Page 17 of An Angel’s Share (The Greystone Family: Greystone Brothers #1)
Patrick’s face suddenly falls, taking on a much more serious demeanor.
“Oh God, if Marshall leaves, it might mean we have Marshall's daughter turning up to take over. No offence, Jonno, but she hardly knows anything about the whiskey business. It’ll be a disaster, kill all we’ve achieved.
Maybe I can talk him into passing his shares on to me. I am the natural successor.”
He grins widely at us all. Every cloud in Patrick’s life has a silver lining. There’s good to be found in any disaster. A flood? Don’t worry, we’ll all learn to swim. Famine? Don’t worry, we all needed to lose weight. The man is irrational in his positivity. It’s a curse with him.
“And I’m sure she will be too busy with all her kids and husbands,” snipes Liam.
I’m shocked. What the hell is Patrick saying? He is crazy. Successor to whom? Achieved what? How to run a business into the ground. Does he not know how bad things are? Is he so focused on the gloss he hasn’t even looked underneath the hood.
I’ve gone red in the face and am just about to launch at him, when I feel Jonno put his hand on my arm to stop me. He shakes his head ever so slightly.
“Be careful what you wish for, Patrick. If you want rid of Marshall, fair enough. But he wouldn’t sign his share over to you. It will go to Evie, and you would not survive her, her kids, or her husbands. I’d pray for Marshall to stay, if you’re smart.”
Turning to me, his voice gentles. “Aoife, go up into the house. Get some rest. I’ll get tea sent up for you. Are you hungry? Do you need to eat?”
My insides glow, even in the face of Patrick's foolish statements, and Liam's nasty ones. Even when he’s being a bastard to everyone, Jonno’s watching out for me.
My head is all over the place with him. How does he do that?
But I can’t deny I like it. He’s taking care of me.
Putting me first regardless of any situations.
Me, Aoife—and baby, of course—first. I like it.
“A sandwich, please. Ham and cheese. I’ll have forty winks and be down for dinner.”
“More food darling? Surely you can wait?—”
I walk away. Turn on my heel and strut off into the house. My blood starts to boil with Liam. Fuck him.
“Darling? darling!” I carry on walking as he runs and catches me up. “Don’t walk away, darling.”
He pulls on my arm and I stop and turn, ready to blast the dipstick. Who the hell does he think he is? “Don’t tell me what to do. And don’t tell me what to eat. It’s none of your business what I do. If I want food, I’ll get it.”
“I’m just trying to ensure you’re healthy,” he counters, but I can see in his eyes he doesn’t mean it.
“Fuck your healthy,” I shout, pointing my index finger into his chest.
Liam steps back, surprised. “Language, Aoife. And your mammy just said this morning she was worried about how much you were eating. I’m just concerned, that's all.” He changes his expression to one that looks like he’s worried, ramping up the act as more family members appear at the racket I’m making.
“I’ll eat what I want, you just keep out of my way. I have a baby to feed, if you haven’t noticed.”
“Oh yeah, I noticed.” His facade drops a little. “I just don’t want you to be fat, and affect your blood pressure. Not to mention shifting the baby weight for our next real baby.”
My mouth drops open, my mammy’s favourite saying coming out of his.
I don’t get a chance to shout back, as he disappears from view. Liam is laying on the floor, sprawled out, blood trickling from his nose.
“Speak to her like that again, and I’ll fucking kill you.
” Jonno’s arm is cocked back, his hand in a tight fist, ready to deliver another heavy punch to Liam’s face.
He’s shouting like a man possessed. And I see a different man now.
One in full alpha protective mode. He’s stood in front of me, shielding me from everyone.
Marshall has sprung out of the study with Daddy, and gently takes hold of Jonno’s arm, preventing him from getting another go at Liam. Liam wisely stays on the floor, with Patrick flapping ineffectually around him.
“Now I’m sure there is no need for that,” states a shocked Patrick, trying to help Liam off the floor. Liam looks like he doesn’t want to get up, fending off Patrick’s help, welding himself to the floorboards.
Jonno points his finger at Liam, and I see Daddy and Marshall look at each other.
“Speak to her like that again. I’m warning you.
” His voice is so low and aggressive, it's almost undecipherable. The intent behind it, however, is loud and clear. He shrugs Marshall off, but to be fair to Marshall, he’s glaring at Liam too. So is Daddy.
Daddy comes over and takes me into a hug. “Are you okay, do you need something? You look a bit pale.”
“I’m fine, Daddy, just a bit tired and hungry. I only wanted a small sandwich to keep my blood sugar up. Obviously it’s become an issue.”
Liam is trying to defend himself from the floor, waving his arms around and pointing at Mammy, who has appeared with Maggie.
I walk away, refusing to get pulled into an argument with any of them. I can’t be bothered with all this point scoring. It’s so futile. I go straight upstairs to the sound of Daddy chastising Liam.
As I slam my door, the tears start. What have I got myself into? The man I’m supposed to marry is an idiot, and the man who wants my baby is a virtual stranger. A man I should not want. But I do. Granda Healey, help me please.