laughing under their breathabout it, but now it makes more sense. If I’d been able to keep my‘Cleaning Lady’persona intact that night, he might not even be here right now. Now, I can’t figure out if I’m mad or glad that I did it.
“Hot,”Bridget said, chewing off another fingertip. “Kinda screwed yourself with that one, friend. He likes a biter. He likes anything that hurts, actually. Fuckin’freak show.”
Malek lowered his mug and glared at her. “Would you shut ‘yer hole? Don’t give awayallmy kinks…Christ.”
I swallowed, hoping that I didn’t give myself away to either one of them when I averted my eyes. That’s yet another thing we have in common. When’s that therapy again?
“Where’d you go last night?” Bridget asked. His face slacked and he looked about ten shades of weary. “Malek? Talk.”
“I slept in the Nova. Talked to Declan last night and he was able to pull data from both our phones. He also tapped into the security feeds in the house. Between that and the messages they tried sending after we ditched the hardware…we’ve been given two weeks.”
I watched Bridget’s already pale complexion grow lighter. “To live?! Daddy would never—”
“To bring you to Nolan’s for your wedding. To Jonas. If I don’t give you up, Jonas is using his right to retaliate.”
“He doesn’t even want me, Mal.”
I don’t know shit about mob life, the rules, or delegation. What I do know, is that whatever Malek’s thinking right now? I’m in. There’s no way I’m gonna let this girl get handed over to a bunch of senile, power-hungry men that call themselves kings.
“He wantssomething. Pop won’t budge. He’s getting smart. Whatever it is he’s agreed to with Nolan, must be worth it for Jonas to care that much about this marriage. Unless he’s only doing it to come at me for offing his brother and fucking up Kendall’s good hand.”
