Chapter 9

"I hate you," Sadie screams as she runs into the kitchen this morning and latches onto my leg. Her sobs have me untangling myself and squatting to her level.

"What's wrong?" I ask her.

"I hate him," she says, followed by a sniffle. "I don't want to go to that stupid school."

Remembering once again why I am pissed at Darragh, I do my best to hold in my chuckle. It was obvious the second I stepped into the meeting at the school why he wanted me to attend; he needed me to pretend to be his fiancée. The school has a stupid policy about unwed parents, some bullshit about their values.

Apparently, we are to be married in a small affair with only friends and family present. I should have outed him—a public school closer to where his cousin lives would be as nice and just as suitable. But I didn't because Eloise came running back in and threw herself at me, saying how much she loved it there, her tour guide having just given her a personal tour of the stables.

"Why do you hate him? He really is trying his best. All of this is new to him."

She sighs. "The school sucks, and everyone is so stuffy. I can't be me."

"That sucks, and the uniform is hideous. But, Sadie, it is an excellent school. Why don't I make you some breakfast and if Darragh says it's okay, maybe I could take you to school today?"

I'm going into The Range today for the first time since the renovations have been completed. Ronan's team worked fast.

Sadie claps her hands, and I find the ingredients I need in the pantry to make pancakes.

Cian comes into the kitchen on his crutches—he gave up on trying to hop everywhere. "There you are."

"Here I am," I say, putting the ingredients onto the counter. Cian puts his crutches aside and takes a seat on the stool at the kitchen island next to Sadie.

I whip up the pancakes; they are the one thing I can make with ease. Sadie talks to Cian about school, and he tells her almost the same thing as me.

"Has anyone seen Ha—" Sullivan stops talking when he enters the kitchen. "Never mind."

He walks over to me and wraps his arms around my waist from behind. "Do you have any plans today?" he asks, and I nod.

"I do, Ronan is taking me into The Range. He said you guys have a meeting, so I figured I would see the girls and Dylan."

"It looks like you had the same thought process as me. I was going to ask if you wanted to come," Sullivan says and then quickly glares at Cian. "Don't even say it."

Cian holds up his hands. "I would not say anything where small ears could hear."

Cian leans over and covers Sadie's ears. "But if you do want to cum," he says, wiggling his brows.

The banter dies down from sexual innuendos to Sadie and Cian thumb wrestling, and Sullivan stands behind me while I cook the pancakes, making it extremely hard to concentrate.

Ronan is next to find us, and he casually walks into the room. Fuck, he is gorgeous. Everything about him makes me want to drop to my knees and beg for whatever scraps he wants to throw my way. He smiles when he notices I'm staring, then comes to this side of the kitchen and places a kiss on my cheek. Sullivan barely moves to give him enough room.

"Do you think it would be okay if I dropped the girls at school? If Darragh will let me, of course. Sadie is having a hard time adjusting."

"If Darragh is okay with it," he says, moving across the kitchen to make himself a cup of coffee.

Darragh chooses that moment to walk in. Reid is by his side, and Eloise skips in behind them with a huge smile on her face. She climbs up on the stool beside her sister, on the opposite side of Cian.

"I get to ride a pony today," Eloise chirps. "His name is Lightning."

Darragh mumbles under his breath about how expensive it was to buy her the damn horse.

"Harper is taking me to school today," Sadie announces, cutting off her sister. Darragh turns to look at me, and I gulp.

"I am your fiancée, after all," I say, trying to lighten the mood.

"You're what?" Sullivan snaps.

"Didn't you all hear the news? We're getting married. It's only friends and family attending, and my engagement ring is at the jeweler. You know, because it is an old family heirloom and needs to be resized."

Sullivan looks ready to murder Darragh, Cian is smirking, and Ronan has a brow raised.

"You didn't tell them yet?" Darragh asks me. Sullivan takes a step toward Darragh, and I grab the back of his shirt.

"He told the girls' school we were getting married. That's why he wanted me there."

Sullivan turns to Reid. "Can you get the girls in the car, please? I need a word with Darragh."

Sadie slips down off her stool. "Harper, are you coming?"

I nod. "I will meet you in the car, I promise."

She smiles big and runs out of the kitchen. Sullivan waits until they are gone. "You seriously told the fucking school you are getting married?"

Darragh shrugs. "Sure, why not? Since you three are all so keen on her sticking around, I figured there was no harm in it."

Cian spins around on his chair to watch the action go down.

"No harm in it?!" Ronan bites out. "For fuck's sake, she was so fucking happy to go to the meeting to help the girls, and you used her?"

"Just drop it," I interject. "It's fine."

"You can't keep letting him treat you like shit," Sullivan says.

This time it's me who walks up to him and wraps my arms around his abs, resting my head against his chest. "I'm a big girl, and I don't need you to protect me from him. We have an understanding. Let's face it, one of his daughters hates him right now, and she loves me—he needs me."

Sullivan's chest rumbles beneath me. "Are you sure?"

"I am. I'm just the whore his daughters love, and they feel safe with me. Plus, the asshole has been teaching me self-defense, so I can karate chop him in the neck and kick him in the nuts like a pro."

Cian laughs. "If anyone ever gets to marry you, it's me."

"No fucking way," Sullivan says. "I saw her first."

Cian cackles. "This isn't an ‘I saw her first' situation."

Back and forth they bicker, until Ronan eventually snaps. "Shut the fuck up! I'm the boss, so it would be me, obviously. Now, Harper, take the girls to school with Cian. Your security will follow behind. Darragh and Van, you're with me."

Darragh opens his mouth but thinks better of it. I look at him and ask for permission silently, and he nods, even if he doesn't look happy about it.

Everyone files out of the kitchen—Cian first, then Ronan, Sullivan, me, and Darragh last. As I walk through the archway from the kitchen, Darragh grabs my elbow and pulls me into his body.

"I'm going to see John on Friday if you want to see your grandmother."

At my nod, he releases me. I have spoken to my grandmother a lot over the phone, but I haven't been emotionally strong enough to see her in person. She will know something is wrong, and I will break. I won't have her see me that way.

If Darragh comes with me, I won't allow myself to fall apart—not in front of him. There is no way I could let him see me so vulnerable around my grandmother. That, and she might murder me for cutting my hair. Okay, not really, but she will have a very strong opinion.

The girls are strapped in by the time I get to the green mom car, and Cian is in the front seat with Taylor Swift playing on the stereo, both girls singing along.

As I get into the driver's seat, I have to pull it forward a little and adjust the mirrors, but thank god it's not a stick shift—I fucking loathe driving those. Darragh reversed the car into the garage, so I pull straight out into the driveway. As I get to the gate, a black SUV pulls in behind us. I hate the fact we have to be followed, though I get the reason. My nerves were on edge the first time Callum showed up. He is my main security, and if he isn't available, Ronan sends one of his regular guys, normally Kayne.

Once we clear both gates, it's smooth sailing, until we get to the end of the next street and see Reid walking down the road.

"Hey," I call out after I've pulled over. She comes over to my open window.

"What's up?" she asks.

"Why are you walking? There are zero bus stops around here."

That makes her laugh. "I know. It's a pain in the ass to get here from Huntersville, and then to race over the bridge to get to school, but money is money."

"Get in. We'll give you a lift. The girls' school is over the bridge, so you will at least be closer."

Reid smiles and climbs in the back with the girls. "Thank you. Normally, my best friend, Tyde, will ride his dirt bike and come get me, but he didn't answer his phone this morning."

Cian pulls the visor down and looks in the little mirror. "Do you have a license?" he asks, and Reid nods.

"Good, we'll fix up a car for you, maybe even this monstrosity. You can drive the girls to school once Darragh trusts you. He has mentioned getting them a driver, but this saves time and money, though some of the time you'd be lumped with Dusty—she is the girls' personal security. Ronan has security on all our asses now."

"I can't afford that, honestly, and I don't mind the walk. It only takes forty minutes for me to get to the bus stop, and the bus takes me straight to school."

Well that's fucked up. What time does this girl get up in the morning? She travels from Huntersville to the house—walking in the dark if she has to—then after her morning shift, she crosses the bridge to a whole new level of wealthy to catch the bus back to Huntersville. The mansions on our side of the bridge are fuck-off big, but you have seen nothing until you glimpse what's over there.

Once we cross the bridge and join the line to drop the girls off, I realize the O'Briens' wealth doesn't even begin to compare. Children are being dropped off by their personal drivers, in cars I could never imagine being able to stand next to, let alone afford.

The girls go off happily, and as we pull up to the curb at Reid's school—our security still behind us—I take a deep breath and turn to Cian. "How much will Darragh kill me if I give Reid the car?" Before he can answer, I turn to Reid. "Do you have your driver's license on you?"

Reid grabs her backpack and pulls it onto her lap, producing her license from her wallet.

"And you realize if you do anything stupid with the car, especially with the girls inside, Darragh is unhinged?"

Reid smiles. "I know who he is, but I am a safe driver and the girls' security is up my ass every time I'm with them, so I'm sure she will report back to the boss man."

"It's your call," Cian says. "I can tell him I gave her the car. However, after seeing that line at drop off, know that I'm having a word with him anyway, as no nieces of mine will be known as the poor children. We need to get something flashy which says: ‘Fuck your money! We're the O'Briens and you better watch your back.'"

It's settled, Reid will take the car today and Callum can drive us to The Range. If I'm being honest, I'm a little excited to tell Darragh; annoying him is slowly becoming my favorite pastime.

Callum pulls up at The Range and parks behind Ronan's Jeep. My anxiety has risen as we have drawn closer and it's hard to breathe. How can I walk back in there after what happened to me behind those doors? Cian comes up beside me and interlaces his hand with mine, giving it a little squeeze.

"Sweetheart, if it's too hard, we don't have to go in."

Taking a deep breath, I stare at the brand-new pink neon sign.

"I have to go in, otherwise I let them win. Cian, I need to take back control. I want my life back. I miss being touched—my love language is fucking."

Cian chuckles. "I feel like I should get down on one knee right now, since our love languages are identical."

"You're lucky you have a pretty face, Cian O'Brien."

"You think I'm pretty?" he says with a wide grin which might crack his face in half.

I shake my head. "Of course I do. I'm pretty sure there isn't a woman alive who doesn't think you are pretty."

Finding my courage, I take a step toward the entrance, then another. But when we get to the door and Cian pulls it open, I momentarily stumble. The old grandmotherly feeling of the entrance has been replaced and the entire room screams luxury. It has been repainted and has new furniture. Tears lace my eyes. The Range has always been home, and while there is nothing here which feels like that anymore, I'm not sad—those things are in the past with the old me. I think Ronan understood. It scares me how the man can see right through me, and instead of words, he follows up with actions.

"Oh my gosh!" Bells squeals as she runs toward me. "You're back! Holy fuck! Everyone, Angel is back!"

One by one, the staff all pile out and surround me, then Dylan is pushing his way through and wrapping me in his arms. A throat clearing has me taking a step back, and Dylan unwinds his arms. Ronan stands in the entryway, and his eyes burn holes into Dylan.

"Hands off my woman, or you'll lose them. Everyone in the back room for a staff meeting."

Everyone walks slowly into the back, and I follow behind them. My mouth falls open at the remodeled room—it's set up conference style and is way more sophisticated than The Range has seen before.

Every worker we have—between day shift and night—is here, and they all wait silently for Ronan to begin.

"Thank you all for coming," he says, stepping forward. "I personally want to welcome everyone back. I know the time off was not ideal, and as a result, we have lost a couple of workers. By now I have met every one of you over the last few weeks, and as you all know, since the sale, I have made some changes. There have been major upgrades to the rooms to ensure your safety. We have added panic buttons, along with on-sight security, who have been vetted by myself and my own security team. I'm sure you are all busting at the seams to know what my big surprise is, and the wait is over. I'm not your boss anymore."

"What?" Angie says. "You sold already?"

Ronan laughs. "No, when I purchased The Range, it was never intended for me. Harper will be the one you will all answer to."

Wide eyes turn to face me, and Dylan whistles while the girls all clap. When the excitement dies down, I say, "I'm so excited to be taking over. I still can't believe it."

Bells puts her hand up to speak. "Um, what happens to your clients? Can I schedule them again?"

"Only if they want to die," Sullivan snaps.

"Or they can watch me fuck my girl. I'm not shy," Cian adds, making the room laugh.

"Okay, enough of that. Harper will not be working the rooms any longer. She is your boss, and I expect you to treat her as such. Opening night is Friday, and your schedules will be emailed to you on your way out today. Bells has all your starting bonuses, which should cover your time off. Now, one last item of business and you can all go. This room is off limits unless you are invited inside by Harper. If you are caught in here or loitering around this room, you will be fired."

Darragh snorts. "Fired is not the word I would use."

"Pretty sure they understand Ronan's subtlety—this end of the building is off limits. Thank you all for coming and I will see you Friday," I say.

Everyone gets up and leaves the room, and I make my way over to Ronan. As I pass Darragh, I pause for a moment. "FYI, Reid has the car. What sort of dick makes a teenage girl walk forty minutes to a damn bus stop just so she can get to school?"

Darragh opens his mouth, but Cian cuts him off. "Oh, she isn't keeping that car, either. You are buying her something flash which says, ‘Fuck your wealthy asses, we are the fucking O'Brien's, and we are here to make a statement.' I was thinking a monster truck would do it, but I will leave that up to you."

Darragh blinks and then flips Cian off. Ronan is smirking at me when I finally reach him, and I throw my arms around his neck. "Thank you."

"You don't have to thank me, Harper, or any of us. This is what we do for people we care about."

"Correction, people you're fucking. I didn't get no brothel given to me," Darragh says with an exaggerated sigh. I flip him off, and he laughs.

"You're just jealous you didn't get to try me out before I retired. And before you throw the word whore at me, remember who frequented my establishment. Ronan sent me over the financials, and Dylan made a lot of money from a certain Irish man."

Darragh falls into a chair and throws his legs carelessly up onto the table. "What can I say? The guy is flexible and loves to be manhandled."

Ronan and Sullivan looked shocked at his admission.

"So you're gay now?" Cian says. I can hear something in his tone, maybe a little jealousy laced with frustration.

Darragh throws his head back and laughs. "I don't know what the fuck I am—you know how shitty my childhood was. Fuck, you all were there when my uncle shot my cousin for being gay."

I step back from Ronan and attempt to sneak out of the room. As I slip behind Darragh, he reaches out and grabs my arm.

"Stay, Cian has a big mouth and will tell you all this shit anyway."

I nod and move around so I am sitting across the table from him.

"My whole family is homophobic. They hide it behind their religious beliefs, and the fucked-up thing is, I could respect their views if they were not so messed up and toxic about it. My cousin didn't deserve to die because she was in love with a woman, and that was only one of the fucked-up things I went through. When I met you guys, shit changed for me and I had a genuine family, one who didn't care who I fucked or what came out of my mouth. Shit, I still have long hair because my grandfather was pissed at Iris for cutting her hair short; he told her she was a disgrace, that boys had short hair and girls had long hair."

"Is that why you freaked out when I offered to suck your dick?" Cian asks, and Darragh nods.

"You're my family, and I can't fuck that up. I have so many hang ups from my past. Everything happened at once, with finding out I was a father and then Cian's accident, so I wanted to clear the air."

"You know, even if I sucked your cock, I would always be your best friend. Tell him, Harper, you can mess around with your bestie and still be friends, right?"

All four of them look at me. "How the hell should I know? I haven't fucked my best friend. Jordyn is hot and all, but she is straight and so am I—or mostly, unless I was paid enough."

"Let's drop it. I won't repeat any of it again and you don't even know the half of it. My family was fucked up, and I'm just glad most of them were taken care of." Darragh looks at Ronan, who gives him a small nod.

"Well, thank you for sharing, but you're still a douche. It must just be a personality defect," I say, sliding my chair back.

Ronan clears his throat. "Harper, did you want a tour of the place now that it's been renovated?"

I nod. Everything looks like it's mostly done, but I want to see it all before Friday arrives and I get my first taste of being the boss.