“That’s the deal, Da. Take it or leave it.”
I covered my mouth with my hand so I wouldn’t laugh.
The kid had Justin by the bollocks.
“Okay, fine, you little shite – but not a word to your ma about the snacks, dishes, or the not-bad word I said, okay?”
Dustin grinned from ear to ear. “What word, Da?”
He turned and ran out of the room then.
“Hey, rude kid! Say hello to Neala!”
I heard Dustin’s feet as he pattered up the stairs at lightning speed.
“Heya, Auntie Neala. Bye, Auntie Neala.”
I laughed. “Hello and goodbye to you too, Dusty!”
I looked to Justin, who was grumbling under his breath as he sat down on the recliner facing me.
“You can’t be mad; he isn’t doing anything you weren’t doing at his age.”
Justin snorted. “You weren’t alive when I was his age.”
I rolled my eyes. “Give it a rest. You’ve got seven years on me, Wise One, not seventy.”
Justin grinned, then nodded at the living room doorway and said, “Can you believe he is turning seven in July?”
I shook my head. “Nope, it’s like yesterday he was born.”
Justin smiled as he thought about that fond memory. “The kid is too smart for a six-year-old. I wasn’t as advanced as him when I was his age; nor was I that much of a hustler.”
I cackled. “He’s picked up some new tricks, that’s for sure.”
“All at me own expense.”
“Would you have him any other way?” I asked, smiling.
Justin looked at me and smiled. “No.”
“That’s what I thought.” I snickered, then said, “I still can’t believe you wouldn’t give on his name. Justin and Dustin are confusing to me sometimes.”
“I wanted him called after me, but his ma wasn’t having it, so Dustin was a close second.”
I moved away from the radiator now that I had feeling back in most parts of my body. I took off my wellie boots and other winter layers and set them by the radiator to dry; then I sat across from Justin and rubbed my arms with my hands.
“This winter is horrible.” I grumbled.
Justin nodded in agreement. “It’s going to get even worse, too.”
God, I hoped not.
I leaned my head back against the chair. “Where’s your baby mama?”
Justin pulled a face at me. “Sarah is working.”
I snapped my fingers. “Right – you mentioned that on the phone. How’s work going for her?”
Justin shrugged. “It’s going as well as can be down the pub. She and Jess have pretty much the same shifts, so they have a bit of craic together.”
“Good, glad to hear it.”
Justin grinned. “Spit it out.”
I smiled knowingly; nothing got past him.
“Spit what out?” I smiled.
“Why are you really here, kid? I know it’s not to shoot the shit and rag on petty little things, so say whatever it is about Darcy that you need to say,” Justin said, a warm smile on his face.
Time to get down to business.
I trained my gaze on him. “I’m here to enlist you into me army.”
“Steady on, Lara Croft.” Justin laughed.
I hissed. “I’m serious. I need you on me side in order to win this war.”
Justin dropped his smile and stared at me in dismay. “War? Army? Who the hell are you fighting, Neala?”
“Darcy and Sean.” I spat out their names. “Apart I can handle them, but together they form one working brain and can anticipate me every move. I need help to defeat them. Your help.”
Justin blinked. “I don’t like the vibe off you right now. You sound, and look . . . murderous.”
I grinned evilly. “I am, and your brother is one of two on me hit list.”
Justin screeched, “Fucking hell, will you blink already? You’re scaring me, Neala!”
I snorted and batted my eyelashes.
“Better?” I asked sarcastically.
“No,” Justin huffed. “You looked like that chick out of—”
“I don’t care who or what I look like, Justin.” I cut him off. “I really need your help. Your stupid little brother has crossed a line with me, and I intend to make the bastard pay.”
Justin sat forward and scrubbed his face with both of his hands.
“Tell me.” He sighed. “What exactly has Darcy done to upset you so much this time?”
I swallowed down my rage, and reminded myself that Justin wasn’t the person I was angry with.
“He stole a doll from me.”
Justin raised an eyebrow and muttered, “A doll?”
I nodded my head. “Long story short, we both fought for the same doll in Smyths yesterday. He wanted it for Dustin, and I wanted it for Charli. I won it fair and square.” He didn’t need to know that was a lie. “But that wasn’t enough for Darcy. He came into me home pretending that he wanted us to be friends, and when me back was turned he stole the doll right out from underneath me nose. Who does that? That is me niece’s Christmas present and he just took it! I knew better than to believe him, but Sean vouched for him, so I had no reason to doubt him, you know?”
I looked down to my fisted hands and willed them to stop shaking, but I couldn’t make them stop. They weren’t shaking from the cold anymore. I was so angry with Darcy, and hurt that he would do this to me. The hurt I felt disgusted me more than anything, because I had sworn a long time ago that Darcy’s actions wouldn’t faze me, and yet here I was close to tears over the idiot.
My brother’s role in Darcy’s messed-up game was upsetting, but I knew deep down Sean thought I enjoyed my tug-of-war games with Darcy, and to an extent I usually did. But not this time around. I’d taken a lot of crap from Darcy over the years but I refused to let him one-up me on this.
Justin frowned as he looked at me. “I agree he shouldn’t have robbed you of the doll, but I don’t think he intended to upset you. In his mind he probably thinks you’re cooking up a plan to get the doll back from him. This is what you and Darcy do, kid. You play off one another.”
I grunted. “Not anymore. He crossed a line by coming to me house spewing lies about false relationship mending. I hate liars and he knows that.”
Justin chewed on his lower lip. “I feel for you, kid, and I want to help you even out the playing field, but I can’t step in on this one. Orders from the head office.”
The head office?
No. Way.
I gasped. “Our mothers!”
I don’t know why I was even surprised at the mention of our mothers being involved in this situation – those two knew everything. They had eyes and ears all over the bloody village.
Justin grinned at my outburst. “They never told me what was going on, but they warned me not to get involved because they don’t want to encourage any drama between you two that will roll over to Sean and Jess’s engagement party tomorrow night.”
How did they even know what Darcy and I were up to?
Did someone in Smyths let on what happened to them? Damn our small town – everyone knew your business.
“Those meddling cows! How come Darcy gets Sean’s help and I have to go it alone?”
Justin winced, and I guessed it was because of how unfair everyone was being to me.
“Maybe they know your cleverness and wit is worth ten of Sean and Darcy put together, and that you don’t need the extra help to outsmart them both?”
I couldn’t help but smile. Justin was a smooth talker.
“You’re such a lick-arse.” I chuckled.
Justin smiled. “I know what to say in certain situations; it’s a nice trait to have.”
“Well, if you aren’t going to help me bring down Dumb and Dumber, then keep mum that I know Darcy has the doll, okay? I want him sweating with worry on when and how I’m going to strike back.”
Justin winked. “You got it, and for whatev
er it’s worth, kid, I’m rooting for you to come out on top on this one. Literally.”
That sounded more than a little suggestive, and I was about to call Justin on it when a shout came from upstairs.
“Da, I’m starving!”
I rolled my eyes at Dustin’s dramatics.
“What do you want to eat?” Justin shouted back.
“Pizza!” came Dustin’s quick response.
I snorted as Justin reached for his phone and said, “Don’t judge me. I don’t like cooking.”
I motioned with my hand over my mouth that my lips were sealed.
Justin smirked. “You staying for dinner?”
I shrugged. “Sure. Plotting my plan of attack against your brother over pizza sounds perfect to me.”