JOEY

ACHING in places I never knew could hurt, I took Tony’s bad mood on the chin at work and navigated the extremely dangerous waters I found myself in, while trying not to collapse in a heap from the pain coursing through my body.

The pain in my back had worsened to the point where I was half afraid to take off my t-shirt and look in the mirror. I didn’t want to see what kind of damage that belt had done the other night.

Knowing that stripping off would only stress my pregnant girlfriend out further had been the reason I slept in a t-shirt and sweats the night before, much to her suspicion. Sleep had come easy, with the help of a couple of my mother’s prescription benzos that I’d popped in the bathroom after Molloy dozed off, but by morning I was feeling everything again.

Still, I scraped my ass out of bed, and made it to the garage on time, knowing that I had to prove myself to Tony Molloy now more than ever. Because for the first time in my life, I was on the outs with my boss, and it was not a good feeling.

Not one word had he spoken to me since the night we sat around his kitchen table with my parents, and the pressure was mounting.

When he pulled up at the garage this morning, and found me waiting at the door, I wasn’t entirely sure of how it would go down. When he didn’t outright tell me to go fuck myself, I stuck around and dodged every spanner, wrench, and ratchet he threw my way. And when I said threw my way, I meant at my head.

The man was beyond livid with me, and I didn’t blame him.

Worse than disappointing him, I’d taken his daughter down with me. Enduring his silent treatment and flying missiles, I kept my head down,

ignored my phone, and worked through lunch, unwilling to give him another reason to toss my ass to the curb.

Whatever way he wanted to handle it was fine by me. It wasn’t like I had a leg to stand on.

I’d fucked his daughter’s life up.

If the baby Molloy was growing turned out to be a girl, and she fell in with a scumbag like me, I would take leave of my senses just like Tony.

It was a little after five in the evening when he finally breached the stand- off by slamming a mug of coffee down on the trolley next to me. Not daring to say anything to piss him off further, I raised the mug to my lips only to halt in my tracks and eye the rim warily.

“Relax, I didn’t poison ya,” he grumbled, taking a sip from his own mug and then swapping it with mine to prove it. “Can’t be leaving my grandchild without a father.”

He was saying the words, but the look on his face assured me that he had thought about it.

“Thanks,” I muttered before taking a sip.

“What happened to your face?” “Walked into a door.”

He shook his head but didn’t push, choosing to take another sip of his

coffee instead.

Thankful for his small act of mercy, I swallowed down another mouthful of coffee. “So, are we going to do this?”

“You want to do this now?” “No time like the present.”

“Fine,” he said, giving me a hard look.

“Fine,” I replied, giving him the respect that he deserved by keeping eye contact with him, while my conscience screamed it’s showtime. Get ready for the pain.

“You let me down, Joey.”

Christ, hearing him say it out loud hurt worse than I thought it would. “I know, Tony.”

“But worse than that, you let my daughter down.”

“Yeah.” Jaw ticking, I nodded stiffly. “I know that, too.” “What are you going to do about this mess?”

“I’m going to step up.”

“Step up.”

I nodded stiffly. “Do whatever Aoife wants me to do.” “What about what Trish and I want you to do?”

“That too.” I shrugged. “As long as it aligns with what your daughter

wants.”

“You’re going to stick by her?” “I am.”

“Are you going to marry her?”

“If that’s what she wants.” “What do you want?” “Her.”

He stared hard at me for a long moment before blowing out a frustrated breath. “Goddammit, Joey, this would be so much easier if I didn’t like you.”

Yeah, I know.

“She might be having your baby, but she’s still my baby,” he snapped. “She will always be my baby. I would die for her. I would kill for her. I know you’re a good lad, but I’m telling you now, man to man, if you ever consider laying so much as a finger on my daughter or that child—”

“You wouldn’t have to kill me, Tony,” I cut him off and said. “I’d do it myself.”

“I’m not saying that I think you would, but you know why I have to say this to you, don’t ya? I have time for ya, boyo, you know that, and I know you love her, but the home you come from, and the man you were raised by…” His words broke off and he dragged in a sharp breath before leveling me with a warning look. “Do we understand each other?”

Sick to my stomach, and feeling like I’d taken a knife to the back, I forced myself to swallow down the bitter taste of betrayal and nod stiffly. “Yeah, Tony, we understand each other.”

“I’m not saying that I think you’d do it,” he offered. “But you’re—”

“I’m my father’s son,” I filled in flatly. “I get it.”

 

 

“WELL?” Molloy demanded down the line as I walked home from work that evening. “How did it go? Was he horrible? Are you okay? Did he hit you? Tell me that he didn’t hit you—”

“Molloy, take a breath. I’m grand,” I cut her off by saying before she could launch a full-blown interrogation. “I’m almost home. I’m going to grab a shower and check on the kids, and I’ll swing by your place afterwards.”

“So, you’re really okay?”

Not even close. “Yeah, Molloy, it’s all good.” “What did he say?”

“He asked me if I planned on marrying you.”

“Oh my god,” she groaned dramatically. “What did you say?”

“I told him that we already got married in secret, and that you got my name tattooed on your ass instead of a wedding ring.”

“You did not say that to my dad.”

“No, I didn’t,” I chuckled. “How are you feeling?”

“The same as I was when you last asked,” she mused. “Chill, Joe, I’m still me.”

Thank fuck for that.

“Well, I’m literally down the street from your house,” she added. “I have the car, so just call me when you’re ready and I’ll come get you.”

“You at Casey’s flat?”

“Yep. I’m putting highlights in her hair. I had to get out of my house or I was going to stab my brother with a spoon.”

“If you’re going to stab him, use something sharper.” “Like a knife?”

“Maybe just a fork. We don’t need you having that kid in prison.”

She laughed down the line. “I’d look hot in stripes.”

“You definitely would,” I agreed. “Listen, hang up, and I’ll call you later.”

“Love you.”

“Love you back.”

Ending the call, I slid my phone into my pocket only to retrieve it once more when it started ringing.

Not bothering to read the display screen, I clicked accept and put the phone to my ear. “No, Molloy, stripes don’t make you look fat, and no, you haven’t put on weight, either, and yes, even if you do put on weight, I’ll still want you just as much as I want you now—”

“Joey, come home. Come home quick!” Ollie screamed down the line. “Please, come home. Daddy’s going to kill her!”

“Who, Ollie?” I demanded, as my legs broke into a run in the direction of my house. “Is it Mam?” My heart jackknifed in my chest. “Is he hurting Mam?”

“Shannon!” Ollie screamed down the line. “He’s killing Shannon!”