“I’m not going back there. I’m not going anywhere with you. It’s over.”
“Let’s talk about this. Alone.” His voice lowered and he closed the distance to where Nessa stood.
“There’s nothing to talk about. I’m tired of you being an asshole and then telling me I’m being unreasonable.”
Tony’s gaze shot over her shoulder to meet Ronan’s. The man lowered his voice even more. “Babe. Come on. This is no one else’s business.”
Then he had the balls to grab Nessa’s arm and try to pull her away. Nessa yanked her arm back and shoved both palms into Tony’s chest, sending him back a foot. “Keep your hands off me!”
Still off-balance, Tony struck out to backhand Nessa. He had no chance of making contact because Ronan rushed forward, leading with his fists. He punched Tony twice before the man hit the ground. Ronan lowered himself and hit him again before Nessa grabbed his arm.
“Damn it, Ronan. Stop. The neighbors are gonna call the cops.”
That was enough to stop him. He hadn’t been arrested in years, but an assault charge might be worth it to keep this dirtbag away from his sister.
“He’s not worth it.”
Ronan straightened and poked at Tony with the steel toe of his boot. “Stay the fuck away from my sister. Or I’ll make sure she’s not around to save your sorry ass next time.”
Nessa was still tugging him toward his truck. They climbed in but didn’t pull away until Tony stumbled back to his car and drove off.
As he started the engine, Ronan looked at Nessa, who stared out the passenger window. “Are you okay?”
“I’m fine. He’s just an asshole.”
He reached over and touched her arm where Tony had grabbed. “He do that before?”
She turned her head. “What? Grab me?” She nodded.
Ronan threw the car into drive and gripped the steering wheel. He kept his mouth shut because right now, he wanted to lash out and Nessa didn’t need that.
“He never hit me, Ronan.”
He grunted. He wasn’t even sure if he believed her.
“Can we just drop it?”
“No. We can’t. What the fuck, Nessa? How could you be with a guy who treats you like that?” He was glad they hadn’t gone out long, but the fact that it lasted even a couple months was too long.
“Here’s a newsflash, Ronan. Guys like him don’t walk around with a sign that identifies them as abusive. They’re sneaky. They start off sweet and kind and thoughtful. Then they start making demands. They want you all to themselves.” She took a shuddering breath. “You don’t see it at first. Hell, most women don’t see it for far too long.”
“You keep saying ‘they’ and talking about how this goes. You’ve been with guys like him before?”
She gave him a one-shouldered shrug. “Nothing serious. I don’t need you to go all Punisher out there.”
“I knew we should’ve locked you up when you were little and we had the chance.”
She laughed loudly. “As if you ever had the chance. I was too sly for all of you.”
He wished he could call it a lie, but she had been. Still was.
“You can’t protect me from the world, Ronan. We all have to navigate life. Every relationship is a learning experience. Some are more meaningful than others. Some are a lesson. Tony was one of my lessons.”
“When did you get to be so smart? The Nessa I know would’ve been plotting how to attack the guy’s car with a baseball bat.”
She chuckled again. “That’s not off the table. But we’re getting a little grown to react like that, don’t you think, old man?”
“I am not old.”
“Too old to be fighting in the street,” she said, pointing at his swollen knuckles.
“He had that coming.”
“He did. But I can fight my own battles. You taught me well.”
Obviously not well enough if she’d thought Tony was good enough for her.
“So, how’s work? Mom said you got a job working for the Cahills,” she asked, shifting the conversation.
“Got a promotion. Superintendent.”
“Congratulations. I still can’t believe you went to work for the same company Dad worked at. But I guess it put you on a fast track for promotion. Like those rich people whose kids automatically get into Ivy League schools.”
“Not quite like that. I’ve been doing this kind of work for over a decade. I’ve put in my time. When are you going to learn that people like us have to work for everything?”
“I know. I’m just saying. How many guys go to work for the same company their dad worked for?”
“Danny Cahill followed in his daddy’s footsteps.”
“But it’s his father’s company. That’s not the same. Fifty, sixty years ago, sure. But today? People go all over. Even if it’s the same industry. Like a doctor’s kid might become a doctor, but she’s not going to work at the same hospital. She’s going to look for her own job.”