Page 73 of The Games We Play

I speak to her, but I look at him. “The thing is, when people get you to do something once, they’ll keep coming back to ask you over and over again.” I realize I’m talking about Cillian as much as I am Samantha. “If I hear of you trying to extort money from Spark again, I will do the one thing Spark can’t do, and that’s make sure you disappear for good.”

Sam fronts up to me. “You wouldn’t dare.”

“I’m an Ó Ceallaigh. My family runs New York. Try me.”

Samantha looks at me for a breath, then at Spark, who has stepped up behind me. What she sees makes her leave.

Spark collapses onto the chair and places his head in his hands. “It was once,” he says gruffly.

“What was?” I kneel in front of him and pry his hands from his face.

He holds my fingers gently. “Three nights after I got home, after I was medically discharged. I had a nightmare. Woke up in the middle of the night thinking I was still fighting. One time. Hasn’t happened again since.”

I stroke the side of his face. “I trust you. She cheated on you?”

“Yeah.”

I’m quiet for a moment. I can’t imagine what being cheated on feels like. Losing your trust in the one person who mattered most. “You know, no one walks like that naturally. I think she may still have the hots for you.”

Spark cups my cheeks. “I didn’t notice.”

I look up at him. “You couldn’t miss it.”

He kisses me tenderly. “You done wasting energy being jealous of someone who doesn’t matter to me?”

He’s right. That’s exactly what I’m doing.

“She cheated on me with the guy who used to live next door while I was away. I’ve got no time for cheats and liars.”

The wordscheatsandliarscouldn’t have hurt more if he’d punctuated them with his fist. “You deserve better.” Better than her. Better than me.

“Not sure they make them better than you, little chick.” His thumb strokes my face.

And the words shred my heart to pieces.

“Never thought I’d see the day where you threaten someone like that.I’m an Ó Ceallaigh. Might have turned me on." He kisses me again. “What a fucking day.”

“Bed?”

He smiles at me. “I wish, but first I need to fix the fact I sent her away with the key to my house. I need someone to come change the locks.”

Fifteen minutes later, Bates, Clutch, and Gwen arrive.

Clutch walks in and hugs Spark, giving him a slap on his back. “Heard there was a party over here. Thought we’d come see what the fuck was going on.”

Gwen smiles and hugs me. “I’m so happy to see you again under much better circumstances. Did his ex really show up?”

Spark scowls at Bates. “Did you have to tell everyone? I just needed you to come change the locks.”

“In fairness, we were in the middle of a poker game,” Clutch says.

“And I was the only one sober enough to drive because I’d just got off a long shift at the hotel,” Gwen says. “I went to see if this one needed a ride home.” She shoulder checks her boyfriend.

“Just a ride would have done,” Clutch mutters, and I can’t help but smile.

They have their own family. Their own loyalty. Their own code.

And sometimes I want that for myself so badly I can taste it.