with a gun in her hand looking for someone to kill or rob. Even though she didn’t, he still grouped her in with those who lived by the sword and died by it, too. It pissed me off, as much as organized crime seemed to piss him off.
“Don’t give me that look.” He sighed. “I didn’t say she deserved it. I said it was bound to happen.”
“I know what you said.”
“And?”
“It sounds callous and cold. She was my friend.”
“A friend that was bound to bring you trouble. And she has.” He took the coffee from me, taking a sip. “Armino Scarpone is a killer. He knows you and your friend can testify that he made a scene outside of your apartment before you left. Then his ex-girlfriend, because she broke up with him not long before, ends up stabbed to death outside of a store on her way back to your apartment. His family’s not fond of leaving witnesses that can testify against them. It’s a code. Just like when they kill an entire family because they don’t want retribution down the line.”
“I’m not worried about Armino. If he comes looking for trouble, he’ll find it.”
Scott threw back his head and laughed. Then he looked me in the eye. “What are you going to do, Keely? Kill him with your bow and arrow? Shit!” He stood abruptly, the chair almost falling back. “The Scarpones! You’re going to stay with me. Do you understand?”
“I’m not leaving Mari—”
“Mari. Mari. Mari. What’s with you and Mari? Why do you care about her so much?”
I stood, refusing to allow him to look down at me. “She’s my sister!”
“No, she’s your friend!”
“And what kind of friend are you? Would you leave a friend who was like a brother to you when he needed you the most?
“We’re not talking about me!” he shouted.
“Maybe we should! Maybe we should talk about how big of an ass you’re being!”
I went to fly past him, but he grabbed me by the arm. I refused to look at him. My heart was in my throat. Tears pushed against my defenses. My neck was on fire, scorching red because of my temper.
“Marry me, Keely Shea Ryan.”
From the corner of my eye I could see him digging in his pocket with his free hand. He lifted the ring high enough that I could see it in my peripheral. It was a traditional Irish Claddagh ring. The heart was made from an emerald, and the crown had three diamonds.
Mari was going to tell me it was a bad omen. Bad things always come in threes, Kee.
I licked my dry lips. “What?” I whispered, trying to buy time.
“Marry me, Keely. Live with me. I’ll keep you safe.”
“Is that why you’re asking? To keep me safe?”
“No. You know better. I’ve had this planned for a while. Tonight, after I saw Sierra, it hit me hard. You could’ve been home at the wrong time. You could’ve walked with her to the store. I couldn’t live with myself knowing that I protect people, strangers, for a living, and I couldn’t save the only girl I’ll ever love.”
“I—”
“Keely—” Harrison opened the door and then stopped, watching us. He had gone out to call our brothers. He kept them informed about everything. Those four were worse than a bunch of gossiping sisters. Harrison’s eyes narrowed before he took a step in, looking Scott in the eye. “Get your hands off my sister. Now.”
Scott looked between us. “I’m in love with your sister. I just asked her to marry me. We’ve been seeing each other for months. We’re in love.”
Harrison stared at Scott with a blank look and then turned his narrowed eyes on me. “Is this true?”
After a minute or two, he took my silence as admission.
“You couldn’t tell me?” I could tell my brother was hurt, and even though I hated to see it, he had no room to talk.
And. I. Was. Going. To. Kill. Scott. Fucking. Stone.
Who did he think he was? We hadn’t discussed this! This. Whatever this was between us, and it was moving way too fast. I couldn’t stop it.
My Mam. She had predicted this.
And Roisin. I had asked her to send me someone if this wasn’t right. And who did she send me?
The wrong man! Who would send a man like him? I knew for certain Roisin would’ve been the sane one between us. The practical one. Cash Kelly was chaotic. Nothing about him made sense.