Enzo (Jinx Tattoos Book 1) (17 page)

“Wait, let me get this straight, he wants to get married?” Sophia asked, holding up one finger.

“Yes.”

“And for you to be the mother of this new baby?” Sophia asked, continuing to raise a finger.

“Yes.”

“And you didn’t jump on that shit and start yelling, ‘
Mine’
like the seagulls in
Nemo
…why?”

Aibhlinn covered her face. “I feel like such an idiot when you say it that way.”

“Is it because she won’t be yours by blood?” Sophia asked.

“What? No. I couldn’t care less about that. It’s the principle of the thing.”

“You can’t steal what was abandoned, babe. If the search turns up nothing, Enzo would be like a good Samaritan.”

“It still feels wrong. It’s a big lie.”

“Okay, let’s walk through this. What’s the church’s stance on lying? And don’t say not to do it, because I know that much,” Sophia said.

“Not to tell an outright lie.”

“So omission is okay.”

“If it’s to prevent harming someone’s feeling, yes. You can, just don’t go into detail.”

“Okay, so are you going to claim you gave birth to Aoife?”

“No.”

“So how will you be lying?”

“If I don’t come forward and say we found her at Ault Park—”

“No one will be the wiser, or hurt. People’s actions come with severe consequences. Whoever left that baby is lucky you two were the ones to find her. She could’ve died, Ave.”

“I know,” she whispered, bowing her head. Sophia’s words were all truth.

“If you need more time, and you’re not ready to get hitched, say so.”

“I want it. It’s past time. I’m coming up on thirty-five.”

“Then what’s the problem?” Sophia asked.

“I’m scared. What if we go all in, and it doesn’t work? That’s it then. There was a security in the back and forth we did. Always another chance coming around the corner. This is all in.” She shook her head.

“Where’s all the doubt coming from? You don’t wait for years on one man and then blow him off when he tries to commit,” Sophia exclaimed.

“I know. It’s ridiculous, isn’t it?” Aibhlinn nodded.

Sophia frowned. “You want to tell me what this is really about?”

“It makes me nervous that he involved the Wild Ones. That can be a slippery slope, becoming involved in organized crime organizations. I wonder what they’ll ask him to do in return. No one does favors for free.”

“He’s been tattooing them for years, though. They probably think of it as a favor for a friend,” Sophia said.

“Maybe. But I know once you get in, there’s no coming back out. My mother fell in love with the wrong man, and it changed the course of her life. The way we had to keep our move under wraps and all but leave in the dead of night was a terrifying experience I’ll never forget.”

“But you’re okay now, aren’t you? I mean, I know you’ve gone back since.”

“I suppose we are. They’ve never said anything more to either of us, but what could we have that they’d want? My mom is a teacher who kept her nose clean. We were lucky. The Army is nae something you walk away from easily.”

Sophia shuddered. “That’s terrifying.”

“You don’t know the half of it, love. The things I saw growing up and thought of as normal sickens me now. The guns, the secrecy, and the killing. I thought it was all justified, and if my da said it was all right and just… Then by God, it must be. Coming to the realization that my childhood was a lie crushed me. I went dark and had to reexamine everything. I almost lost my faith and sense of self. It’s a place I never want to return to.”

“So tell Enzo that.”

“How can I? He’s already in bed with the devil. There’s no way he’ll undo the deal.”

“And you think it’s a…what? Gateway to more? Think of how long he’s been dealing with them. I’m sure it’ll be fine,” Sophia said.

“Hmmm.”

“You know it’s odd to me, you’ve never so much as mentioned this part of your past, and now it’s all you can think about.”

“Having Keir around brings it all back. He grew up in the same neighborhood, and though he’s never said, I’m sure his father is, at least, a sympathetic friend of the IRA.”

“Can you explain what the IRA is exactly?”

“It’s the Irish Republican Army. You know my country has been torn to hell and back for a long time over many things, one of the main issues being Protestant versus Catholic, and the fact that some of us want Ireland to be an independent, united country. Well, this paramilitary group aims to change things. They’ve got their fingers in a number of pots, from drugs to organized crime. It costs money to fund guns, cars, and everything else they need. They’ve been getting smaller gangs to join with them under one banner, which means they’re increasing in power. It’s a scary thing.”

“Wow, and your father was involved in that?”

“Born and raised. I don’t think he ever knew any other way really.”

“Shit, Aibhlinn.”

“I know,” she replied, thinking of her father with his dark brown hair, bright blue eyes, and easy smile. He had a big personality. “I think what bothers me the most was how damn jovial my da was. There was so much laughter and joy in our home. He had a huge personality, but it was tempered by his ability to be gentle and really listen. I adored him. I mean, you haven’t seen a daddy’s girl until you saw me with my da. So, I don’t know how that man could hurt so many others and teach me so wrong. I mean, I hated the Protestants and thought the British Royal Army were the bastards who were tearing Ireland apart. Turns out we were the ones doing that with our terrorist activities.”

“Did you ever—”

“Don’t ask me that, Soph. I don’t think either of us will like the answer,” Aibhlinn admitted, ashamed that she’d played a part in the misery and pain of others.

“How many times have you said our past isn’t all we are?” Sophia asked.

“Funny how things are a lot easier to say than they are to believe.”

“Isn’t that always the way?”

Aibhlinn sighed. “What do you think I should do?”

“I can’t decide for you, but I think we both know you and Enzo are meant to be. If the thing with the MC is holding you back, talk to him. Tell him the concerns you voiced to me. You’ve never been one to bite your tongue, especially not to Enz.”

“You haven’t seen him with Aoife. He’s smitten.” She sighed. “I don’t want to pop his bubble, or seem like the enemy.”

“You don’t. If that man knows anything, it’s that you always have his best interest at heart. Now, let’s talk about the elephant in the room… Keir.”

“What about him?” Aibhlinn asked.

“Are you going to tell me you don’t feel anything for him?”

“It’s never gotten that far—”

“Are you lying to yourself, or me?” Sophia asked.

Aibhlinn sighed. “What I feel for him is nothing in comparison to the way I feel about Enzo.”

“Don’t you think you owe it to both of you to make sure? Go see him again. If what you say is true, let him know you’re off the market.” Sophia’s narrowed eyes said everything.

Aibhlinn nodded. He was the physical embodiment of her past. His presence provided comfort and gave her a chance to reminisce.
But it’s not something I have to have.
“He’s working the shift at the gallery right now. I’ll head over that way.” She stood from the bed.

Sophia followed her lead. “Don’t let anyone rush you into anything. You always put yourself last, but this is about your happiness.”

“You always put things into perspective.” Aibhlinn hugged her friend.

“It’s part of the bestie code of conduct I think,” Sophia said.

“One day I’m going to repay you.”

“Just let Keir down easy and send him over my way. I’ve never dated an Irishman before, and I could get to see the Emerald Isle after all.” She wiggled her eyebrows.

Ave smirked. “I’ll put a good word in for you.”

“Oi, I didn’t expect to see you today. Made my day a million times brighter,” Keir said, standing from the desk to greet her in the doorway.

“Are you busy?”

“You know weekdays are fairly slow.” He wrapped an arm around her waist.

She allowed herself a moment to enjoy his warmth and strength. He smelled like the outdoors and the air in Ireland.

“I wasn’t sure I’d see you so soon after the other night.”

Me either
. “Yeah, I didn’t want to leave that as our last memory.”

“So I didn’t do anything wrong?” he asked.

“Oh, my goodness, not at all. I really did have an emergency.”

“That’s a relief.” He stepped closer.

Unconsciously, she took a half step back. He was broad shouldered, rugged, and handsome. She could recognize this because she wasn’t dead, but it did nothing more than make her smile. “I did want to come and talk to you. I know things between us have been moving in the direction of something more serious. But that’s going to stop now because I’m with Enzo.”

“When did this happen?”

“Last night.”

“And you think it’ll stick?” he asked, stepping closer.

She countered with a move until her back hit the wall. His arms rested on either side of her head. Her mouth went dry, and her heart rate increased. She’d never seen a hint of this side from him. “What are you doing, Keir?”

“Showing you why you’re making a mistake. I saw the way he let you down a few months ago. You were heartbroken. Do you want to chance that a second time?”

“Things between us are complicated, Keir.”

“And they aren’t between us because we work,” he said. His brown eyes stared a hole into her.

“Don’t do this. You’re a good friend. I don’t want to lose you.”

“For everything you say, there’s not ring on your finger. That means I still have a chance.”

She placed her hands on his chest and gave him a gentle push. “No, you haven’t.”

“Are you trying to convince yourself or me?”

“There’s no convincing necessary. We have a bond, I’ll admit it. But we come from the same place and have tons in common.”

“I know you in a way he never can.”

She frowned. “And how’s that, Keir?”

“You think you’re the only one whose father was aligned with the IRA?”

The words made her blood run cold. “Why are you talking about this?”

“Because it’s important to remember where you come from, and who helped shape you.”

Suddenly uneasy, she squirmed her way out of his body blockade. “That was the past, and I was a child.”

“Things have a way of following you,” he said.

The haunted expression on his face made her stomach turn. Did the IRA send him? The air left her lungs, and she stumbled from the shop
. What could they possibly want with Mom and me? I shouldn’t read too much into the words of a wounded man.
Pride was a dangerous thing; when threatened, a man could lash out as good as any catty female.
RIP to that friendship.