Mine Whether She Likes It Or Not (Excerpt)

Chapter 2

Jilliana

It takes all of twenty minutes before I see Carlee's old mustang pulling into the parking lot and parking out front of the diner. My pen stops midair as I watch out the window as she opens her door and steps out. A smile grows on my lips as I shake my head. This girl always amazes me.

She doesn't have work today, so of course she's wearing a crop top with the tightest jeans a woman can wear. Along with her knee length boots. Making every Tom, Dick, and Harry turn their heads as she walks by. "Excuse me Miss, we were in the middle of ordering." The older lady sitting at the table sneers my way. "Oh yes sorry." I continue taking her and her husband's orders as I hear the bell ring above the door.

Carlee makes a skeptical once she steps into the old diner. She plays like she must fix her crop top just to bring attention to that area of her body. Her antics cause me to smile. I believe she craves the other sex attention because of how she was raised. Never having any freedom. She's the only girl in the family and the youngest. Being raised around a bunch of male alphas, which have a lot of pull in the city, can make a girl lose her mind.

"Hey girl!" Her voice carries to the back of the diner where I stand. I look up once the older couple are done placing their orders and see her giving me her infamous little wave. Instead of the whole hand moving she waves at me with just the tips of her fingers. I mock her and do the same in return. Causing her to giggle.

"I'll be at the counter." She tells me as she throws a young man sitting close by a wink. I watch, as do all the others in the diner, as she flips her long jet-black hair over her shoulder and walks to her usual spot.

Making my way to where she sits at the counter, I give her a much-needed hug. Monique comes behind me, reaching for the pad to give the order to the cook. I thank her as we push away from one another and really look at each other.

We couldn't be more opposite looking. She's got a darker shade of skin, long black hair that almost reaches her butt, and deep brown eyes that could bring any man to his knees. Then, there is me. Her pale skinned, strawberry blonde friend with freckles along my nose and light blue green eyes.

"So, how are you holding up?" She knows no one here at the diner knows exactly who we are. They know our first names, and we gave them false last names. If they heard who we really are they would pry have been hesitant to hire me. Just like at the coffee shop she works at.

"About as well as I can." I shrug my shoulders as I make my way around the counter. Grabbing a cup, I pour her some coffee and pick up her order. Placing it in front of her, I watch as she picks up her fork and digs in. Making me wonder when was the last time she ate?

She must see what I'm thinking, my facial expressions have always given my emotions away. As she answers my unspoken question. "I got the call two days ago. Been difficult for me to eat since."

My mouth falls open, "you knew then and didn't tell me?" I feel a little hurt as I look down at the counter. Fighting back the tears that want to fall. I hear her place her fork down and see her hand lay on top of mine.

She waits for me to look up at her. When I do, she has tears building behind her eyes as well. "I didn't know how to tell you. My brother called and said that they will be coming for us soon." She takes a deep breath and let's it out. "That's how I knew he was out. He's free and we don't have a lot of time here."

Nodding my head, I agree with her. I still cannot believe he hasn't come for us already. I know he's been out for a week now. The only logical explanation is that he had some family business back in Chicago. Monique walks up and as they are talking with one another I excuse myself to use the restroom. Opening the door, I look below the stalls to make sure no one is in here. When I find it empty, I walk up to the sink, turn the icy water on and splash my face with water.

Looking at my reflection in the mirror I wonder who the woman staring back at me is. Truth be told since everything happened; I have been a shell of myself. Find my thoughts going to the last moment in the courtroom. "Guilty." They jury says the word finalizing his life for the next three years. Everyone in the room is stunned silent. No one puts an O'Reilly away in prison.

The chief of police is sitting on the opposite side smiling. His son and his friends were killed that night. All because they attacked us, and he was made out to be the bad guy. Shaking my head, I wipe away the lone tear I feel sliding down my cheek. My eyes make their way to the front of the room. I watch him stand up at his full height, well over six feet, as he turns and whispers something to his older brother. Once he gets his brothers head nod his eyes find me.

He really looks at me for the first time in days. For a man about to go to prison he doesn't look like he has a care in the world. The sly devil himself smirks my way as they put the cuffs around his wrists. Before he walks off Keighan throws me a wink and a nod of his head. Telling me all I need to know. He will come for me as soon as he's out. We have unfinished business; I think as I watch him walk away.

Shaking my head, I focus on the now. The time in my life where I know I should be happy. I'm almost twenty-one years old, I have a decent job during the day, a fun one at night where I can let loose and escape all my problems, and a family that loves me.

So, what if he's out of prison? So, what if his family is part of the Irish Syndicate, and so what if he has claimed me once upon a time as his. None of those things matter. I dry my face and head back out to finish my shift. Get through today and later tonight I'll forget all my problems and leave them behind.