Page 47 of An Angel’s Share (The Greystone Family: Greystone Brothers #1)

Jonno

I can’t stand it anymore. I know Seamus is ill, but this guy is history. Not only a fucking thief, but a nasty, negative man to go with it. Fuck this. She’ll have to decide if she wants me or not. Out in the open. I’m done hiding in the shadows.

“Well, I suppose that’s the thing, isn’t it. It’s not actually your baby at all, Liam. It’s mine.”

He comes at me swinging. The roar is from the souls of his feet. I see Evie drag Aoife out of the way, just in time. What a twat, no thought for her, just to make himself feel better. Seamus grabs both the girls and pushes them behind the settee as I wrestle the enraged bull to the floor.

He’s trying to punch, and I’m trying not to laugh.

“She’s not even your fucking fiancé. You’re being fucking paid, you fuck wit.

You ought to be paying her to even consider it.

She is so far above you, all you can do is kiss her fucking feet.

” I spout all this loudly, cool and calm.

He may be out of his mind, but I am the epitome of collected, serene.

I have a full on chuckle in my voice. I want him to know how pathetic I think he is. My lack of respect evident.

The bull-like roar gets louder and is drawing a full crowd. No going back now, I’m going to hang everything out there.

“Go fuck your assistant. Your penthouse princess. Oh, but you can’t, as you can’t afford the apartment.” I’m spewing whatever shit I want, and it’s winding him off the clock. “I’ll look after my wife-to-be, and my son.”

“I’ll kill you, you wait, I’ll fucking ruin the lot of you.” He’s swinging and shouting like a madman, and only just landing a few blows.

I see Jackson and Jude standing in the doorway, smirking at me on the floor. They won’t help yet, they’re enjoying it too much. The bastards. Mae comes shrieking into the room, obediently followed by Maggie, and runs for Seamus, pleading with Liam to stop hurting me. Huh?

I decide to stop the fun, and flip him over and pin him to the floor.

“Now you listen to me, you little prick. You’re going to leave this house.

Take all your shitty belongings. They”—I nod my head towards Seamus and Aoife, as my hands are occupied holding him down—“are not going to pay you any more money. You can tell anyone what you want—you dumped her, it didn’t work out.

Whatever helps you sleep at night. But if I hear you bad mouth her or them, I’m coming for you.

And trust me, you won’t like the punishment we”—I look at my brothers who are grinning like Cheshire cats—“can dish out.” My tone has gone from cool and disinterested to venomous and vicious.

He is in no doubt I will carry out my threats.

I jump up in one fluid movement and move towards Aoife and Evie.

Liam’s eyes are crazed. Jackson steps up to flank us in case he goes for the pregnant women.

Jude moves in front of Christy, who has come in with Marshall and Dermot.

Everyone’s here, the lounge full to capacity for this show.

I see Tommy and nod at him. Everyone is ready for action.

“I’ll fucking ruin the lot of you. Tell the world about your fraud, your embezzlement of the Trade Board.”

“Do that and you ruin yourself,” I sneer at him. “You’re the fucking finance director. Job title—Responsible for Finance and Compliance.”

“I’ll sue for defamation,” Aoife adds.

I look at the two women. I’m sure if given half a chance they would jump into the fray and get a few punches in. They’re fucking amazing, and they will not be cowed.

Aoife pulls herself up to her full height. “I want out of our arrangement, Liam. I want you out of my home, and out of our company.” She points to herself and Patrick.

His lip curls as he looks at where she’s pointing. “You’ll be out of business in a month if you let him be in charge. I have saved this fucking company from him. Every shitty business idea he has, I’ve saved it from being a disaster.”

Patrick looks shaken, but doesn’t go down. “Liam, we’ve worked together. A lot of those ideas you came up with, I just supported them and championed them. Not all of them were me. I could have done it by myself.”

“Oh Patrick, you wouldn’t know a good idea if it hit you in the face. The only good thing you did was get off with your assistant and try and buy her an apartment with your wife’s money. And you couldn’t even manage that in the end.”

Patrick goes bright red. His eyes shoot to Christy.

“More lies,” Christy spits back at him. “Patrick did not get off with that woman at the hotel.

She confirmed it. And as for the apartment, we have bought it.

It was transferred into my name this morning.

So your scheme to rob my inheritance has not gone through, Liam.

Money laundering other people's money is a crime, you know.”

Well done, Christy. I grin at her, and she moves to take Patrick’s hand. He has tears in his eyes.

“I want four million to go. Consider it a severance package. Otherwise I’m telling the world Aoife’s a whore.

A woman who slept with so many men, she didn’t know who the father was.

Everyone will listen, no one likes her. Thinking she can tell me what to do, all our senior managers.

Fucking bitch, you owe me money. Give me my fucking money.

” Screaming the words, he steps towards Aoife. But I step up, as does Jackson.

Seamus steps in front of us all. “Get out of my house. You will not see one euro more of our money. You have disrespected me, my daughter, and my family. You will not stay one more minute here. Your things will be sent on. Leave your contact details and get out immediately.”

Jackson nods to Tommy and both men step forwards to flank Liam.

He starts to laugh. “You think you’ve won? You think I’ll go quietly? Well, I won’t. You fucking owe me for putting up with her. And him.” He points at Patrick.

“OUT!” shouts Seamus. Tommy and Jackson grab an arm each and lift Liam’s feet from the floor, propelling him forwards to the front of the house.

They manhandle him into the Range Rover, and Tommy jumps into the driver’s seat.

Jackson shoves Liam into the middle seat in the car, and Jude goes out to get on the other side.

Classic Greystone pincer movement. I nod at my brothers as the car roars off down the drive.

We all stand outside in the sunshine, everything looks green and glorious, the house shining out behind us.

Mae starts to sniffle and sob and Seamus puts his arm around her. “Don’t worry, Mae, we’ll sort everything.”

He indicates for Aoife to go to him, and she puts her arms around her parents. “Don’t be upset, Mammy. I’m not on my own, I’ve got Jonno. He is the baby’s father. I just hadn’t told you the full truth about America.”

Mae starts to wail louder. I’m not feeling the love at this point.

All heads swivel my way. I stand confident, a full on Alpha male.

I don’t give a shit. “I am the father of that baby. We are getting married, and we are going to raise the baby together, here.” I state this with absolute conviction.

I then soften my voice, smiling at them all.

“As a family, if you’ll have me.” Go big or go home. One of our family codes of conduct.

When Aoife holds her hand out towards me, I stride over and take it, kissing her in front of everyone.

Evie rushes me, hugging me. She then turns to Aoife.

“I hope you still want us all in your life, Aoife. We love our brother, even though he is a bit thick at times. I’m sorry if we upset you, I know we are a lot.

” She takes Aoife’s hands in hers. “But please know, he was just trying to protect you. All of you.” She smiles round at Patrick and Christy, holding on tightly to each other.

I step forward. I want everyone to know, the whole crowd. They are mine.

“I love you, Aoife, and I love our baby already. Will you please say yes to us being together? Getting married? I know you’re upset that I could think you were a thief, but I didn’t, not really.” I wait for her response.

“I think you did think that, Jonno,” she states, her face deadpan.

Oh, fuck . “But the fact that you would ignore that, and wanted us to be together anyway. Well, it just told me how much you actually did love me.” She smiles directly into my eyes, my body starting to hum, the inferno starting to blaze.

I pull her into my arms. “Before or after the baby is born?” I bat my eyes at her. She laughs.

“Before. I want us to be together officially as soon as possible. And I don’t have long left. I’ll be waddling down the aisle.”

“We can do it in the church here. Just us, if you want. Wear those sleep shorts if you like, I liked those.” I’m grinning like a Cheshire cat.

Mae looks at us in horror. She wants a society wedding. “Please no, Aoife no, do the registry office now, but please give me a big wedding next year. I’ve got the wedding planners booked.”

Aoife shakes her head at her mammy, and looks at me.

“I will give you whatever you want. Just ask me, and I’ll give it to you. Whatever you need. I’m all in, baby.” Tears start in her eyes as I repeat the words I said to her a little over a month ago.

“I love you, Jonno Greystone.”

“Not as much as I love you, Dr Aoife no middle name O’Clery.”