Grim Offerings (Aisling Grimlock Book 2) (25 page)

“You’ll be fine.” I felt along the ground behind Angelina.

“What are you doing? Are you trying to feel me up?”

“Yes. I want to grab your ass. That’s what I’m doing.” There’s a reason I hate her. “I’m looking for … .” My fingers wrapped around a metal bar. I stood back up and studied the pipe. I had no idea what it was for, but it was the best option I had.

“Oh,” Angelina said.

“You’re such an idiot,” I grumbled. I turned back to face the wraith, brandishing the pipe for emphasis. “I’ve had a really rough day. I’m not above beating you to death with this, though. I was ready for a fight, and you’re as good an opponent as any.

“I can’t beat up Angelina now,” I continued. “You’ve ruined that. If I hit her now, I’ll be the bully because she’s already injured.”

“Suck it,” Angelina snapped.

“Now, you have a choice,” I told the wraith. “You can attack me and let me kill you, or you can live to creep around dirty parking lots another day. It’s up to you.”

“No, it’s not.”

I recognized Aidan’s voice, but I had no idea where it came from. The wraith started to turn, but it was too late. The blade of a knife appeared in the middle of its chest, and the wraith exploded into a pile of ash, leaving Aidan standing there covered with wraith ash and drowning in a pit of fury.

As the dust started to settle, I saw another set of murderous eyes regarding me from the spot next to Aidan. Griffin didn’t look happy.

“You’re in so much trouble they’re going to have to think of a new word for trouble,” Aidan said.

And I was right back where I started.

“I can’t believe you brought me back here,” I muttered.

Aidan pushed me through the garage door and into the back foyer of Grimlock Manor. He’d driven Dad’s Bentley back, and I’d opted to ride with him because I feared Griffin would spontaneously combust if I climbed into his car. He hadn’t spoken one word to me yet, and I was terrified the first word to escape his mouth was going to be “goodbye.”

“Aisling, I know you think we’re being unfair to you, but you are just … out of control,” Aidan said.

“I know.”

Aidan’s face softened. “What possessed you to leave? You knew they were looking for you. You’re almost too stupid to live. If this were a horror movie, you’d be the first one to die.”

“I just … I’m sick of being treated like a child. You have no idea what it’s like.”

“You’re sick of being treated like a child, so you decided to steal Dad’s car and walk straight into danger to prove you’re an adult?”

“It seemed like a good idea at the time. How did you even know I was there?”

“Woody called.”

“Of course.”

“What was Angelina doing there?” Aidan asked. He ushered me ahead of him and into the dining room. Everyone was seated around the rectangular table, their faces masks of bubbling anger as they awaited my arrival. Only Maya had the grace – or pity – to shoot a smile in my direction.

“Angelina was there?” Redmond asked.

“Yes. She and Aisling were going to fight in the parking lot for Queen of the Pointe honors,” Aidan said. He nudged me forward. “Sit down.”

The spot next to Griffin was open, but my body rebelled against the notion of heading in his direction.

“He can’t kill you,” Aidan said. “There are too many witnesses.”

I blew out a sigh and sat down, placing the cloth napkin on my lap and focusing on my empty plate. “What’s for dinner?”

“An ass chewing,” Redmond said.

“I don’t need to be talked down to again,” I said. “I know I’m stupid. You’ve all drilled it into my head.”

“You are stupid,” Dad said. “We probably shouldn’t call you stupid, though.”

I lifted my eyes. “Excuse me?”

“You’re not stupid,” Dad said. “You’re impulsive and annoying.”

“Use your words,” Maya prodded.

Oh, I saw what was going on here. In my absence, Maya had given all the men in my life a talking to about the proper way to speak to a woman.

Dad bit the inside of his cheek. “It has been brought to my attention that we might – and I stress might – have treated you poorly.”

“We apologize,” Braden said.

“I don’t,” Griffin said, reaching for a bread stick and ripping it in two.

“Griffin,” Maya warned.

“I’m not apologizing,” Griffin said. “I’m angry. I’m so angry I could just … .” He squeezed the breadstick until it was a mangled mess.

“I agree with Griffin,” Dad said. “I know I shouldn’t do this, but I don’t know what else to do.”

“Do what?” I challenged.

“You’re banned from this family. I have no other options.”

My brothers burst into simultaneous snickers.

“Well, great,” I said. “I’m happy to be out of the family. Maybe now I can go through a day without being referred to as stupid.”

“I’m sorry I called you stupid,” Dad said. “You’re stupid, though.”

“Oh, I know.”

“Stop rolling your eyes like that, young lady,” Dad said, pointing. “I hate it when you do that.”

“I hate it when you point at me and tell me what to do,” I shot back.

“I hate it when everyone fights,” Jerry said. “Can’t we all just get along?”

“Shut up, Jerry,” Dad said. “You’re as much to blame in this whole mess as she is.”

“Excuse me?” Jerry was shrill. “How is this my fault? I didn’t steal your car.”

“You knew she was antsy and you left her alone at the spa,” Dad said. “You know she can’t keep her nose out of trouble. You should have watched her more closely.”

“Oh, now Jerry is my babysitter?”

“I know, it boggles the mind,” Dad said. “I couldn’t leave the two of you alone in a room together until you were teenagers because I couldn’t decide which of you was the greater menace. You’ve edged him out, Aisling. Congratulations.”

I scowled.

“Cormack, I think you’re confused by your emotions,” Maya said.

“I’m not confused.”

“Are you really angry with Aisling?” Maya pressed.

“I’m furious.”

“Could it be that you’re not angry and that you’re really fearful because an enemy has targeted her?”

“Nope. I’m angry.”

“I think you’re all afraid,” Maya said, not backing down. “You’re obviously all attached to each other, and I think losing any member of this family would be devastating for everyone. I also think you channel your fear in unhealthy ways.

“Aisling is the one in danger, and yet Cillian almost died last week,” she continued. “You’re all in danger. You’re focusing on Aisling as a way to deal with the danger. While that’s understandable, I’m not sure it’s fair to her.”

“I don’t care about what’s fair,” Dad said. “I care about keeping her safe.”

“We all do,” Redmond said.

“There’s an interesting family dynamic here,” Maya said. “You all dote on Aisling, and she’s spoiled rotten as a result. She’s used to getting her own way, and you don’t have a problem making sure she gets her own way.

“However, when things shift, you all smother her in an attempt to protect her,” she said. “Now, instead of getting her own way, you all exert your wants and needs on her and demand she fall into line. You’re sending mixed messages.”

“I knew that year of psychology you took in college was going to come back to bite me,” Griffin said.

“Your issues with Aisling are different,” Maya said, ignoring the jab. “You’re a cop, and you’re used to people doing what you say. You’re trying really hard to treat her like an individual and respect her job and decisions, but you’re out of your depth because you’re still getting used to this family’s reality.”

“Thank you, Dr. Phil,” Griffin said, his eyes dark.

“Your other problem is that you fear if you unload on her, and I mean really unload, you’re going to scare her away,” Maya said.

“That is just … .” Griffin shook her head.

“If you’d take a moment to look at Aisling, you’d see that she’s sitting there terrified that you’re going to break up with her because she stole her father’s car and ran headlong into danger,” Maya said.

“I am not,” I mumbled.

“Now, everyone here needs to accept the fact that Aisling is an adult,” Maya said. “However impulsive she is, you guys helped create the problem. Now you have to deal with it.”

“We are dealing with it,” Dad said. “I’m locking her in her room and hiding the key.”

“You might want to try a softer approach,” Maya said.

“I’ll give her pillows,” Dad said.

Maya couldn’t hide her smile. “I was thinking more along the lines of a compromise.”

“Oh, you’re cute,” Cillian said, patting her hand. “Dad doesn’t compromise.”

“I compromise.”

“When have you ever compromised?” Braden asked.

“Is Aisling thirty yet?”

“No.”

“Well, her boyfriend is sitting at the table, and I vowed she wasn’t going to date until she was thirty,” Dad said.

“Oh, well, I stand corrected.”

“How about a mutually beneficial compromise,” Maya said, refusing to let the lead in the conversation get away from her.

“Like what?” Dad asked.

“Like Aisling agrees to stay here with you until this is settled,” Maya said.

I opened my mouth to argue, but Maya silenced me with a look.

“And you all agree to let her go back to work,” Maya added.

“No,” Dad said. “She’s not safe.”

“If she goes out with one of her brothers she’ll be protected,” Maya said. “You can’t lock her up like a prisoner.”

Dad considered the offer. “Only if she agrees that she can go out only on daylight jobs and at places where there are a lot of people.”

Maya glanced at me. “Aisling?”

“Only if Griffin can stay here, too,” I said.

“Fine,” Dad said.

“In my room,” I added.

“Don’t push me,” Dad said.

I crossed my arms over my chest.

“We’ll talk about it after dinner,” Dad said. “I think you’re getting ahead of yourself. Griffin doesn’t look as though he wants to be anywhere near you right now. I can’t lock him in the house just to make you happy.”

A swift look at Griffin told me Dad was right. I had no doubt he’d be sleeping under a different roof tonight.

“YOU
can’t stay in here with me.”

“I know,” Jerry said, shifting on my bed to get more comfortable. “I just want to make sure you’re okay.”

“I’m great.”

“You don’t look great.”

“Well, I feel great.”

“You don’t look it.”

“Jerry, I’m going to beat you if you don’t leave me alone,” I threatened.

Jerry sighed dramatically. “It’s going to be all right, Bug.” He kissed my cheek. “Your skin really is soft. If I wasn’t gay, I’d be all over you.”

“Well, that makes everything better.”

“Griffin didn’t leave,” Jerry pointed out.

“He didn’t speak to me.”

“No, but he didn’t leave.”

“I think that’s just because Maya is staying the night again,” I said. “He doesn’t want her to be here alone.”

“Oh, I can see there’s no talking to you tonight,” Jerry said. “We’ll talk in the morning.” He climbed off the bed.

“You’re sleeping in Aidan’s room, right? I don’t want to find you crawling back in here in the middle of the night.” I really just wanted to be left alone. Pouting is a lot more fun when you don’t have an audience.

“I am,” Jerry said. “I’ll wake you for breakfast.”

“I can’t wait.” I focused on the television when he left, the mindless sitcom playing out on the screen annoying me the longer I stared at it. I glanced up when I sensed a presence in the open door. Griffin was dressed in flannel sleep pants and a T-shirt, and his face was unreadable as he stared down at me. “I don’t feel like fighting.”

Griffin watched me for another moment, and then he walked into the room and shut the door behind him. That couldn’t be good. He was going to start screaming, and there was no one here to protect me if he decided it was easier to strangle me than deal with me.

Instead of speaking, he stopped in front of the television and shut it off and then moved to the side of the bed. “Scoot over.”

“What?”

“You’re in the middle of the bed,” he said. “I need room. Scoot over.”

I did as I was told, watching curiously as he slipped under the covers and settled next to me.

“What … are you staying in here with me?”

“Yes.”

“Aren’t you angry with me?”

“Yes.”

“Are you going to yell at me?”

“Would it do any good?”

“I have no idea,” I said.

“I think you’ve been yelled at enough for one day,” Griffin said. “I am still really angry with you, though.”

“I know.”

“Turn off the light.”

I hit the switch on my side of the bed, plunging the room into darkness. I could feel his presence next to me, even though he wasn’t moving. His breathing was even, and for a second, I wondered if he’d already dropped off.

“Turn your mind off, Aisling,” he said. “You need your rest.”

I pressed my eyes shut. After a few more minutes, I heard him sigh and then felt his body shift closer to mine. He wrapped his arm around my waist and pulled me so I was flush against him. “You make me really tired.”

“I’ve heard.”

He rubbed his cheek against my face. “We’re probably going to have a big fight tomorrow. I’m going to try really hard not to say something I’ll regret. You need to try to think before you act, though. You’re driving me crazy.”

“I … .”

“Don’t speak,” Griffin admonished. “You’ll ruin the moment.”

“What moment?”

“Go to sleep, Aisling,” he said.

“Fine. Good night.”

“Good night.” He rested his head against mine. “Your skin really is soft.”

“You should feel my butt.”

“Maybe tomorrow,” he said. “I’m too tired now.”

That’s not what a girl wants to hear. I squealed when I felt his hand.

“That’s nice, too,” he said. “Go to sleep.”

“Yes, sir.”

“See, you’re ruining the moment.”