A Quartet of Desire

Chapter 30: The Darkness Behind the Quiet

*Mature*

*Ryan's POV*

The tension was thick in the living room after my decree. I knew they weren't happy, but there was nothing they could do about it. They knew they were powerless before me, and a sense of pleasure coursed through my gut as I watched their frustrated emotions flitter across their faces. Claire and I stood up as her mother rose from her seat.

Karen struggled to force a smile on her face. "Alright, well, at least let us spend a little mother daughter time together. It's been forever since she's been home. We won't be too long."

"Why don't you stay down here for a drink," Claire's father offered as I made a motion to follow after her. "Claire needs a little girl time with her mom and sister, don't you think?"

The last thing I wanted was to leave her alone with them after witnessing the welcome she received when she came home. I glanced to her as her mother tightly grabbed her wrist and pulled her towards the stairwell against the far wall.

"One drink," I agreed.

I watched the women until they disappeared on the second level of the home then turned my attention to the babbling man before me. He had a small bar cabinet against the living room wall near the front door and was listing off the various options he could offer me. "Or if you don't like that, I've got Jack and Coke."

"Whatever you pour is fine," I told him, not having a clue what he was rambling about just moments before.

He nodded his head and sorted through the bottles on the countertop. Eventually, he poured two shots of whiskey and passed me one of the glasses. I took it but waited to take the shot. I knew there was something on his mind, and I wanted him to hurry up and get on with it. The longer Claire was alone with those two women the more concerned I grew.

"Here's the thing, Ryan," he started, shifting from foot to foot. His face exuded confidence, but the rest of his body conveyed his nervous ticks. "We're aware that this arrangement wasn't your idea and has been difficult on you. We know how hard Claire is to be around and how strange and awkward she is. It was rather shocking to us that your mother chose her, and we've seen how unhappy you are with this decision. To help you out, we'd like to propose an exchange."

I stared at the man in front of me, appalled and unsure that I had truly heard his statement correctly. All I wanted to do was grab him by the throat and hoist him off his feet for even contemplating making this offer. Maintaining a blank expression, I calmly asked, "An exchange?"

"Yes," he nervously smiled. "We'd like to offer Tara as an exchange for Claire. Tara is far more appealing to look at and quite more interesting to converse with. She'll also be easier to teach new responsibilities to since she's a fast learner. We're sure you'd be happier with Tara instead of Claire."

My grip tightened on the glass in my hand as he droned on about this nonsense. I reminded myself not to break the glass across his face as I interrupted him. "I'm going to stop you right there, McKnight. I don't appreciate you putting down my fiancée like that, regardless of who you are in relation to her. You're speaking as if she's a trade good, like a bag of flour, that could possibly be bartered instead of the actual human being that she is."

"I mean no offense, Ryan," he raised his hands in front of him slightly in an effort to calm me down and show he meant no harm. "I just know our girls and know how pitiful Claire is in comparison to Tara. I'm trying to help you with your future."

"Bullshit," I gritted through my teeth. I took a step closer to him and slammed my glass down on the bar top next to him. The amber liquid spilled onto the wooden surface from the forceful impact of my movements. "I'm only going to say this once, so you better listen the fuck up. Claire is my wife and no one else will ever be. Even if Tara was the last Irish woman on this planet, I would go find myself a nice Italian girl to marry. Don't you ever, ever speak poorly about my wife again. I know there's been abuse in this home, and if I find out a single hair on her head has been harmed from this point forward, I swear to you I will put a bullet in you, your wife, and your precious Tara."