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The voice of the arsehole wriggling in my grasp was definitely feminine, so I released her immediately and took several steps backward until Clover’s body was safely behind my legs.
The stairs creaked and groaned rapidly now as the second woman flew down them. Barreling straight into the one she’d called Jacqueline, she wrapped her in an embrace without once stopping to assess the danger.
It was a miracle they hadn’t been captured yet.
“Is there anyone else here?” I asked, listening closely for the sound of movement upstairs.
“Just you arseholes,” Jacqueline said, straightening her back as she assumed a similar stance to mine, stepping in front of her woman.
They were facing the widows of the bakery, so there was enough light to see their basic features. The one standing in front had dark skin and short gray hair, faded on the sides, while the one behind her, who’d come charging down the stairs like an eejit, had fair skin and white hair, cut to her shoulders.
“Apologies,” I grumbled, sounding more annoyed than remorseful. “We thought everyone was gone.”
“So sorry,” Clover echoed, standing behind me.
“We’ve been tryin’ to lie low, but that’s kinda hard to do with the two a yous here, bickerin’ loud enough to wake the dead.”
“Jack, be nice,” the white-haired woman snapped. “Ya heard what they were sayin’. The girl’s obviously been hurt or …” Her concerned eyes drifted to mine, looking for confirmation, but her words trailed off on a sudden gasp.
The woman stared at me for a second, mouth agape. Then, she swallowed and shook her head.
“Sorry.” She laughed, rubbing her palms on her tightly cinched white bathrobe. “I’m Kate.” Stepping out from around her partner’s stiff back, Kate extended her hand. “Don’t mind Jack. She’s retired military. All bark and no bite.”
“I’ll give you a bite.”
“Damien,” I announced, giving her frail hand a single shake.
“Clover,” Clo said, leaning out from behind me. She clutched the backward blazer to her chest as she reached a hand around it to shake Kate’s.
“Oh, darlin’,” Kate gasped, her gaze dropping to Clover’s bloody wrist before traveling to her bare hip and battered legs. “What happened?”
I glared at her over my shoulder, silently asking the same thing.
Clo dropped her eyes.
“No matter. We’ll get ya cleaned up.” Kate took Clo’s hand and tugged her gently away from me, but Clo dug in her heels, afraid to leave my side.
A tiny ember of hope flickered in the wasteland of my heart.
“It’s okay,” I said, turning toward her.
Then, I grasped the jacket by both shoulders, holding it open so that she could turn around and slip into it properly. Once it was on and buttoned, Clo turned back around and gave me a grateful smile.
“You have clothes she can wear?” I asked Kate, guiding Clo toward her with my hand on the small of her back.
“Clothes, toothbrushes, a hot shower … we’ll get her fixed right up.” Kate glanced at me quickly before ducking her chin and looking away. “Both of ya.”
“Thank you,” I muttered, holding Clover’s worried stare as Kate led her up the stairs.
“Shouldn’t you be fightin’ up in Dublin right now?” Jack asked, folding a pair of thick arms across her broad chest.
“Sorry?”
“The boots on that girl’s feet, your holster over there … you’re in the military. Or ya were.” Her black eyes narrowed to slits as she sized me up. “Boy, if I find out you defected, I’ll drag your arse back to Dublin myself.”
I turned so that my left side was visible in the light and lifted the edge of the bandage Clover had made for me on the boat. “Got shot during the attack. Full discharge.”
Jack hissed at the sight of my bullet wound and wrinkled her nose. “Fuck. You’re lucky to be alive.”
