That would be a move Niall would never see coming, then again, she’d be indebted to Jamie. And they weren’t together… He wasn’t the settling-down type.
The internal struggle carried her through the afternoon shift at Coffee Kicks. While she poured coffee, her mind weighed the pros and cons.
Jamie had already offered her the cash as a loan, so she wasn’t being a gold-digger by asking if he’d meant it.
Though borrowing that amount of cash from a guy she didn’t know that well was a huge risk.
It’s all belly flutters and racing heart beats now,but what if he turned out to be an even bigger asshole? In the back of her mind, she knew Jamie was decent. She just needed to take a leap of faith.
After hours of serving coffee with only a quick break, Shannon counted the change in the register to close up.
Jess had spent the last hour applying layers of makeup and strip lashes for a student night at the local club, bouncing off when her boyfriend showed up.
Shannon flicked off the music and grabbed her coat from the staff room. As she hit the lights, the space fell into darkness and the main door creaked open behind her.
“We’re closed.”
“Well, aren’t you the busy little bitch?”
The breath left her throat in a gust. “Niall. What the hell are you doing here?”
Shadow shrouded his face, but his eyes gleamed, glowing with a menacing glint. “I’m staying clear of the yard for a while. Got myself a crash pad here in the city where I can do whatever I want.”
“Yeah, snort as much coke as you want, too.” She gripped her bag strap tighter.
After weeks of looking over her shoulder, always on edge, she was pissed that he’d waited for her barista shift to end, showing up when everyone had gone.
“Are you judging me?” he mocked. “Shannon Colter, the money grabbing slut.”
“I don’t give a fuck what you think of me, Niall.”
He prowled further inside, stopping in front of her.
“Well, you should. I told you to stay away from that bastard, McGrath. Do you think I’m stupid? Do you think I wouldn’t know he was in the loft with you again, or that he’s been sending you stuff? How pathetic is that, huh? The rich guy sends you food. Aren’t you embarrassed? I thought you had more pride than that.”
Rage burned in her chest, and before she could stop herself, her palm shot out, striking him across the cheek. The sound cracked through the air like a gunshot.
His head snapped to the side, but the low, threatening laugh that followed sent a chill straight down her spine.
In a blur, he lunged forward, spun her around and held the cold edge of a knife against her throat. The blade bit into her skin as he wrapped his arm around her waist, yanking her ass tight to his groin.
“Phone him. Now.”
“Why?” Her breath faltered, panic rising in her chest.
“It would be such a shame if that silly old daddy of his went missing. The old man’s lost his mind, right? He could disappear one day... Poof.” He emphasised the word. “Call the cocky bastard and tell him to stop sending you stupid gifts. And Shannon...” His voice dropped to a dangerous whisper, “If he comes back to my yard one more time, I’ll shoot that fucking horse between the eyes.”
“You can’t threaten me, Niall. I’m sick of your shit.”
The knife pressed harder into her skin, and Niall’s voice came out low and dangerous.
“I can. And I think you’ll find that I did. Phone him. Let me hear you cut the feet from under him.”
“No, Niall, please… no.” Her voice cracked, and a little sob bubbled out. “Why do you hate him so much?”
“I don’t hate him, Shan. I fucking hate you,” he sneered, a chuckle escaping him. “You think you’re better than me. You always have. Even my dad—he thinks of you as family. Shannon did this. Shannon did that. Shannon did everything right, and it fucking boils my piss.”
His mouth settled against her ear, and his grip on her waist tightened, forcing her closer to his chest. His body was a solid wall behind her, all harsh lines and unyielding strength.
