AllFreeNovel
Share Us
The dog laid down on his side and let me give him scritches to his belly. “Oh, you’re such a good boy! Whose dog is this?”
“That is my mother’s dog. Evidently, he likes you… I don’t know why.”
I gave him the once over from his head to his sock feet. “Well dogs do have a sense of good people. Maybe you’re just not a good person.”
“Yeah, whatever. Hold him while I get the fuck out of here.”
A frazzled looking woman appeared at the doorway just then, out of breath, clutching a dog leash to her chest, “How many times do I have to tell you to not run!”
I assumed she was talking to the mutt, but she wasn’t. She was looking straight at Rory standing atop my bed.
“Ma! Your dog wants my blood! Do you honestly think I’m just going to stand aroundwaiting for him to gnaw on my leg?”
She tsk’d as she came into the room. Stooping next to me, she clasped the leash to the dog’s collar and straightened with a look at me and a smile on her face. “He seems to like you!”
“He’s a sweetheart,” I said, returning the smile.
“Never mind Rory, he was always a little dramatic. Killer is just a baby. Aren’t you boy?” she crooned as the dog’s tail thumped against the carpet. She started walking towards the door, dog in tow, then stopped. Turning she said, “Oh, as I was coming up the stairs, Declan said for both of you to get to the dining room. Dinner is about to be served.”
Rory glared at me as he stepped down off the bed and shoved his way past towards the door.
I just stood there in complete awe at his audacity as I watched his retreating back and wondered what the hell just happened.
Chapter 7
Rory
My stomach starts to growl as Wren walks into the dining room carrying warm, buttered, homemade bread on a cutting board, followed by Connor who has a big pot that’s steaming like a witch’s cauldron in his hands.
He sets it between Declan and me while Wren takes her place by her husband and begins to ladle the hearty Irish stew into bowls. Handing one to Declan, he glances to the empty chair across from my mother. “Where’s Kat?”
I look up, and speak of the devil, she’s walking towards us. “She’s coming,” I say, while reaching for a slice of the bread. I’m rewarded with a rap on my knuckles with a soup spoon from my mother.
I drop it as my mother spits out, “Have you no manners? I know you do, because I taught you them!”
I watch as Kat takes her seat in silence as I rub my hand and say nothing in response. I don’t have to because Declan does.
“Mrs. Hennessy. I hope you’re comfortable in your suite?” He says with a tight smile.
Of course she would be. Coming from our tiny two-bedroom rental, the spacious suite she now has to herself and her mutt, must seem like she won the lottery.
“Please, call me Iris,” she beams. “And yes! It’s quite lovely.”
I knew from the look on his face, she wouldn’t be smiling for much longer.
Declan nods. “Good. If you want to stay and enjoy everything the estate has to offer, I suggest you start showing my right-hand man and future Captain of the family some respect.”
Under normal circumstances, I would be pissed that another man talked to my mother that way. Yeah, she hates me, but she is still my mother. But not Declan. Not only is he my boss, but he’s also my best friend and has always treated me like a brother.
Connor went to fill her bowl, but Declan stopped him. “Connor, we are about to conduct some business while we eat. Fill Iris’ bowl in the kitchen, will you?”
“Absolutely!” Pot in hand, he turned and started towards the kitchen. “C’mon Iris, let's go chow down in there while we watch Wheel of Fortune.”
My mother got up in a huff. Something she would need to learn to curb was her attitude. I always gave in to her just to keep the peace. But those days are gone.
After they left, I took the piece of bread I’d dropped and started dunking it into my stew as Wren stood and picked up her bowl.
“Where are you going?” Declan asked.
